The purpose of the shrouds was to provide the mast with lateral and after support. Until part way into the 14th century an average of one to three pairs of shrouds had proved adequate, but in the !5th and 16th centuries the number of pairs of shrouds increased by leaps and bounds, A dozen pairs of shrouds (one pair always counted as starboard -port) on the main mast was almost the rule, and 16 pairs was not exceptional, many ships carrying as many as 18 to 20 pairs. At the beginning of the 17th century this great mass of rope began to be reduced again to a more sensible amount. On large ships the number of pairs of shrouds on the mqinmast varied from 9 to 11, on the foremast 8 to 10, on the mizen mast 4 to 6. On small ships the main mast had 6 or 7, the fore mast 5 or 6, the mizen mast 2 to 4 pairs. These figures remained the same until the 20th century.

Shrouds gang
   In each case two shrouds formed a gang. This means that an eye was seized in to the middle of a rope of well over double the distance from channel to masthead. The eye was very slightly larger than the girth of the masthead, over which it was fitted and crossed over in such a way that the two ropes of the gang came down together on the same side- alternately starboard and port. The foremost gang was always on the starboard side. If there was an odd number of pairs of shrouds the last pair was either fitted singly with eye splices, or was doubled over the masthead with a horseshoe splice, cut splice or seized eye, in which case the one rope led downwards to starboard, the other to port.

Shrouds
   In the second half of the 16th century the use of opposite laid ropes for the starboard and larboard shrouds was introduced although this practice never became universal. Right-handed shrouds were used for the larboard side, and left-handed shrouds on the starboard side. The shrouds themselves were also wormed at the latest by the second half of the 16th century .The foremost shroud of each mast was wormed, parcelled and served from the first half of the 16!h century on. From the middle of the 16th century in England, and from around 1680 on the Continent, the eye round the masthead was also served, initially as far as the seizing, but soon right down to just below the futtock stave. Serving at the lower end of the shroud, where it enclosed the deadeyes or the thimble of the rigging screw, first appeared during the 19th century.
   The best sequence for the model maker is to make the shrouds first, that is to worm and serve them, and then fix them all over the masthead. The loose ends dangling down can be left hanging freely for the
time being.

Turning in the deadeyes
   Deadeyes were turned into the lower end of the shrouds, by means of which the shrouds were set up, The upper deadeyes should all be in a straight line parallel to the channels -this is easier advised than accomplished! For this reason all the seizings and deadeye lanyards are fixed temporarily at first; don't cut the rope ends short at this stage. Bear in mind what I said at the beginning of this chapter: the ropes should not be permanently fixed until the tension of all the shrouds, stays and backstays has been matched; the ropes can then be cut to the correct length.
Here is a little "wrinkle" which will undoubtedly make this job easier for yoq: set up only the first and last pairs of shrouds of the mast initially, and be sure that they are exactly an equal distance from the channels.