[1292] State Papers, Dom., 4th Feb. 1652.
[1293] Ibid., 15th Dec. 1652.
[1294] State Papers, Dom., lx, 135, October 1653; Bourne to Navy Commissioners.
[1295] State Papers, Dom., xxix, 57; October 1652.
[1296] Ibid., 6th Jan. 1653.
[1297] Ibid., xxx, 84, and xlv, 66.
[1298] From the Dutch Grom, or Low Latin Gromettus, one occupied in a servile office. Gromet is at least as old as the thirteenth century and then meant a ship’s boy. Later it came to mean ordinary seamen; here it is applied to a class between ordinary seamen and boys, but probably nearer, in qualifications, to the former than the latter.
[1299] The earliest mention of midshipmen yet noticed is in a letter of 7th Feb. 1642-3, in which a Mr Cook writes that he will not undervalue himself by allowing his son to accept such a place.
[1300] The pay of the privates was 18s per month; no officer of higher rank than serjeant was in charge.
[1301] State Papers, Dom., 19th April 1655. Hatsell to Col. John Clerke (an Admiralty Commissioner).