The Autobiography of Phineas Pett
of our special grace and sure knowledge and mere motion also in
consideration of the good true and faithful service to us done and
hereafter to be done by our beloved and faithful subject Phineas
Pett now serving our dearest son Henry Prince of Wales both in the
building of the ships of us our heirs and successors and in his
attendance on our marine affairs and causes have given and granted
and by these presents for ourself our heirs and successors do give
and grant to the same Phineas Pett that annuity or annual fee of
twelve pence sterling a day of good and lawful money of England out
of the two above named annuities whichever first after the date of
these presents by death resignation surrender or composition of any
one of the aforesaid Mathew Baker and John Addey and Joseph Pett or
in any other manner shall have become vacant or determined or shall
hereafter become vacant or cease. To have hold enjoy and receive
the said annuity or annual fee of twelve pence a day as is in manner
aforesaid vacated or determined or shall hereafter determine to the
aforesaid Phineas Pett or his assigns for the term of the natural
life of the same Phineas immediately from the time at which either of
those annuities shall first become vacant or determine as aforesaid
from the Treasury of us our heirs and successors at the Receipt of
our Exchequer at Westminster by the hands of the Treasurers and
Chamberlains of us our heirs and successors there from time to time
in being at the four terms of the year namely at the Feast of St.
Michael the Archangel the Nativity of the Lord the Annunciation of
the B.V. Mary and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in equal
portions to the aforesaid Phineas Pett or his assigns during the
natural life of the same Phineas Pett annually to be paid the first
payment thereupon commencing at that feast of the aforesaid feasts
which first and nearest shall fall after one of the two separate
aforesaid annuities of twelve pence a day shall become vacant or
determined in the mode and fashion above specified. Although express
mention etc. In witness etc. Witness the King[612] at Westminster the
26th day of April.
By writ of Privy Seal.
FOOTNOTES:
[608] In the enrolment this is given simply as 'Rex'; in the original
the commencement would be 'Jacobus Dei Gratia,' etc.
[609] 23 Jan. 1584.
[610] _I.e._ the office of Master Shipwright with its emoluments.
[611] 29 July 1590.
[612] In the original this would be 'meipso'; myself.
II
Petition of Shipwrights for Incorporation (?) 1578
(_No signatures or date_)
[=S.P. Dom., Eliz., ccxxvii. 63=]
To the right honourable the Lords of her Majesty's most honourable
Privy Council.
In most humble and reverent wise do complain unto your honours as
well the M^r. Shipwrights of her Majesty's Ships, as also all other
of the same art, that take charge over any of that faculty, be it in
ships, boats, barges, or any such like vessels, both appertaining
to her Majesty or her Highness' subjects, specially within the
liberty of the Thames and other places near adjoining to the same.
In the which place, as all kind of vessels are greatly increased, so
are the artificers likewise augmented, only in number, but less in
skill, whereby such as do use them are not only deceived but also
the work greatly endangered. Besides their manners are mutinous even
in her Majesty's service, and their exactions intolerable amongst
her Majesty's subjects. These and many other enormities, which daily
increase to the great grief of many her Majesty's good and honest
subjects, may bring the art to a ruinous state.
In tender consideration of the premises we humbly pray your Honours
to be a mean unto her Highness that a Corporation may be granted in
such reasonable form as her Majesty's learned Council shall allow
of, and be thought meet for us; whereby her Majesty in her own Navy
shall be more safely and dutifully served, the whole State through
the Realm better furnished, and we daily bound to pray to Almighty
God both for her Majesty and your Honours' most happy and prosperous
estate.
III
Charter to Shipwrights, 22nd April 1605.
[=Pat. Roll. 1684=]
[_Parts in italics abbreviated to save space_]
James &c. To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Whereas
we are credibly informed as well by our right trusty and well-beloved
cousin and councillor Charles Earl of Nottingham, High Admiral
of England and Captain General of our Navy Royal as also by our
principal officers of our said Navy how slenderly and deceitfully
as well our own ships and barges as also other ships boats pinnaces
and like vessels of our merchants and other our subjects used in
continual service and traffic are made and wrought to the great loss
danger and prejudice of us and our said subjects and also of the
great and wasteful charge and expense which we do from time to time
bear and sustain in building and repairing our own ships and pinnaces
which are and have been the chiefest and greatest defence of this
our Realm from the assaults of such enemies as have practised the
overthrow of the same. We weighing the manifold dangers losses and
hindrances which may and are likely more and more to ensue thereof if
speedy remedy be not therefore had and provided, and to the end that
the fittest and ablest shipwrights and workmen may from time to time
as cause shall require be made known unto our principal officers of
our Navy and to be employed for wages for the building repairing and
making of our own ships and pinnaces as also may have the oversight
of all such other workmen as shall from time to time be employed or
shall intermeddle in building of other ships pinnaces or vessels for
other our merchants and subjects for the further more better and
continual service of us our Realm and subjects. Know ye therefore
that we intending to provide for the better strengthening of this
our Realm with shipping for the defence and service thereof and to
the intent that as well our self as also our merchants and other our
subjects may from time to time hereafter be furnished stored and
supplied with skilful shipwrights and workmen of that kind to work
upon our Navy and other ships and vessels for the better suppressing
of deceits and other abuses which may hereafter be practised by
divers persons which shall take upon them without sufficient skill
and knowledge to make or repair ships pinnaces and other vessels
to the great danger and hindrance as well of our self as of divers
other our loving subjects, of our special grace certain knowledge
and mere motion have given granted constituted and ordained and by
these presents for us our heirs and successors do grant constitute
and ordain that all and every person and persons being shipwrights
or carpenters using the Art or Mystery of building and making of
ships within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales shall
be from henceforth forever one body corporate and body politic in
matter deed and name by the name of Master, Wardens and Commonalty
of the Art or Mystery of Shipwrights of England.... [_To be_] one
Master and four Wardens and twelve Assistants ... do assign name
ordain and constitute our well-beloved subject Mathew Baker our
servant and ancientest Master Shipwright to be the first Master ...
