The Autobiography of Phineas Pett
of which they taking hold, were rowed and haled on board the ship,
where the Prince with all his train were entertained and lodged all
this night, the weather proving so stormy and rainy that no provision
from any other ship could be brought unto them.
The 13th day, being Saturday, the Prince came on board his own ship
and lodged in his own cabin.
The 14th day, being Sunday, the Prince feasted all the Spaniards
that accompanied him to the waterside, the Cardinal Zapata and his
brother, who was a grandee, being the chief, with Gondomar[490] and
divers others of the King of Spain's servants; whom he feasted with
no other provisions than such as we brought out of England with us:
stalled oxen, fatted sheep, venison and all kind of fowls and other
varieties in abundance, wanting no ordnance to welcome them withal,
loudly speaking every health; but it was a very foul rainy day.
Notwithstanding, at their going from the ship all the ordnance was
discharged in our ship, all the rest of the Fleet following in order
as they passed by to the town of Santander.
The Rainbow, wherein Sir Henry Palmer commanded as captain, and John
King, one of the four Masters, being master, by neglect of following
the Admiral, could not get within the river's mouth, but was forced
to leeward, where she rode three days and nights in such extremity
as every hour it was expected when she should drive upon the shore,
which she hardly escaped by God's great mercy, and upon the Tuesday
after, came safely off and anchored under the Prince's stern.
On Thursday, being the 18th day of September, we set sail out of
Santander River, the wind somewhat southerly, from whence we beat it
to and fro with contrary winds till the 26th day after, being Friday,
at which time a little before noon we had sight of Scilly, which bore
north-east of us, about some 8 leagues off.
This day we met 4 Dunkirk men-of-war, very well fitted, chased by
Holland men-of-war, whom the Prince caused to come to leeward, and
their commanders to come on board; whom his Highness laboured to have
accepted a peaceable course, which the Hollanders durst not accept,
whereupon they were dismissed, the Dunkirkers having liberty to have
the start of the Hollanders, which many disliked.
Saturday all day we plied to and fro, and got within some four
leagues of the Islands, the wind at north-east but fair weather.
On Sunday a Council of War was summoned, wherein was principally
propounded his Highness landing upon the Island of Scilly[491] in
the ketch, some pilots of the island being come off unto us, but
it was generally protested against under all the Council's hands,
and so were dismissed to their charges; but after supper, beyond
expectation, order was given to make ready the long boat and to call
the ketch, and the Prince made choice of all the company should
accompany him on shore, and so about one of the clock after midnight,
with great danger to his Highness' person and to the Lord Duke of
Buckingham, they were put into our long boat, which was veered astern
by a long warp, where the ketch, laying the long boat on board, and
the sea going somewhat high, they entered the ketch disorderly,
without regard to any, but everyone shifting for themselves. Being
all shipped, the ketch was so over burdened as she could make but
little way, so that after we had taken farewell with the discharge of
a volley of our great ordnance we tacked into the sea and left the
ketch to ply into the island, which she safely gained by 7 of the
morning, and had landed the Prince and all his company on St. Mary's
Island.
The next morning our Admiral advised with me what course we should
take with ourselves, for the Prince had commanded Sir Henry
Mainwaring, who was Captain under the Admiral, and Mr. Walter
Whiting, the Master of the ship, to attend him in the ketch, I being
left purposely to supply both their places in their absence. After
serious consultation with the master's mates and two pilots of
the island, who all assured us we might safely go in, the Admiral
resolved on that course, and after two or three boards we laid it in
quarter winds,[492] and came to an anchor in the best of the road
about 2 of the clock afternoon; the Prince and all his train standing
upon the lower point of land, and welcomed us in as we passed close
by with much expression of joy and heaving up their hats. The Prince
and his train lay in the Castle[493] four nights.
On Friday morning, being the 3rd of October, we set sail out of
Scilly, and on Sunday following, being the 5th day, we came into St.
Helen's and anchored on Nomans Land,[494] and shipped the Prince and
his train into our long boat and other ships' boats, who were safely
landed at Portsmouth about 11 of the clock; we taking our farewell
with discharge of all our great ordnance, seconded by all the Fleet,
with general thanksgiving to God for our safe arrival, to the joy and
comfort of all true hearted subjects.
The 14th day of October, we set sail from St. Helen's Point, being
Tuesday. The 16th day after, being Thursday morning, we came to an
anchor in Dover Road, where, having leave of the Admiral, I went
into a fisher boat, and taking in my son John out of the St. George,
wherein he had served the whole voyage under Sir Thomas Steward,
we landed at Dover, from whence we took horse to Chatham, where we
alighted at my house about 4 of the clock in the evening, finding
my wife and family in good health; for which great mercies in our
preservation in the whole journey and safe return we all gave thanks
to our good God.
The 24th of May, 1624, being sent for to St. James's, I there
received from Sir Robert Carr,[495] by the Prince's Highness' order,
a gold chain of the value of 104_l._ in way of reward for my
attendance in the voyage into Spain in bringing his Highness home,
which chain I was commanded to wear one day, and to wait upon the
Prince to the Parliament, which I accordingly did and received very
gracious respect from his Highness.
