Obs. Also 5 waughter, 6 waghter, 7 Sc. waughtar, -er. [App. a. Du. or LG. wachter, lit. guard, f. wachten to guard; but the specific use has not been found in Du. or LG.]
1. An armed vessel employed as a convoy.
1484. in Lett. & Papers Ric. III. & Hen. VII. (Rolls), II. 287. We understande that certain of you entende hastely to departe towardes Island, not purveied of waughters for your suertie. Ibid. That ye gadre and assemble your selff … and … departe alle togider toward Humbre, to attende there upon our shippes of Hull as your waughters, for the suretie of you all.
1524. Wolsey, in St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 89. It appereth that 7 prises and oone wafter of the Island flete be lately taken by 2 shippes of Lethe. Ibid. (1524), ibid., VI. 276. Considring what tract of tyme it shalbe, bifore waghters may be put in redynes and sent from hens for your conduytyng.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 212 b. Commaundement was geuen to the Haberdashers … that they should prepare a barge … with a wafter and a foyst garnished with banners.
c. 1595. Capt. Wyatt, R. Dudley’s Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.), 58. Shee was a man of war and a wafter either to theire Byskin fleet of fishermen for Newfoundlande or bounde to meet theire Indian fleet now comminge home.
1622. R. Whitbourne, Newfoundland, 53. These ships thus sent to guard their [sc. the Hollanders’] Fleets, which are called Wafters, doe continually breede many fit seruiceable Seamen.
1623. Melros Papers (Abbotsf. Club), II. 489. The lyke charge being execute aganis the captaines of the waughtaris at Abirdeene.
1670. J. Smith, Eng. Improv. Reviv’d, III. 257. There were about 20 Wafters, as they call’d them, which were Ships carrying about 30 Guns a piece, being the Convoys of the Fleet of Busses.
2. The commander of a convoying vessel.
1482. Pat. Roll 22 Edw. IV., m. 2 (1802), 326. Certi conductores sive waftores [printed wastores] piscatorum Reg’ in partibus Norff’ et Suff’.
1513. T. Howard, in Lett. & Papers War France (1897), 163. I shall … send all the vitellers there forth to Hampton warde and with them Antony Poynes, Wisman and Draper for wafters.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 75. The reuerend lord great master … sent vessels called brigantines, for to cause the wafters of the sea to come into Rhodes for the keeping and fortifying of the towne. Ibid., 76. The lord master seeing that the Turkes hoste drew neere, and that he had the most part of the waters within the towne, he caused generall musters of men of armes to be made.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, iv. 9. The Vice-admirall, and other Wafters [printed Wasters] that should be the Shepheards to guard and keeps their flocke,… were … the Men who made most hast to flie from the Wolfe.
