The Autobiography of Phineas Pett
launch by reason the wind over-blew the tide; yet the ship started
and had launched, but that the dock gates pent her in so strait that
she stuck fast between them, by reason the ship was nothing lifted
with the tide as we expected she should, and the great lighter by
unadvised counsel being cut off the stern, the ship settled so hard
upon the ground that there was no possibility of launching that tide,
besides that there was such a multitude of people got into the ship
that one could scarcely stir by another. The noble Prince himself,
accompanied with the Lord Admiral and other great Lords, were upon
the poop, where the great standing gilt cup was ready filled with
wine to name the ship, so soon as she had been on float, according
to ancient custom and ceremony performed at such times, by drinking
part of the wine, giving the ship her name, and heaving the standing
cup overboard.
The King's Majesty was much grieved to be frustrate of his
expectation, coming on purpose, though very ill at ease, to have done
me honour, but God saw it not so good for me and therefore sent this
cross upon me both to humble me and to make me know that howsoever we
purposed, he would dispose all things as he pleased; so that about
five of the clock his Majesty with the Queen and all their train
departed away to Greenwich, where then the household were removed.
Prince Henry stayed behind a good while after his Majesty was gone,
conferring with the Lord Admiral, Principal Officers, and myself what
was to be done; and, leaving the Lord Admiral to stay here to see all
things performed that was resolved on, he took horse and rode after
the King to Greenwich, with promise to return back presently after
midnight.
So soon as the multitudes were gone and things quiet, we went
presently in hand to make way with the sides of the dock gates, and
having great store of scavelmen[362] and other labourers, we made
all things ready before any flood came; which performed, every man
applied himself to get victuals and to take rest. The Lord Admiral
sat up all the night in a chair in his chamber, till the tide was
come about the ship; and Sir Robert Mansell, Sir John Trevor, and Sir
Henry Palmer made shift in my lodgings to rest themselves.
The beginning of the night was very fair and bright moonshine, the
moon being a little past full, but after midnight the weather was
sore overcast, and a very sore gust of rain, thunder and lightning,
which made me doubt that there was some indirect working amongst our
enemies to dash our launching; this gust lasted about half an hour
with great extremity, the wind being at south-west.
In the midst of this great gust, Prince Henry and all his [train]
were taken upon the top of Blackheath in their coming to Woolwich,
but his invincible spirit, daunted with nothing, made little account
of it but came through, and was no sooner alighted in the yard but,
calling for the Lord Admiral and myself and Sir Robert Mansell, went
all presently on board the ship, being about two of the clock, almost
one hour before high water; and was no sooner entered but, the word
being given to set all taut, the ship went away without any straining
of screws or tackles, till she came clear afloat into the midst of
the channel, to the great joy and comfort of the Prince's Highness,
the Lord Admiral, and all the rest of my noble loving friends, which
mercy of God to me I pray I may never forget.
His Highness then, standing upon the poop with a selected company
only, besides the trumpets, with a great deal of expression of
princely joy, and with the ceremony[363] of drinking in the great
standing cup, threw all the wine forward towards the half deck, and
solemnly calling her by the name of the Prince Royal, the trumpets
sounding all the while, with many gracious words to me, gave the
standing cup into mine own hands, and would not go from the ship till
he saw her fast at her moorings. In heaving down to the moorings we
found that all the hawsers that were laid on shore for land-fasts
were treacherously cut, to put the ship to hazard of running on
shore, if God had not blessed us better.
In the interim of warping to the moorings, his Highness went down
to the platform of the cook-room where the ship's beer stood for
the ordinary company, and there finding an old can without a lid,
went and drew it full of beer himself, and drank it off to the Lord
Admiral, and caused him with the rest of his attendants to do the
like.
About nine the same morning, being very rainy, he took his barge,
accompanied with the Lord Admiral and the rest of his train, and,
giving us a princely gracious farewell, rowed against the tide
to Greenwich, where he made relation of all the business and the
circumstances thereof to the King his father.
We then came on shore to refresh ourselves with victuals, and to take
some rest, having toiled all the night before; and, amongst the rest
of the company, Sir Henry Palmer was pleased to stay dinner, where we
drank Prince Henry's health round, to hansel[364] the standing cup
given at the launching.
The 8th day of October I began to kill beef at Woolwich for the
victualling of the Resistance, for a voyage into the Straits.
The 20th of October were discharged most part of all the workmen
which wrought upon the Prince, and were paid at Deptford [the] same
day.
The 22nd day of this month, the Resistance fell down to the
wall,[365] and the 27th day she came down to Woolwich, and there
anchored by the Prince.
This day also I shipped away my household stuff from Woolwich to
Chatham.
The 29th day, being Monday, I removed from Woolwich to Chatham, with
my wife, children, and my whole family, and the next day I returned
again to Woolwich, and the next day divers Straits ships fell down to
Woolwich, and we caused them to anchor by the Prince, and to help us
with all their men to set the Prince's masts.
The first of November, being Thursday, was set the Prince's foremast,
and on Saturday, being the 3rd day, her boltsprit was set also, all
the merchantmen's companies helping us.
The 8th day, being Thursday, the Resistance and the rest of the
Straits ships set sail for Gravesend, and I went down thither in the
Resistance, and that night went to Chatham, and the next day returned
to Gravesend and cleared away my ship.
The 10th day, being Saturday, betimes in the morning the Resistance
and the rest of the Straits ships set sail from Gravesend, and went
over the next tide. I went in the Resistance, Captain John King went
in his own ship, the Mathew, and Mr. Jenkins the shipwright went with
Mr. Wills in the Althea, and Mr. Newport went master in the Centaur.
We all anchored in the Gore,[366] and lay ashore at Birchington that
night, old Thomas Puniett in our company. The next day Captain King,
Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Puniett,[367] and myself, came post to Chatham; they
lay at my house all night, and the next day I came up to Woolwich
with them in my company.
The Prince by this time was wholly rigged and made ready to go to
Chatham, of which having made Prince Henry's Highness acquainted, he
was pleased to come on board her at Woolwich on Thursday, being the
6th December, where he stayed some 3 hours, being wonderful desirous
to [have] had us set sail, if we could possibly have done it without
danger. Sir Robert Mansell that day attended upon the Prince, and
was by him commanded to go down in her to Chatham with us. Captain
King was master, thereto being appointed by the Prince, old John a
Vale was our pilot, Mr. John Reynolds the master gunner, and Lawrence
Spencer, boatswain. So soon as it was high water, which was about 3
of the clock, his Highness went on shore at Woolwich where his coach
attended; at his landing we gave him eleven pieces of ordnance, which
was all we had then aboard.
The 7th day of this month, Sir Robert Mansell sent his bedding and
provision on board the Prince, and necessaries for the journey, and
that night he came on board and lay there all night; and the next
day, being Saturday, the wind being at south-west, we made ready to
set sail and got our anchors on board, but it was a great fog all the
morning, and at noon it cleared up, but it was so little wind that
we could scarce bear ahead with all our sails and boats, yet we with
much ado got as low as Halfway Tree,[368] and there, the water being
much fallen, we anchored all that night.
The next day, being Sunday the 9th December, we set sail about one of
the clock, with a fresh gale at south-west, and that night anchored
at the lower end of Gravesend. Monday, the 10th day, we set sail
into Tilbury Hope, and, for that we wanted a great anchor and cable,
Sir Robert thought it fit for us to stay there till we were supplied
with all wants, for which purpose Sir Robert went back to London that
night, and I went home to Chatham.
On Friday after, being the 14th day, I returned on board the ship
into Tilbury Hope, and presently after Sir Robert came on board, and
having received the supply of our wants, we made ready to set sail
again the next day.
Saturday morning, we set sail from Tilbury Hope and anchored thwart
the Nore, where we lay all that night; Sunday, the 16th day, we
weighed and anchored within Sheerness; and on Monday we got up as
high as St. Mary's Creek;[369] and the next day, being Tuesday and
the 18th day, we brought the ship safe to her moorings within the
chain at Upnor, for which we gave God thanks.
So soon as the ship was safe moored, Sir Robert Mansell rode away
post for London, and I went home to my house. On the Wednesday after
I made a journey to London to wait upon the Prince, my master, where
I stayed till the Saturday after, being the 22nd day, and then
returned home to Chatham; and thus ended the year of 1610.
Anno 1611. There passed little worth note till towards the end of
April, this present year; and the 29th day of this month, being on
a Monday, I was by the Prince's Highness' command sent for to come
to London, to be at Westminster with Sir Robert Mansell that night
at supper. The message came to me between 2 and 3 [of the] clock in
the afternoon. I presently caused my horses to be taken up and made
ready, and presently took horse and according to appointment came
thither by seven that night, where I found Sir Robert Mansell and Sir
Oliver Cromwell expecting my coming.
The next morning Sir Robert Mansell and myself repaired to St.
James's, where I received from the Prince's own mouth his Highness'
intent to make a private journey to Chatham, and to go down in his
barges round about by Queenborough; giving me strait charge I should
acquaint none with it, but make preparation for his lodging and diet
and his small train in Chatham, Mr. Legatt's house being appointed
the place to receive his own person. So, being taught my lesson, I
returned to Chatham, taking present order for the preparing of all
things for his entertainment.
There was a small merchantman bound for the East Country, which was
purposely sent down into Tilbury Hope, to ride there, to refresh his
Highness on board her and to relieve the watermen; to which purpose
she was quaintly fitted with all things, and a great breakfast
prepared for that purpose, Sir William St. John[370] having the
charge of seeing it performed, being as Captain of the ship for
present.[371]
The 5th of May, being Sunday, after dinner I took horse to Gravesend,
where met me Captain King, who had part of that merchant ship and was
commanded to attend, and we lay all night at Gravesend.
On Monday morning, being the 6th of May, the Prince's Highness
took his barges at Whitehall by 5 of the clock. He was accompanied
with the Earls of Shrewsbury, Arundel, and Earl of Mar, Sir Thomas
Chaloner, Sir Oliver Cromwell, Sir Robert Mansell, and some others