Ah, now the grape shot makes sense. Didn't they also fire a pair of cannonballs linked with a chain that was designed to break the masts? Those were brutal times. I've been on some old warships. Very cramped and would have been hell in a battle.

Reminds me of a British comedian from the 80s. Kenny Everett would play an 'actress' called Cupid Stunt (yes, really) who would always perform 'in the best possible taste', but her roles tended to involve 'then all my clothes fall off'. Those were different times.