besought him to be pleased to accept this poor sea entertainment
from me, as an unfeigned earnest of my duty to him, which I would
hereafter strive to express in better manner if his Highness would
be pleased graciously to receive this his first homely welcome. His
Highness then, having answered my request with a princely acceptance,
commanded me to lead into all the places of the ship; which having
viewed with a great deal of delightful judgment, I led his Grace
into the Yard, and so to the place where the keel, stem, and stern
of his own ship, which was to be built, lay ready framed; which
having perused very seriously, and caused the length of the keel to
be measured, I besought his Grace to walk into the house to rest
himself, which his Highness willingly condescending unto, I conducted
him unto Mr. Lydiard's parlour where was prepared a set banquet of
sweet meats and all other fruits the season of the year could yield,
with plentiful store of wine, both Rhenish white, sack, Greek wine
and claret. His Highness was well pleased to take his refection, and
after the banquet done, giving his hand to kiss to divers gentlewomen
of the town that were in the room together with my wife, his Highness
desired to be brought to the mount where the chambers were placed,
which were again laden in this interim and ranged in their first
order with the train made ready. This sight so much pleased his Grace
that he was very desirous to have the train fired, his Highness
standing by, but at my humble entreaty, understanding what danger was
incident to such a business, he gave me order that, at the holding up
of his handkerchief in his barge, I should see them put off; and so
taking notice of Mr. Bull and giving him his hand to kiss, taking his
leave, I conducted his Highness to his barge, being the top of full
sea; where kissing his hand upon my knee, he expressed how kindly
he accepted his welcome, using many gracious speeches to me, and so
putting off. I returned to the mount, and, upon his Highness' signal
given me, the train was fired and the chambers delivered their loud
voices in as distinct order as at the first, to the great delight of
his Highness, and general applause of all others there present.
Having now finished, by God's providence and gracious assistance,
the Ark, which I began to repair in Woolwich Dock in May, was
twelve-month before, on the 29th day of September, 1608, I launched
her. It was a very blustering day, the wind at south-west, but,
thanks be to God, with a little difficulty she was launched and
brought safely to her moorings. Her name was altered and given by
the mouth of my very good friend Sir Oliver Cromwell, in presence of
Sir Robert Mansell, Sir John Trevor and Captain Button, divers other
gentlemen being on board, with his Majesty's trumpets and drums;
her name was given the Anne Royal. These knights, with the Lady
Mansell, the Lady Trevor, Mrs. Button, and sundry others, dined this
day with me at Woolwich in Mr. Lydiard's parlour, my lodgings being
as yet not altered, and therefore inconvenient for entertaining of
any friends of account; which lodgings I after by warrant repaired
and made as they now are, for which I was greatly questioned by the
Lord of Northampton in his inquisition, and stand upon his book of
reformation at large recorded.
The 20th October following, being Thursday, by God's good help I lay
the keel of the new great ship[270] upon the blocks in the dock, and
the 28th day following, of the same month, I raised her stern, and
presently after the stem, and proceeded in order with the floor[271]
as fast as I could, notwithstanding the many practices underhand
attempted to have diverted the whole course of that building, as
hereafter in his proper place shall be discovered.
During the time that I proceeded on with the new frame, the
inquisition against the Navy then growing to the height and
prosecuted with extremity of malice against Sir John Trevor, Sir
Robert Mansell, and some others, amongst whom myself held not the
least place, about the fine of March, 1609, there was discovered
unto me (by Mr. Sebastian Vicars, Carver to the Ships, my ever true
and faithful friend) a secret combination against me concerning the
building of the great ship, suggested first by the practice of my
fellows, old Mr. Mathew Baker and Mr. William Bright, old adversaries
to my name and family, assisted by Edward Stevens, a Master
Shipwright, who laid great claim to my place by a former patent
to him granted under the broad seal of England, with some other
shipwrights also joined with them by especial warrant from the great
Lord of Northampton, my most implacable enemy; my fellows bearing me
no small grudge because by the Prince's Highness' means, my master,
I was preferred to that great business before them; and Mr. Stevens
malicing me because he could not prevail against me to recover my
place from me.
