Image: Model of 'The Michael', Newhaven Primary School, Edinburgh

Description: A model of James IV's flagship, the 'Great Michael', in the primary school at Newhaven, the port where she was built. It was made by a local man, George Scammell, in the mid-1980s. Pitscottie's description of the ship conveys the sense of pride and awe she instilled. In the same yeir [1512] the king of Scottland bigit [built] ane great scheip callit the Great Michell quhilk was the greattest scheip and maist of strength that ewer saillit in Ingland or France. For this scheip was of so greit statur and tuik so mekill [much] timber that scho waistit all the wodis in Fyfe except Falkland wode, by [besidesl all the tymmer that was gottin out of Noraway. Scho was so strang and wyde of length and breid that all the wryghtis [carpenters] of Scottland ye and money wther strangeris was at hir devyse be the kingis commandement quho wroght werie bessielie [very busily] on hir, bot it was yeir and day or [ere] scho was compleit. To wit, scho was xij scoir of futtis of length [12 score foot long] and xxxv futte withtin the wallis; scho was ten fute thik in the waill, cuttit jeastis of aik [joists of oak] witht hir wallis and burdis [strakes] on ewerie syde sa stark and thik that na canon could gang throw hir. This great schipe cummerit [troubled] Scottland to get hir to the sie; from tyme scho was aflott and all hir mastis and saillis compleit, witht towis and ankeris effeirand [belonging] thairto scho was comptit [calculated] to the king to be xxx thowsand pund of expenssis by [besides] hir artaillye quhilk was werie great and costlie to the king by [besides] all the laif [rest] of hir order. To wit, scho buire mony cannons sex on everie syde witht thrie great basselis [basilisks], tua behind in hir dock and ane befoir, witht iijc [300] schott of small artaillyie, that is to say moyen and batterit facouns [falcons] and quarter fallcouns, slingis, pestelent serpitantis [serpentines], and doubill doggis witht hagbut and cullvering, corsebowis [crossbows] and handbowis. Scho had iijc [300] marienaris to saill hir, sex scoir of gounnaris [but see note] to wse hir artaillye for this scho had ane thouwsand men of weir by [besides] hir captans skipiris and quarter maisteris. Quhen this scheip past to the sie and was lyand in the rade [roadstead], the king gart [had] schot ane cannon at hir to say hir gif scho was wicht [strong], bot I hard say [from his sources, Wood and Barton] it deirit [damaged] hir nocht and did her lyttill skaith [harm]. [Note: The Treasurer's Accounts list 295 "mariners of the great ship", but only 14 gunners and 4 "men" for the artillery.]
Title: Model of 'The Michael', Newhaven Primary School, Edinburgh
Credit: Own work
Author: Kim Traynor
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes