The Autobiography of Phineas Pett
of his household servants. About 9 of the clock his Highness came on
board, where we were ready to receive him after the sea manner, with
trumpets and drums, and after he had refreshed himself, the Lords
broke fast, and the watermen relieved with fresh spells, we went on
against the tide till we came within Queenborough water, and it was
ebbed before we could get as high as Upnor; and so, passing along by
all the ships, his Highness was landed at the old dock at Chatham a
little before 6 at night, and thence walked on foot to Mr. Legatt's
house, where his supper was ready prepared for him and his train, to
his great content.
The Earl of Arundel was lodged at a boatswain's house next Mr.
Legatt's, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Earl of Mar were lodged at my
house, the other train in other convenient places.
Tuesday morning betimes, according to his Highness' directions
overnight, barges and boats were ready prepared to attend his
Highness; who had broke fast and was ready by seven of the clock, and
took his barge and went first on board the Prince, and so from ship
to ship of the lower reach, taking particular private information
from Sir Robert Mansell and myself (none else suffered to come near)
of the state and condition of each several ship in his own table
book. This done, landed and went to dinner, where he was very merry
and pleasant; we having placed 15 great brass chambers in the garden
to be fired when his Highness drunk any healths, and were attended
by Mr. John Reynolds, master gunner of his own ship, who carefully
performed his charge.
Dinner done, his Highness proceeded again in viewing all the ships
and pinnaces in the upper reach, not leaving out any one which he was
not on board of, taking[372] the same course with them as was done
with the other in the forenoon, by which time the day was far spent,
and his Highness returned to his lodging, supper being ready against
his coming.
Wednesday, after his Highness had broke fast, he took his barges and
went up to Strood by water, all the ships of both reaches giving
him a royal farewell with their ordnance, which he commanded to be
shot, even over his barge, notwithstanding all the persuasion to the
contrary.[373] He was landed at Strood, where his coaches attended
him, and thence went to Gravesend, whither I also waited on him,
and there his Highness was received by the magistrates of the town
with all their small shot and the ordnance of the blockhouses: at
his putting in his barge he was pleased to grace me with kissing
his hand, expressing how well he was pleased with his journey and
entertainment; thence I returned home to Chatham.
The 4th of June, being Tuesday, being prepared to have gone to London
the next day, about midnight one of the King's messengers was sent
down to me from the Lord Treasurer to man the light horseman[374]
with 20 musketeers and to run out as low as the Nore head to search
all ships, barks, and other vessels, for the Lady Arabella[375] that
had then made a scape and was bound over for France; which service
I performed accordingly, and searched Queenborough, and all other
vessels I could meet withal, and then went over to Leigh[376] in
Essex and searched the town; and when we could hear no news of her
went to Gravesend, and thence took post horse to Greenwich, where his
Majesty then lay, and delivered the account of my journey to the Lord
Treasurer by his Majesty's command; and so was dismissed, and went
that night to Ratcliff, where I lay at Captain King's.
The 10th of June, being at London, I had news of the arrival of the
Resistance from the Straits, whereupon I went presently for Chatham,
and the next morning returned to Gravesend and shipped myself in
a ketch, and was before night set on board the Resistance in Gore
End road, where were other ships that came thither in company, and
amongst the rest one of the East India ships newly come, of whom one
David Middleton[377] was captain. I stayed in the Gore till the 17th
day, at which time we were purposed to have weighed and come over,
but there rose such a storm at west, and so over-blew, that divers
ships venturing were cast away, and they that scaped best lost their
masts and ground tackle, but God blessed us that we did not lose
the ship at all. I then, having earnest business to be at Chatham,
was set on shore at Margate, from whence I took post horse and came
safely that night to Chatham, giving God thanks for his merciful
deliverance.
About this time Sir John Trevor, having sold his place of Surveyor
of the Navy to one Captain Richard Bingley,[378] was come down to
Chatham to surrender his place unto him at the pay then made; and
thereupon there was by the new Surveyor's means a strict survey
made of the whole Navy, wherein I denied to join before I knew the
Prince's pleasure, but was afterwards persuaded to yield unto it by
Sir John Trevor's importunity; whereby I incurred great blame and
a sharp check from the Prince's Highness, which I had much ado to
pacify by the help of the best friends I had about him, being sent
for on purpose to Richmond to give his Highness satisfaction therein.
About the 8th day of July I paid the company of the Resistance for
their voyage, and presently graved her for another, and at the same
time I was sent for by the Lord Admiral of England, to Hampton
Court, to give an account about the proceedings of the survey, made
a little before at Chatham, of the state of the Navy; and then I was
also sent for to attend the Prince at Richmond, to give his Highness
satisfaction concerning the proceedings therein, which he took as an
affront, because I had not made his Grace acquainted with it, being
hindered by Sir Richard Bingley.
The 17th day of this month,[379] being Saturday, having fitted the
Resistance in all points for her voyage into the Straits, she set
sail to Blackwall, and the next morning came to Gravesend, where I
left her and went to Chatham; and next day, being Monday morning, I
brought my wife to Gravesend with me, where we lay that night, and
having cleared the ship from thence, saw her set sail on Tuesday
morning betimes, and then returned home to Chatham.