They had also won to their party by much importunity, and by means
of a particular letter directed from the Lord Northampton to him
to that very purpose, a great braggadocio, a vain and idle fellow
sometime a mariner and master, called by the name of Captain George
Waymouth; who, having much acquaintance abroad amongst gentlemen, was
to disperse the insufficiency of my business, reporting how I was no
artist, and altogether insufficient to perform such a service, of
no experience, and that the King's Majesty was cosened and all the
charge lost, and the frame of her was unfit for any use but a dung
boat, with many other such false opprobrious defamations, wherein he
was better practised than in any other profession.
These rumours being thus divulged, the report thereof coming to Mr.
Sebastian Vicars' ears was the cause that he, out of his great love
and honesty to me, wrote to me what he heard abroad, wishing me to
keep a careful watch over myself, for that they would bend all their
practices, powers and friends, to the disgracing of the building
and ruining of me. But I, being very confident of the goodness of
my cause (though I received that admonition as from a dear friend
with much acknowledgment of his love and care of me), yet, little
regarding what their malicious practices could bring forth, made
small reckoning of their plottings till such time as the good honest
man, understanding from some of their own mouths what was intended
against me, made a purposed journey to me to Woolwich (though he was
then scarce able to travel by reason of a tedious[272] sickness) and
there thoroughly possessed me of the certainty of what he before by
his writing had truly informed me.
I, now perceiving it was no idle flim flam[273] as I before supposed,
considered that the goodness of my cause might by my secure[274]
neglect either suffer hazard, or be overborne by greatness, began
to call my wits about me and to advise what was to be done in the
business; at which time, to make good the supposition, I received a
message by word of mouth from a worthy gentleman, and good friend
of mine, Mr. William Burrell, principal Master Workman to the East
India Company, of all their project, which was discovered to him
particularly by that Captain Waymouth, being at that instant time
between drunk and sober.
The 13th of April this Waymouth was, by consent of the rest, sent to
Woolwich to survey my work, and thereupon to deliver his opinion, and
I in the mean time was appointed to be at Redriff at a meeting at a
court held for the incorporation of Shipwrights, whereof I was then
Master, that in my absence he might have the better opportunity to
perform his malicious instructions, as he was directed by his great
masters; of the which his purpose I receiving certain intelligence,
leaving my intended journey to Redriff, I awaited his coming, and,
receiving him after a courteous manner, after some discourse and
ordinary compliments he returned back to his confederates, frustrate
of his great purpose.
Within some few days after, I wrote something to this purpose to my
very good friends Sir Robert Mansell and Sir John Trevor, being then
Treasurer and Surveyor of the Navy, desiring them, for that it was
a business highly concerning the honour of our honourable lord the
Lord High Admiral and their own particular reputations, they would be
pleased to take the pains to make a sudden journey to Woolwich, there
truly to inform themselves not only concerning the state of the work
but of divers other material business wherewith I was to acquaint
them at their coming thither. According to my request, they both came
the next day; where being throughly possessed of all the passages and
occurrences concerning the project of our adversaries, after they had
carefully also surveyed the work, with all other things necessary to
be advised of, leaving with me, with good deliberation, instructions
how to proceed in my defence, they departed again to Westminster the
same afternoon.
Presently after the departure of these gentlemen, desiring first the
Lord to guide and direct my pen so as might best tend to his glory
and the discharge of my duty, I betook myself to my study and in the
briefest manner I could I certified the Lord Admiral of the truth
of all the whole project plotted against me, with the names of the
principalest actors therein, and the reasons inducing them unto it;
withal earnestly beseeching his Lordship to be pleased, since the
matter so nearly concerned his Majesty's profit, the honour of the
state, his Lordship's own safety, and the reputation of his Office,
to leave all respect of my particular good and to procure such a view
to be presently made of the work, by judicious and impartial persons,
as his Majesty might receive no loss, the strength of the kingdom no
prejudice, his honour no impeachment, and the Officers of the Navy no
just calumniation nor blame.
