pateraroes

Updated: May 19, 2025

Sometimes they rigged what was called a top-arming, or top armour, a strip of cloth like the "war girdle" of the Norse longships, across the unprotected space. It gave no protection against shot, but it prevented the enemy's gunners from taking aim at the deck, or from playing upon the hatchways with their murderers and pateraroes.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.