In the end of this month I caused the little Disdain, Prince Henry's
pinnace, to be rigged and fitted for me to take the air of the sea to
the river's mouth.
The 3rd of September, being Tuesday, I set sail with the Disdain
betimes in the morning from Upnor, having the ship manned with divers
of my friends in the Navy, which voluntary went with me, as David
Duck, Nicholas Surtis, Robert Sharpe, cousin[380] Peter Pett, and
others, whom I royally victualled, and put out of Queenborough, and
with the next flood, the wind westerly, we turned up as high as Hole
Haven,[381] where we anchored all night; next morning I turned up
to Gravesend, where we anchored in expectance of the company of my
friend Captain John King, who was to come from London to meet me
there upon his faithful promise, but he failing, I with my company
dined on shore at Gravesend, and in the afternoon set sail into
Tilbury Hope where we anchored all night.
The next morning, being Thursday and the 5th day, we weighed betimes
in the morning with a fair gale of wind at west and went down as
low as the buoy of the Oase edge, where we anchored till the flood,
before which time the wind harted[382] in and blew a very fresh
gale, and before a quarter flood it blew so much wind as we could
not maintain our topsails abroad, and the sea was so high grown that
our little ship would not work, so that we had much ado to get up as
high as thwart of Minster Church upon the Island of Sheppey,[383]
where, close under the edge of the Cant, we came to an anchor in
shoal water; by which time it blew up a very great storm, the wind
at west-south-west, and there we were forced to ride it out till the
next day at half flood, not without some danger; and then the wind
beginning to duller[384] we weighed and got up under Sheerness,[385]
where we anchored all night, and the next day, being Saturday and the
7th day, we brought our ship safe to Gillingham, giving God thanks
for our safety and deliverance.
About the middle of December, the Honour[386] and Defiance being
appointed to be brought into dry dock at Woolwich, the Honour to
be repaired by Mr. Baker, who first built her, and the Defiance
commended to me, we began to prepare the dock for the receiving of
them in after Christmas; and so ended this year of 1611.
The 6th day of January I went from Chatham to Woolwich to dock the
Honour and the Defiance. On the 9th day we opened the gates and
brought in the Defiance; the next day proved so much wind as we could
not stir the Honour from her moorings, so that she was not docked
till the night tide; the 11th day the gates were shut in and caulked.
About the middle of this month, Prince Henry lying at Greenwich,
all the King's Master Shipwrights were commanded by his Highness to
attend him about a resolution of building ships in Ireland, and a
proposition was made by Mr. William Burrell to undertake to build
one of six hundred tons in the room of the old Bonaventure, at a
rate,[387] to build her in Ireland, myself being appointed to have
gone over thither to see him to perform his bargain; and every Master
Shipwright brought in plats,[388] to the end his Highness might make
the better choice for what proportions and kinds of moulds[389] he
did best approve of for fitness of service.
About this time also I did accompany Captain Thomas Button to make
choice of a ship[390] for the North-west Passage, in which journey
he was to be employed by the appointment of the Prince. Towards
the end of this month I attended at Deptford to the docking of the
Dreadnought.
About the 6th of March, the Resistance returned home of her voyage,
and the 23rd of the same I paid all her company.
The 14th day of April, being Easter Tuesday, I came to Gravesend to
meet Captain Button, who was then going away upon his voyage, and
we parted together[391] on board his ship, from whence I returned to
Chatham.
About the middle of June, by the commandment of Prince Henry, I
began to make ready a frame for a small new ship, who was to be as a
pinnace to the great ship, the Prince, in which the Prince's Highness
did purpose to solace himself sometimes into the Narrow Seas; and
therefore she was appointed to be fitted with a very roomy cabin and
all other accommodations for that purpose; the keel of which ship was
laid in the launching place at the old dock at Chatham the last day
of June, being in length 72 foot, in breadth 24 foot, and to draw 11
foot water, of the burden 250 tons and tonnage,[392] or thereabouts.
Much about the 10th July, I sold the good ship called the Resistance
to one Mr. Henry Mainwaring,[393] brother to Sir Arthur Mainwaring,
for 700 and odd pounds, whereof I received 450_l._ down and gave time
for the payment of the rest, having Sir Arthur Mainwaring bound for
the payment of the same, which was not performed in more than two
years after. The cause that I sold this lucky ship was for that Mr.
William Gibbons,[394] that was my master in her, was by my consent
licensed to go with Captain Button (being his near kinsman) to the
North-west Passage.
The 1st of August, being Saturday, the Prince's Highness being to
take his progress from Richmond, I rode from Chatham to Richmond,
accompanied with Captain John King and Mr. John Reynolds, then master
gunner of the Prince. The next day, being Sunday, I waited on his
Highness to chapel and at dinner; he had this day a great deal of
private conference with me concerning affairs of consequence. After
his Highness was risen from dinner and had talked with me awhile at
the bay window of the presence,[395] he was pleased to license me to