It pleased his Lordship, then lying at Whitehall, presently
after the receipt of my letter (wherewith he was not a little
troubled to observe their malicious practices) to send for me to
wait upon him, that by conference with me his Lordship might be
better informed of each particular passage in this so dangerous
information and conspiracy; and after his Lordship had received from
me such satisfaction as he desired, comforting me with many noble
encouragements, as being (as he said) sufficiently persuaded both of
my skill, experience and honesty, wishing me to take a good heart
and never a whit to distrust the goodness of my cause, albeit I had
strong adversaries, for that God in his mercy would never permit
such a malicious practice to prevail against those that relied upon
him, with many other fatherly instructions; and so, being somewhat
late, for that night his Lordship was pleased to dismiss me, giving
me commandment to attend his further pleasure the next morning; and
this was the 20th day of April.
It was no sooner day the next morrow but his Lordship, very careful
of doing something in this weighty business, made himself ready,
and by 4 of clock, taking my letter in his hand, speeds himself to
his Majesty's chamber, lying then also at Whitehall, and sending
in word that his Lordship was there to acquaint his Majesty with
some business of great consequence, was presently admitted to his
Majesty's bedside, and, having in few words given his Majesty a taste
of his errand, delivered him my letter and besought him to be pleased
thoroughly to peruse the same. The letter his Majesty twice read
over, and perceiving how malice was the original of all this stir,
seemed greatly to pity the wrong and injury done unto me, using this
gracious speech in my behalf, that whatsoever my act was he knew not,
but I deserved great commendation for my honest plainness delivered
in my letter, and that it was great reason I should be justly
proceeded withal.
To the end therefore I might not be wrongfully oppressed, and
the works disgraced without just cause, his Majesty took present
order with the Lord High Admiral that he should join unto him the
right honourable lords, the Earls of Worcester, then Master of his
Majesty's horse, and of Suffolk, then Lord High Chamberlain, and
repairing to Woolwich, should there, upon their oaths, honours, and
faithful allegiance to his Majesty, without respect of any particular
person, call before them my accusers, and, as well by examination of
them as trial of the work itself, both in point of sufficiency, as
well of matter as manner, should truly inform themselves whether this
main accusation so much concerning his Majesty's honour were justly
commenced or no; which charge of his Majesty being performed, they
should return the true report thereof with all speed to his Majesty,
as they would answer it upon their allegiance.
Whilst these things were thus ordering, my malicious adversaries
were not idle, but plotting as fast against me, and had so far
prevailed with the Lord Northampton that there should be a private
warrant directed to the chief of them, vide; to Mr. Baker, Bright
and Stevens, and to some other whom they should associate with
them, which warrant should have been signed with the King's own
hand, to authorise them to repair to Woolwich, and there strictly
to make a survey of the work; which being done, upon the return of
the insufficiency of the same under their hands and confirmation by
oath, it was resolved amongst them I should be turned out and for
ever disgraced, the work utterly defaced, and I never to come to any
personal answer; and one of them that could make his party strongest
should undertake the business, about which they were in great
contention amongst themselves who should be preferred to it.
But it pleased my good God, that never leaves his servants destitute
of his help when all other means fail them, so mightily to work for
me by means of my letter sent to my honourable Lord Admiral, and, as
is shewed afore, delivered to his Majesty, so far to prevent their
purposes, that upon that very day wherein they had determined to have
displaced and disgraced me, that they were, unawares to them, warned
by one of his Majesty's messengers to appear before the three Lords
before named, to answer them at that very place and time wherein they
made their account to have triumphed over me. This was the Lord's
doing and it is marvellous in our eyes, and this day was appointed
to be on Tuesday the 25th day of April, which time was accordingly
kept, and the Lords were come to Woolwich by nine of the clock the
same morning. The first thing they did was to take a diligent survey
of the work, first touching the form and manner of the same, and then
concerning the goodness of the materials; which having very carefully
perused, they repaired into the house and sat at a little table
in the middle of my dining room. Their Lordships being set, first
Mr. Baker was called and demanded, for the good of his Majesty's
service, to deliver plainly what he could justly except against the
ship, either in point of art or in sufficiency of the materials, and
leading him from point to point concerning her proportion of length,
breadth, depth, draught of water, height of tuck,[275] rake afore
and abaft, breadth of the floor, scantling of timber, and other
circumstances, after a deal of frivolous arguings to no purpose,
their Lordships found by his examination nothing worthy of observing;
and directly finding him to be led more out of an envious malicious
humour against me than upon any certain ground of error in the
mould, or probability of insufficiency of any of the materials used
in the frame; whereupon he was dismissed.
