Note 486 — AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF PHINEAS PETT (continued 3)
Reading edition
Apparently 'bent' was in use at this period in speaking of the tide when it had turned and begun to ebb or flow with full force. Cf. Luke Ward's narrative (1582) in Hakluyt (vol. xi. p. 174): 'Being at anchor, I manned our boat and would have gone aboard the Admiral, but could not, the flood was bent so strong.'