We have a statement of the rank and ratings of the officers and men
of a ship of war in the _Sea grammar_ of captain Smith, 1627. 4to. The
word in question, as a _rating_, had then become obsolete. The duties
of the seamen are thus described:

"The _sailers_ are the ancient men for hoising the sailes,
getting the tacks aboord, haling the bowlings, and steering
the ship.

"The _younkers_ are the young men called fore-mast men, to
take in the top-sailes, or top and yard, for furling the
sailes, or slinging the yards, bousing or trising, and take
their turnes at helme."

Now, a comparison of the definitions of the Spanish and Portuguese
_gromete_, and the English _younker_, leads me to infer that the
latter term had been substituted for _grummett_ or _gromet_, and
that the duties of both classes were nearly the same.

If the above information should seem less precise than might be
expected, I must make my apology in the words which Edward Jorden
addressed to captain Smith on the publication of his _Sea grammar_:

"Who can
Deriue thy words, is more grammarian
Than Camden, Clenard, Ramus, Lilly were:
Here's language would haue non-plust Scaliger!"

Bolton Corney.