After him was Bright called, and then Stevens, who were so tripped
in their several examinations as their Lordships found them in their
answers clean contrary one to another almost in every question, by
which their Lordships concluded, as they did of Mr. Baker, that all
this question and infamous report of the business was plotted by
them out of some malicious respects to disgrace me and my works, and
not of any care or conscionable regard of the good of his Majesty's
service; and so they were dismissed.
Then was great killcow[276] Waymouth called, who being examined
as the others before him were, was able to say nothing to any
purpose, but held their Lordships with a long tedious discourse
of proportions, measures, lines, and an infinite rabble of idle
and unprofitable speeches clean from the matter, wherewith their
Lordships were so tired as he was commanded silence. Then every man
being dismissed the room, they consulted in private about some half
hour, and then we were all called in again; where their Lordships,
addressing their speech to me, delivered that, by all this enquiry,
they in their judgments could find no just cause of exception
against the business, and this accusation grew for aught they could
perceive out of envy and malice, and therefore I had no cause to
be discouraged in my service but to go on both comfortably and
cheerfully, assuring me they would so effectually return the account
of the particulars of this their day's work to his Majesty as should
not only give his Majesty satisfaction, but also secure and defend
me from all the opposition any of my adversaries could practise
against me, with many other noble speeches of encouragement. And so
about 4 of the clock in the evening, taking their caroches,[277] they
returned to the Court to Whitehall.
The same night, after their coming to the Court, their Lordships
repairing to his Majesty, they there delivered the account of their
journey, together with all the particular passages in the same; there
offering to prove upon their honours, allegiances, and their lives,
the ground of that conspiracy to spring from no other reason than
inveterate malice to me, and that they found the business in every
part and point so excellent, as befitted the service of so royal a
king; with which his Majesty rested marvellous well satisfied.
My adversaries, whose malicious practices nothing could daunt,
hunting after nothing so much as my ruin and utter disgrace, were so
fired with this prevention that, redoubling their fury, [they] went
all together the next morning to their great patron and abettor,
the Lord Northampton, who being vehemently incensed before, to have
such an affront to the proceeding of his commission, as he termed
our courses to have wrought, was willing to entertain anything that
carried but likelihood to give him means to be revenged on me for it.
After therefore these caterpillars had discovered to his Lordship
all the circumstances of the hearing before the Lords, complaining
very grievously as they termed it, of their partiality towards me
and bitterness to them, and that they were not suffered to speak,
nor could be heard in any[thing] they could inform against me, they
offering upon their lives to make good all their informations against
me to be true, so that they might but gain an equal hearing, his
Lordship promised to move his Majesty in the granting of a second
hearing; wherein he doubted not, as he said unto them, but they
should have amends made to them for the former injuries and obtain
their purpose against me in despite of all my friends and upholders.
His Lordship immediately upon this repaired to his Majesty, and
there made a grievous complaint against the partiality of the three
Lords, which they shewed in the examination of the business; there
in the behalf of the plaintiffs--tendering to his Majesty that they
did offer upon their lives to prove all their informations true,
and besought his Majesty very earnestly there might be a second
examination committed to his Lordships care, whereby all partiality
should be prevented and his Majesty receive better confirmations
of their good service than what the Lords had before, upon their
superficial survey and partial examination, exhibited to his Majesty.
His Majesty made answer that upon his Lordship's first complaint
he had made especial choice of three principal peers of the realm,
of whose faithful fidelity he was so confidently assured that he
could not but give credit to that account their Lordships had
returned upon the serious examination of that so weighty a business.