Joseph Pett and William Bright two other of our Master Shipwrights,
Edward Stephens of Limehouse and Nicholas Symonson of Ratcliffe in
the county of Middlesex Shipwrights to be the first four Wardens....
John Adye of Deptford in our county of Kent, Phineas Pett of Chatham
in our county of Kent, John Apslyn of our said town and county, Peter
Pett of Wapping in our county of Middlesex, Nicholas Cley of Redriff
in our county of Surrey, Thomas Cole of Woodbridge in our county
of Suffolk, Robert Wilkinson of Ipswich in our county of Suffolk,
James Russell of Southwark in our said county of Surrey, John Head
of our City of Bristol, Esau Whitehead of our town of Southampton
in our county of Southampton, Thomas Dymocke of Horsey Downe[613]
in our said county of Surrey and Thomas Pryme of Yarmouth in our
county of Norfolk, Shipwrights, to be the first and present twelve
Assistants....
[_Power to hold and dispose of real property; to plead and defend in
any Court; to have a common seal._]
[_To meet in a_] convenient house or hall for their use to be by them
provided within the City of London or Suburbs[614] of the same or
within five miles of the said City ... Nicholas Rabye Gent. to be the
first and present Clerk....
[_Power to meet in their hall and_] to entreat consult determine
constitute ordain and make any Constitutions Statutes Laws Ordinances
Articles and Orders whatsoever ... touching or concerning the good
estate rule order and good government of the said Master Wardens
and Commonalty ... and in what Order and manner the said Master
Wardens and Commonalty ... and all other person and persons using
the said art or mystery within this Realm of England or Dominion
of Wales shall demean and behave themselves [_with power to punish
offenders.... Power to_] view search and survey all and every the
Works and Workmanship of all and every person or persons whatsoever
making working or building or which hereafter shall make work or
build any manner of ships, pinnaces or other vessels and all manner
of timber and wood appointed provided and fitted for the building
of ships ... [_Ships found to be_] falsely and deceitfully and
untruly made wrought and builded [_timber, wood, &c. to be put in
safe custody and complaint made to Justices of Peace.... Power to_]
buy and provide in any the places beyond the seas all such timber
planks masts deals spars and wood and also all pitch, tar, rosin and
oil as they shall think necessary and convenient for the building
or repairing of ships pinnaces or other vessels [_and bring same
to England or Wales on payment of custom and other duties. Since
the Master Wardens and Commonalty_] are to be as occasion shall be
offered employed and attendant upon the Navigation of Us [etc., _the
said Master Wardens and Commonalty shall not_] be enforced put placed
or impannelled in or upon any Assises Juries Inquests or Attaints
whatsoever [_nor_] be pressed or enforced to serve ... as land
soldiers....
[_Power to elect Beadles to gather fines penalties &c. and distrain.
Power to hold land, tithes &c._]
Witness ourself at Westminster the two and twentieth day of April.
By writ of Privy Seal.
FOOTNOTES:
[613] Horsleydown, below the Tower, on the opposite shore.
[614] MS. 'Subberbes.'
IV
Charter to Shipwrights, 6th May 1612
[=Pat. Roll 1951=]
[_The first nineteen lines as in the Charter of 1605._]
... if speedy remedy be not therefore had and provided, and intending
to provide for the strengthening of these our Kingdoms and Dominions
with sufficient shipping for defence and service thereof, and to
the intent that as well ourself might from time to time be furnished
stored and supplied with the fittest and ablest shipwrights and
workmen for the building making and repairing of our own ships
pinnaces and other vessels as also that our merchants and other our
subjects might also in their works and buildings from time to time
be stored and supplied with skilful and sufficient shipwrights and
workmen, and for the better suppressing of deceits and abuses of
divers persons which should take upon them without sufficient skill
and knowledge to make or repair any ships boats pinnaces or other
vessels, to the great danger and hindrance as well of ourself as of
divers other our loving subjects, We did by our letters patent under
the great seal of England bearing date the two and twentieth day of
April in the years of our reign of England France and Ireland the