1637 Group

The 1637 Group of two 300 ton 'pinnances' to carry fourteen pieces of ordnance and sixteen banks of oars were ordered on 12 December 1636. These vessels would carry thirty pieces of ordnance with ten pairs of gun ports on the lower deck with two pair forward and four pairs aft on the upper deck. The waist would be unprotected until two more pairs of gun ports were added later. Their measurements would compare favourably to the 'frigate' type vessels built a decade later. Their beam to length ratio of 3.46 to 1 would make a more true frigate than the Constant Warwick.

Design and specifications
The ships were built in Bermondsey under contract. Only order dates and launch dates are available for each ship. The specification dimensions are keel for tonnage 90 ft with a breadth of 26 ft and depth of hold of 13 ft. The builder's measure tonnage was 304.2 and 405.5 tons. When the vessels were remeasured their dimensions were keel 90 ft with a beam of 27 ft and depth of hold of 11 ft. Their builder's measure was $357 93/94$ tons.

The gun armaments will be specified on within the ship articles as they varied between the vessels. As built they carried thirty guns of culverins, demi-culverins, and sakers. The initial manning of the ships was120 personnel in 1652, increasing to 140 souls by 1653.