The Autobiography of Phineas Pett
The 4th of August, there was a great Commission sent to Portsmouth,
to take a view of the harbour and the river running up to
Fareham,[533] for the removing of his Majesty's ships to a more safe
place of riding; all the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Navy
being Commissioners, together with Mr. Burrell, his Majesty's Masters
of the Navy, and six of the chief Masters of the Trinity House. There
was much dispute and contrariety about the business, but in the end
a fair agreement was concluded. Some of the Masters of the Trinity
House there sickened, which hastened both their returns and ours
back. In our return home, myself was taken very sick at Farnham,
where Mr. Burrell and myself parted, he staying behind about some
particular business of his own, but we never saw one another after,
being the 13th day of August. It pleased God that I got home to
Woolwich that very night very dangerously sick, and stirred not out
of my chamber in eight weeks space, in which interim Mr. Burrell died
in an inn, as he travelled toward Huntingdon, the end of this present
month.
About the 23rd day of November following, I was sent again to
Portsmouth with a commission to search and enquire about the worm
which was reported to eat the ships in the Road, to their endangering
and hazard. There were divers Master Shipwrights joined with me in
the business, but upon strict examination upon oath there could be no
such matter found, but only a rumour raised to hinder the keeping of
any his Majesty's ships in that harbour.[534]
About the end of December his Majesty signed my letters patent for
the place of a Principal Officer and Commissioner of his Navy, and
the 19th day of January following I had my letters patent publicly
read at the meeting of the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Navy
in Mincing Lane in London, and accordingly took my place amongst
them; the 26th day after, they were publicly read before the whole
Navy men at Chatham.
The 23rd of February I brought my wife from Woolwich to Chatham in a
coach all the way by land; we alighted at son Yardley's door where we
took up our lodging.
The first of March I received from Mr. Robert Smith, Messenger of the
Navy, 8 commissions of purveyance and other business concerning the
Navy under the Broad Seal of England directed to me.
The 21st day of April, being Thursday, his Majesty, accompanied
with divers of the lords, as the Treasurer,[535] Chamberlain,[536]
Marquis Hamilton, Holland[537] and others, came to Woolwich to see
the Vanguard launched that day, which was performed to his Majesty's
great content. I entertained them in my lodgings with wine, cakes and
other things, which were well accepted. His Majesty commanded me into
the barge with him, purposing to have landed at Deptford to have seen
the St. Denis,[538] newly repaired in dry dock, but the rain hindered
his landing, and I was taken out of his Majesty's barge into a pair
of oars. On Friday morning was launched the Victory, lying above the
Vanguard in the same dock [at] Woolwich.
On Friday, being the 13th of May, I shipped all my goods and
household stuff from Woolwich in one Starland's hoy, which were all
safely landed at his Majesty's new dock [at] Chatham the next day. On
Monday, the 16th day, I brought myself and family into my lodgings at
the new dock.
Wednesday, being the 15th day of June, all the ships in the Navy at
Chatham being completely trimmed in all points, rigged, and all their
sails at yards, and ordnance on board, his Majesty, attended with
divers lords, came to Strood[539] about 2 o'clock afternoon, where
the Officers of the Navy attended his Highness with barges and boats,
and being embarked rew[540] down the river on board the Prince,
and from her on board all the ships riding in that [place]. At his
Majesty's embarking, the ships did orderly discharge their ordnance.
The King went to his lodging at the Crown, Rochester.
Next morning betimes, his Majesty took his barge again, and went on
board the rest of the ships riding in the upper reach, beginning
with the Lion, being the uppermost ship; so to the rest in order,
observing the course and order of the discharging their ordnance
as the day before; then landed at the old dock and viewed all the
ordnance upon the wharves; then walked on foot to the new dock, by
the way taking notice of the ropehouse and storehouses without the
dock gates; then came into the yard and viewed the stores and houses;
after came into my lodgings, where he stayed a pretty while; then
went to the top of the hill on the back side, where his Majesty stood
to see the ordnance fired from the ships; from thence walked back to
the old dock, where his Highness took his barge to Rochester, by the
way hovering to observe the trained-band placed in two battalions and
skirmished in warlike manner, to his Majesty's great content. His
Majesty landed at Rochester and went to dinner; then called for the
Officers of the Navy, giving[541] them many thanks for their care
and pains; then took his coach to Gravesend, thence up by water to
Greenwich.
Monday morning, being the 25th of July, I took my journey from
Chatham towards Portsmouth, riding through Sussex. We came to
Portsmouth [the] 27th day at night and lodged at the Queen's Head. We
were sent to provide and prepare all the ships riding at Portsmouth
in manner as they were at Chatham, to entertain his Majesty, resolved
to view them all; which was accordingly performed.
The second of August, being Tuesday, his Majesty came to Portsmouth
accompanied with divers lords, and presently took boat and went on
board each several ship, from thence treatably[542] returning, and
the ships saluting him with their ordnance. His Majesty was landed
by six of the clock and went directly to the Governor's house,
where he was lodged, and called for supper as soon as he came. Next
day I attended his Majesty for order for removing the ships, which
presently was done by his Majesty's own mouth; and waiting at dinner,
his Majesty commanded me to attend the Lord Treasurer and others, to
transport them into the Isle of Wight and bring them back; which I
carefully performed in his Majesty's pinnace, the Maria, appointed
for that purpose, and safely landed him from the Cowes at Titchfield
Haven, being attended with one of the Whelps. I returned to Chatham
from Portsmouth the 10th of August after.