Notwithstanding, seeing his Lordship urged so earnestly a review and
second examination, since it was a business of such main consequence,
for his better satisfaction and clearing all doubts and scruple, his
Majesty resolved to take the pains in his own person to have the
hearing of the cause indifferently between all parties; appointing
Monday the 8th of May following to be the time for the same hearing
at Woolwich in the yard where the ship was then in building; giving
order to the Lord High Admiral of England to provide for the same,
and to command all such persons as were any ways interested in that
business to give their personal attendance upon his Majesty at the
same time and place.
This resolution of his Majesty made known, there was preparation on
both sides, to be provided both of information and defence, to give
his Majesty satisfaction; but the contrary parties doubting their
malicious practices would now be plainly discovered, never dreaming
of such a course, they still laboured to bring disgraces upon me;
informing, in this interim of ten days, if I might be suffered to
continue the workmen upon the frames, I would so handle the matter
that all things should be reformed that had by them been formerly
found defective, both in point of materials and proportions; and
therefore were earnest suitors to have all the workmen presently
discharged, and the work to stand. His Majesty, upon the advice of
some of the Lords, whereof the then Lord Treasurer, Sir Robert Cecil
and Earl of Salisbury[278] being chief, would not consent on any
condition to have the workmen absolutely discharged, but that order
should be taken the work should cease, and the men continued at his
Majesty's charge till the hearing should be past, and his Majesty
determine what was after to be done. Whereupon his Majesty commanded
a letter to be written to me to the same effect, charging me upon
my allegiance to follow the directions therein contained, which I
accordingly very carefully observed. In the mean time no day almost
passed wherein Mr. Baker, Bright, Stevens, Clay, Graves, Captain
Waymouth, with their malicious associates, did not meet at Woolwich
to take all the dimensions of the ship, to deface the work by
striking aside the shores, and condemning the materials, aggravating
continual disgraces upon me, and railing despitefully to my face;
which I was forced to endure with patience and put up with silence,
flying to God, on whose mercy I wholly depended in these extremities.
The good Lord Admiral was not idle in this interim to provide
for to give his Majesty full satisfaction in all things could be
objected by the informers, and to that purpose carefully advising
with Sir Robert Mansell and Sir John Trevor, principal Officers of
his Majesty's Navy, together with myself, whom it did most concern,
what course was to be held to meet all objections could be any ways
produced against me; and for that the adverse part had made choice of
a certain number of masters and builders in the river of Thames to
strengthen their proceedings, it was held fit and resolved the like
course should be taken by us for our better defence; whereupon sundry
experienced men known to be honest and impartial of both kinds were
nominated and appointed by warrant from the Lord Admiral to attend
this service, some inhabiting about the river of Thames and others
of remote places, with whom divers consultations were held, as well
to inform them of the truth of every particular as also to satisfy
their doubts in anything wherein it was fit they should be throughly
resolved. I, for my own part, confident of mine own integrity,
commending my cause to God, provided myself to be able to answer all
objections whatsoever could be alleged against me, either in point of
art, experience, or care, in this so weighty service of trust and
consequence.
I must not here forget the princely favour of my royal, then master,
Prince Henry, of ever famous memory, who in his noble care of me in
the interim of the time appointed by his Majesty for my hearing did
almost every day send me a comfortable encouragement by some one of
his principal gentlemen to heart me on and put life into me, lest I
should any ways be disheartened with the apprehension of the power
of my great and potent adversary; and when the time grew near for
my trial sent me a commandment to wait upon his Grace, the Sunday
preceding the day, at St. James, which I accordingly performed; where
his Highness vouchsafing to lead me in his hand through the park
to Whitehall, in the public view and hearing of many people there
attending to see him pass to the King, his father, did in such loving
manner counsel me with such comfortable, wise, and grave advice
touching my carriage and resolution in my trial, as was no little
testimony of his principal care of me, to my great comfort, and joy
of all those that were both eye and ear witnesses of it; besides
casting[279] the worst that might be, if I had been overthrown by
the censure of his Majesty, his Highness had graciously determined
to have received me into a place in his house, and resolved to have
provided for me whilst I had lived.