Topsail : The second sail going up a mast. These may be either square sails or fore-and-aft ones, in which case they often "fill in" between the mast and the gaff of the sail below
Brethrencoast, Glossary of Nautical Terms - Talk like a pirate, Sylvan Dell Publishing, USA 2000. Brethren of the Coast is a non-profit site which was created solely for those interested in 'Piracy of Old' on the high seas. It is NOT associated with any organization or reinactment group by the same name. This just me personal website on the subject. http://brethrencoast.com/Glossary.html, (Mrtm - Amer) {574}