About this time I was joined Commissioner with Captain Love, Captain
Edward Giles, and Mr. John Reynolds, the Master Gunner of England, to
take up divers colliers, and to put them out to sundry shipwrights
to be fitted for men-of-war, for which service I never received
allowance.
In the beginning of October this present year, happened a wonderful
great storm, through which many ships perished, especially in the
Downs, amongst which was riding there the Antelope of his Majesty,
being bound for Ireland under the command of Sir Thomas Button, my
son John being then passenger in her. A merchant ship, being put
from her anchors, came foul of her, and put her also from all her
anchors, by means whereof she drove upon the Brakes,[496] where she
beat off her rudder and much of the run[497] abaft, miraculously
escaping utter loss of all, for that the merchant ship that came foul
of her,[498] called the Dolphin, hard by her utterly perished both
ship and all the company. Yet it pleased God to save her, and got off
into the Downs, having cut all her masts by the board, and with much
labour was kept from foundering. My son John was sent post from the
ship to Sir Thomas Button, who was presently sent by the Lord Admiral
on board, and brought warrant for me to attend him to the ship, to
use the best means we could to save her. After our coming on board,
by placing chain pumps into the steward's room, we kept the water
easily under, and then fitted a rudder and jury masts, by which means
she was safely brought to Deptford Dock and her defects perfected.
About the end of December this present year, the Prince was
docked, to be prepared and fitted to sea, meanwhile the Duke of
Brunswick[499] came to Chatham accompanied with divers of the
Prince's servants, and went on board the ship in the dock.
The 29th day of January after, the Prince was launched, and soon
after had her masts set; and divers other ships graved and made ready
for a voyage to sea.
The 28th of March 1625, certain news was brought to Chatham of King
James' death; and the next day after, his Majesty was proclaimed
amongst us in the Navy at the Hill House;[500] the Masters,
Boatswains, Gunners, Pursers, and all belonging to the Navy were
present.
All April and May I attended at Chatham, to prepare the Fleet that
was then bound to fetch over the Queen. In the latter end of May
his Majesty came to Rochester, where I presented myself unto him in
the Dean's Yard and kissed his hand and had speech with him, till
he came into the house, where he dined and I attended him all the
dinner while. Thence I hasted home, and waited his Majesty's coming
by towards Canterbury, who alighted at my house and stayed there
awhile and gave me leave to drink his health, and then returned to
his coach, giving me charge to follow him and to hasten on board
the Prince, being then in the Downs. According to his command, I
presently took horse and followed him, and lay at Sandwich that
night, and next day came into the Downs; went on board to the
Vanguard, commanded by Captain Pennington, bound for France, where
I met Sir Thomas Button, Captain Ned Giles, and other good company;
there dined, and after was set on board the Prince.
Saturday the 4th of June, his Majesty came on board the Prince,
riding then in Dover Road, where he dined and was safely landed
again. Yet this evening we let slip and went room[501] for the Downs
with very foul weather.
Thursday the 9th of June, we got over to Boulogne[502] and anchored
in Boulogne Road. The 10th day we had a great storm, the wind
north-west, where all our ships drove,[503] and we brake our best
bower and were forced to let fall our sheet anchor, which put us both
to great danger and puzzle[504] of loss of men and boats, and had
also one of our men belonging to the steward-room drowned.
Sunday morning, being the 12th day, all things prepared fit and
the great storm allayed, about 11 of the clock we received our
young Queen on board, and having a fair leading gale, fitting the
entertainment of a Queen, we set sail out of Boulogne Road about one
[of the] clock, and before 8 had safely landed her and her train at
Dover.
Monday morning I left the ship and went on shore at Dover, and
missing my horses was forced to go to Sandwich, where I lay all
night, and next day hired post horse home. The boatswain of the ship,
John Handcroft, died so soon as I was landed upon the beach.
The 14th day of July 1625, my eldest son John Pett was married to
Catherine Yardley, youngest daughter to Mr. Robert Yardley, of
Chatham, deceased. The wedding was kept at our own house.
The 24th of September my wife's mother sickened at my house [at]
Chatham, and the 4th of October she died, and the 6th day, being
Thursday, she was buried in the chancel of our parish church: Mr.
Pyham[505] made her funeral sermon.
The last part of this Christmas quarter, I was posted to and again
from Chatham to London and Hampton Court, about building of small
ships and presenting plats[506] of them, both to the King and
Commissioners of the Navy, to very little purpose and my great
trouble and charge.
* * * * *
My son Joseph died in Ireland in February this year.[507]
* * * * *
In the year '26 I was called to sundry employments, the one to have
built a new ship at Chatham of 300 tons, and Mr. Burrell was to have
built another, for which I made moulds and sent them into the woods
by one Thomas Williams, shipwright, who hewed the frame in the woods,
which was brought into the yard with an excellent provision of long
straight timber; but by the malice of Mr. Burrell the business was
hindered, and not suffered to go forward, so that the frame was kept