men of invention and industry-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



about　150　tons　one　with　another；　employed　in　trading　voyages　to

all　parts　and　countries。〃　The　principal　shipping　which　frequented

the　English　ports　still　continued　to　be　foreignItalian；

Flemish；　and　German。



Liverpool；　now　possessing　the　largest　shipping　tonnage　in　the

world；　had　not　yet　come　into　existence。　　It　was　little　better

than　a　fishing　village。　　The　people　of　the　place　presented　a

petition　to　the　Queen；　praying　her　to　remit　a　subsidy　which　had

been　imposed　upon　them；　and　speaking　of　their　native　place　as

〃Her　Majesty's　poor　decayed　town　of　Liverpool。〃　　In　1565；　seven

years　after　Queen　Elizabeth　began　to　reign；　the　number　of　vessels

belonging　to　Liverpool　was　only　twelve。　　The　largest　was　of　forty

tons　burthen；　with　twelve　men；　and　the　smallest　was　a　boat　of　six

tons；　with　three　men。＇13＇



James　I。；　on　his　accession　to　the　throne　of　England　in　1603；

called　in　all　the　ships　of　war；　as　well　as　the　numerous

privateers　which　had　been　employed　during　the　previous　reign　in

waging　war　against　the　commerce　of　Spain；　and　declared　himself　to

be　at　peace　with　all　the　world。　　James　was　as　peaceful　as　a

Quaker。　　He　was　not　a　fighting　King；…　and；　partly　on　this

account；　he　was　not　popular。　　He　encouraged　manufactures　in　wool；

silk；　and　tapestry。　　He　gave　every　encouragement　to　the

mercantile　and　colonizing　adventurers　to　plant　and　improve　the

rising　settlements　of　Virginia；　New　England；　and　Newfoundland。　

He　also　promoted　the　trade　to　the　East　Indies。　　Attempts

continued　to　be　made；　by　Hudson；　Poole；　Button；　Hall；　Baffin；　and

other　courageous　seamen；　to　discover　the　North…West　passage；　but

always　without　effect。



The　shores　of　England　being　still　much　infested　by　Algerine　and

other　pirates；＇14＇　King　James　found　it　necessary　to　maintain　the

ships　of　war　in　order　to　protect　navigation　and　commerce。　　He

nearly　doubled　the　ships　of　the　Royal　Navy；　and　increased　the

number　from　thirteen　to　twenty…four。　　Their　size；　however；

continued　small；　both　Royal　and　merchant　ships。　　Sir　William

Monson　says；　that　at　the　accession　of　James　I。　there　were　not

above　four　merchant　ships　in　England　of　400　tons　burthen。＇15＇　

The　East　Indian　merchants　were　the　first　to　increase　the　size。　

In　1609；　encouraged　by　their　Charter；　they　built　the　Trade's

Increase；　of　1100　tons　burthen；　the　largest　merchant　ship　that

had　ever　been　built　in　England。　　As　it　was　necessary　that；　the

crew　of　the　ship　should　be　able　to　beat　off　the　pirates；　she　was

fully　armed。　　The　additional　ships　of　war　were　also　of　heavier

burthen。　　In　the　same　year；　the　Prince；　of　1400　tons　burthen；　was

launched；　she　carried　sixty…four　cannon；　and　was　superior　to　any

ship　of　the　kind　hitherto　seen　in　England。



And　now　we　arrive　at　the　subject　of　this　memoir。　　The　Petts　were

the　principal　ship…builders　of　the　time。　　They　had　long　been

known　upon　the　Thames；　and　had　held　posts　in　the　Royal　Dockyards

since　the　reign　of　Henry　VII。　　They　were　gallant　sailors；　too；

one　of　them；　as　already　mentioned；　having　made　an　adventurous

voyage　to　the　Arctic　Ocean　in　his　little　bark；　the　George；　of

only　40　tons　burthen。　　Phineas　Pett　was　the　first　of　the　great

ship…builders。　　His　father；　Peter　Pett；　was　one　of　the　Queen's

master　shipwrights。　　Besides　being　a　ship…builder；　he　was　also　a

poet；　being　the　author　of　a　poetical　piece　entitled；　〃Time's

Journey　to　seek　his　daughter　Truth；〃＇16＇　a　very　respectable

performance。　　Indeed；　poetry　is　by　no　means　incompatible　with

ship…buildingthe　late　Chief　Constructor　of　the　Navy　being；

perhaps；　as　proud　of　his　poetry　as　of　his　ships。　　Pett's　poem　was