The 25th of this month, being Thursday, my son John's wife, lost in
the sixth Whelp, was married to Edward Stevens,[543] a shipwright, in
Chatham Church, the wedding being at my house in the new dockyard,
where we gave entertainment to all his friends till Monday after,
when they returned for London.
_In[544] the beginning of this year, 1632, I was commanded from
his Majesty to assist my son Peter in the building a new ship at
Woolwich, which was begun in February, being of the burthen of 800
tons and tonnage; most part of the frame and provisions being made
in the forests of Shotover and Stowood, Oxfordshire; my son had the
oversight of the work. About the 8th of June, his Majesty came to
Woolwich to see the work, where I entertained him afterwards in my
lodgings and attended his Majesty to Deptford in his own barge, where
he landed to view the other new ship built by Mr. Goddard._
_The 30th day of January, 1633, the new ship at Woolwich was
launched, the King's Majesty being there present, standing in my
lodgings. It proved a fair day and good tide, so that the ship was
put out without strain of tackle, which much contented his Majesty,
who soon after took his barge and returned to Whitehall. The ship was
named the Charles after his own name._
_The next day the new ship at Deptford built by Mr. Goddard was
launched, the King and Queen's Majesties being present, and was
called after the Queen's name, Henrietta Maria._
_By the beginning of March, the Henrietta being come to ride at
Woolwich by the Charles, both being ready fitted to set sail for
Chatham, his Majesty was pleased to come down in his barge on board
the Charles. We presently weighed with both ships and set sail with
the wind at south-west and better; his Majesty went in her a little
beneath[545] Barking Creek, and then took his barge and returned,
we taking leave after the manner of the sea with our voices and
whistles, and the King's trumpets upon the poop. By low water we were
got beneath the Nore a good distance, and there anchored all night,
and the next flood we turned up as high as Oakham Ness[546] and there
anchored, and on Monday after came over the chain._
_The 22nd of March, I was appointed to make a journey to Portsmouth
to take survey of all the business there, both on float and on the
shore. Mr. Edisbury,[547] Mr. Goddard, Mr. Goodwin[548] the Master,
Mr. Apslyn,[549] and our clerks going along with us. We took our
journey from London on Friday morning, and came to Portsmouth on
Sunday afternoon. It was the 6th of April following before I returned
to home to Chatham. The 11th day, son Peter first time took his
journey to Woodbridge in Suffolk to see Mrs. Cole's eldest daughter._
_The 15th of June, 1633, I went a journey to Portsmouth from Chatham,
through part of East Kent, accompanied with Sir Henry Palmer,
Captain William Hawkridge, newly returned from captivity,[550]
our clerks and servants. Saturday and Sunday night we lay at
Buckwell,[551] at Captain Moyle's, whose wife was sister to the Lady
Palmer. Monday we rode to one Sir William Campion's, where we were
very kindly entertained till Wednesday morning; thence taking leave
we rode to Lewes to dinner; thence to Shoreham,[552] where we lodged
that night; thence to Chichester, there dined; then to Portsmouth
where we stayed four days to despatch business there; which done,
we came thence to Guildford; so to London; and the 26th day, being
Wednesday, I came home to Chatham._
_The 5th of July, 1633, being a Friday, I began a journey from
Chatham by sea into Suffolk in the little Henrietta pinnace commanded
by Captain Cook, one of the Master Attendants of his Majesty's Navy,
accompanied with young Mr. Henry Palmer, Mr. Isackson, son Yardley,
cousin[553] Joseph, my sons Peter and Christopher, man Charles
Bowles, and George Parker.[554] We set sail from Gillingham in the
morning, having a fair gale at south-west. We anchored against
Harwich, between two and three of the clock, afternoon, and from
thence shipped ourselves and company in boats for Ipswich, arriving
there afore 6 in the evening, and lodged at the Angel Inn, which was
then kept by my cousin Barwick. On Saturday morning we were horsed
to Woodbridge on hackneys, whither we came about 11 of the clock
and were lodged at the Crown. After dinner we went to visit Mrs.
Cole and her daughters, with whom we had large discourse about the
match of her daughter with my son Peter, and found our propositions
entertained, I having great liking to the maid. Sunday, we and our
train dined and supped at Mrs. Cole's. Monday, we invited mother and
daughters and Mr. Fleming to dine with us at our inn, whither came
to us divers of our friends to whom we gave the best entertainment
the place could afford. In the afternoon we had private conferences
together, and concluded the match and contracted the parties with
free consent on both sides; we supped this night at Mrs. Cole's.
Tuesday forenoon, having despatched_ all our business, we took our
journey by horse to Landguard Point[555] accompanied with Mistress
Cole, her daughters, and other their friends and neighbours, whom we
entertained a while on board our pinnace, and there resolved the day
of marriage; thence we accompanied them on shore, saw them horsed,
and so took leave. My son and some other of our company accompanied
them to Woodbridge, being overtaken with a mighty storm of rain,