dedicated　to　the　Lord　High　Admiral；　Howard；　Earl　of　Nottingham；

and　this　may　possibly　have　been　the　reason　of　the　singular

interest　which　he　afterwards　took　in　Phineas　Pett；　the　poet

shipwright's　son。



Phineas　Pett　was　the　second　son　of　his　father。　　He　was　born　at

Deptford；　or　〃Deptford　Strond；〃　as　the　place　used　to　be　called；

on　the　1st　of　November；　1570。　　At　nine　years　old；　he　was　sent　to

the　free…school　at　Rochester；　and　remained　there　for　four　years。　

Not　profiting　much　by　his　education　there；　his　father　removed　him

to　a　private　school　at　Greenwich；　kept　by　a　Mr。　Adams。　　Here　he

made　so　much　progress；　that　in　three　years　time　he　was　ready　for

Cambridge。　　He　was　accordingly　sent　to　that　University　at

Shrovetide；　l586；　and　was　entered　at　Emmanuel　College；　under

charge　of　Mr。　Charles　Chadwick；　the　president。　　His　father

allowed　him　20L。　per　annum；　besides　books；　apparel；　and　other

necessaries。



Phineas　remained　at　Cambridge　for　three　years。　　He　was　obliged　to

quit　the　University　by　the　death　of　his　〃reverend；　ever…loving

father；〃　whose　loss；　he　says；　〃proved　afterwards　my　utter　undoing

almost；　had　not　God　been　more　merciful　to　me。〃　　His　mother

married　again；　〃a　most　wicked　husband；〃　says　Pett　in　his

autobiography；＇17＇　〃one；　Mr。　Thomas　Nunn；　a　minister；〃　but　of

what　denomination　he　does　not　state。　　His　mother's　imprudence

wholly　deprived　him　of　his　maintenance；　and　having　no　hopes　of

preferment　from　his　friends；　he　necessarily　abandoned　his

University　career；　〃presently　after　Christmas；　1590。〃



Early　in　the　following　year；　he　was　persuaded　by　his　mother　to

apprentice　himself　to　Mr。　Richard　Chapman；　of　Deptford　Strond；

one　of　the　Queen's　Master　shipwrights；　whom　his　late　father　had

〃bred　up　from　a　child　to　that　profession。〃　　He　was　allowed　2L。

6s。　8d。　per　annum；　with　which　he　had　to　provide　himself　with

tools　and　apparel。　　Pett　spent　two　years　in　this　man's　service　to

very　little　purpose；　Chapman　then　died；　and　the　apprentice　was

dismissed。　　Pett　applied　to　his　elder　brother　Joseph；　who　would

not　help　him；　although　he　had　succeeded　to　his　father's　post　in

the　Royal　Dockyard。　　He　was　accordingly　〃constrained　to　ship

himself　to　sea　upon　a　desperate　voyage　in　a　man…of…war。〃　　He

accepted　the　humble　place　of　carpenter's　mate　on　board　the

galleon　Constance；　of　London。　　Pett's　younger　brother；　Peter；

then　living　at　Wapping；　gave　him　lodging；　meat；　and　drink；　until

the　ship　was　ready　to　sail。　　But　he　had　no　money　to　buy　clothes。　

Fortunately　one　William　King；　a　yoeman　in　Essex；　taking　pity　upon

the　unfortunate　young　man；　lent　him　3L。　for　that　purpose；　which

Pett　afterwards　repaid。



The　Constance　was　of　only　200　tons　burden。　　She　set　sail　for　the

South　a　few　days　before　Christmas；　1592。　　There　is　no　doubt　that

she　was　bound　upon　a　piratical　adventure。　　Piracy　was　not　thought

dishonourable　in　those　days。　　Four　years　had　elapsed　since　the

Armada　had　approached　the　English　coast；　and　now　the　English　and

Dutch　ships　were　scouring　the　seas　in　search　of　Spanish　galleons。



Whoever　had　the　means　of　furnishing　a　ship；　and　could　find　a

plucky　captain　to　command　her；　sent　her　out　as　a　privateer。　　Even

the　Companies　of　the　City　of　London　clubbed　their　means　together

for　the　purpose　of　sending　out　Sir　Waiter　Raleigh　to　capture

Spanish　ships；　and　afterwards　to　divide　the　plunder；　as　any　one

may　see　on　referring　to　the　documents　of　the　London

Corporation。＇18＇



The　adventure　in　which　Pett　was　concerned　did　not　prove　very

fortunate。　　He　was　absent　for　about　twenty　months　on　the　coasts

of　Spain　and　Barbary；　and　in　the　Levant；　enduring　much　misery　for

want　of　victuals　and　apparel；　and　〃without　taking　any　purchase　of

any　value。〃　　The　Constance　returned　to　the　Irish　coast；　〃extreme

poorly。〃　　The　vessel　entered　Cork　harbour；　and　then　Pett；

thoroughly　disgusted　with　privateering　life；　took　leave　of　both

ship　and　voyage。　　With　much　difficulty；　he　made　his　way　across

the　country　to　Waterford；　from　whence　he　took　ship　for　London。　

He　arrived　there　three　days　before　Christmas；　1594；　in　a　beggarly

condition；　and　made　his　way　to　his　brother　Peter's　house　at

Wapping；　who　again　kindly　entertained　him。　　The　elder　brother

Joseph　received　him　more　coldly；　though　he　lent　him　forty

shillings　to　find　himself　in　clothes。　　At　that　time；　the　fleet

was　ordered　to　be　got　ready　for　the　last　expedition　of　Drake　and

Hawkins　to　the　West　Indies。　　The　Defiance　was　sent　into　Woolwich

dock　to　be　sheathed；　and　as　Joseph　Pett　was　in　charge　of　the　job；

he　allowed　his　brother　to　be　employed　as　a　carpenter。



In　the　following　year；　Phineas　succeeded　in　attracting　the　notice

of　Matthew　Baker；　who　was　commissioned　to　rebuild　Her　Majesty's

Triumph。　　Baker　employed　Pett　as　an　ordinary　workman；　but　he　had

scarcely　begun　the　job　before　Baker　was　ordered　to　proceed　with

the　building　of　a　great　new　ship　at　Deptford；　called　the　Repulse。



Phineas　wished　to　follow　the　progress　of　the　Triumph；　but　finding

his　brother　Joseph　unwilling　to　retain　him　in　his　employment；　he

followed　Baker　to　Deptford；　and　continued　to　work　at　the　Repulse

until　she　was　finished；　launched；　and　set　sail　on　her　voyage；　at

the　end　of　April；　1596。　　This　was　the　leading　ship　of　the

squadron　which　set　sail　for　Cadiz；　under　the　command　of　the　Earl

of　Essex　and　the　Lord　Admiral　Howard；　and　which　did　so　much

damage　to　the　forts　and　shipping　of　Philip　II。　of　Spain。



During　the　winter　months；　while　the　work　was　in　progress；　Pett

spent　the　leisure　of　his　evenings　in　perfecting　himself　in

learning；　especially　in　drawing；　cyphering；　and　mathematics；　for

the　purpose；　as　he　says；　of　attaining　the　knowledge　of　his

profession。　　His　master；　Mr。　Baker；　gave　him　every　encouragement；

and　from　his　assistance；　he　adds；　〃I　must　acknowledge　I　received

my　greatest　lights。〃　　The　Lord　Admiral　was　often　present　at

Baker's　house。　　Pett　was　importuned　to　set　sail　with　the　ship

when　finished；　but　he　preferred　remaining　at　home。　　The　principal

reason；　no　doubt；　that　restrained　him　at　this　moment　from　seeking

the　patronage　of　the　great；　was　the　care　of　his　two　sisters；＇19＇

who；　having　fled　from　the　house　of　their　barbarous　stepfather；

could　find　no　refuge　but　in　that　of　their　brother　Phineas。　

Joseph　refused　to　receive　them；　and　Peter　of　Wapping　was　perhaps

less　able　than　willing　to　do　so。



In　April；　1597；　Pett　had　the　advantage　of　being　introduced　to

Howard；　Earl　of　Nottingham；　then　Lord　High　Admiral　of　England。　

This；　he　says；　was　the　first　beginning　of　his　rising。　　Two　years

later；　Howard　recommended　him　for　employment　in　purveying　plank

and　timber　in　Norfolk　and　Suffolk　for　shipbuilding　purposes。　

Pett　accomplished　his　business　satisfactorily；　though　he　had　some

malicious　enemies　to　contend　against。　　In　his　leisure；　he　began

to　prepare　models　of　ships；　which　he　rigged　and　finished

complete。　　He　also　proceeded　with　the　study　of　mathematics。　　The

beginning　of　the　year　1600　found　Pett　once　more　out　of

employment；　and　during　his　enforced　idleness；　which　continued　for

six　months；　he　seriously　contemplated　abandoning　his　profession

and　attempting　to　gain　〃an　honest　and　convenient　maintenance〃　by

joining　a　friend　in　purchasing　a　caravel　（a　small　vessel）；　and

navigating　it　himself。



He　was；　however；　prevented　from　undertakin