men of invention and industry-第6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！


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

navigating　it　himself。



He　was；　however；　prevented　from　undertaking　this　enterprise　by　a

message　which　he　received　from　the　Court；　then　stationed　at

Greenwich。　　The　Lord　High　Admiral　desired　to　see　him；　and　after

many　civil　compliments；　he　offered　him　the　post　of　keeper　of　the

plankyard　at　Chatham。　　Pett　was　only　too　glad　to　accept　this

offer；　though　the　salary　was　small。　　He　shipped　his　furniture　on

board　a　hoy　of　Rainham；　and　accompanied　it　down　the　Thames　to　the

junction　with　the　Medway。　　There　he　escaped　a　great　dangerone

of　the　sea　perils　of　the　time。　　The　mouths　of　navigable　rivers

were　still　infested　with　pirates；　and　as　the　hoy　containing　Pett

approached　the　Nore　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　while

still　dark；　she　came　upon　a　Dunkirk　picaroon；　full　of　men。　

Fortunately　the　pirate　was　at　anchor；　she　weighed　and　gave　chase；

and　had　not　the　hoy　set　full　sail；　and　been　impelled　up　the　Swale

by　a　fresh　wind；　Pett　would　have　been　taken　prisoner；　with　all

his　furniture。＇20＇



Arrived　at　Chatham；　Pett　met　his　brother　Joseph；　became

reconciled　to　him；　and　ever　after　they　lived　together　as　loving

brethren。　　At　his　brother's　suggestion；　Pett　took　a　lease　of　the

Manor　House；　and　settled　there　with　his　sisters。　　He　was　now　in

the　direct　way　to　preferment。　　Early　in　the　following　year

（March；　1601）　he　succeeded　to　the　place　of　assistant　to　the

principal　master　shipwright　at　Chatham；　and　undertook　the　repairs

of　Her　Majesty's　ship　The　Lion's　Whelp；　and　in　the　next　year　he

new…built　the　Moon　enlarging　her　both　in　length　and　breadth。



At　the　accession　of　James　I。　in　1603；　Pett　was　commanded　by　the

Lord　High　Admiral　with　all　possible　speed　to　build　a　little

vessel　for　the　young　Prince　Henry；　eldest　son　of　His　Majesty。　　It

was　to　be　a　sort　of　copy　of　the　Ark　Royal；　which　was　the　flagship

of　the　Lord　High　Admiral　when　he　defeated　the　Spanish　Armada。　

Pett　proceeded　to　accomplish　the　order　with　all　dispatch。　　The

little　ship　was　in　length　by　the　keel　28　feet；　in　breadth　12

feet；　and　very　curiously　garnished　within　and　without　with

painting　and　carving。　　After　working　by　torch　and　candle　light；

night　and　day；　the　ship　was　launched；　and　set　sail　for　the

Thames；　with　the　noise　of　drums；　trumpets；　and　cannon；　at　the

beginning　of　March；　1604。　　After　passing　through　a　great　storm　at

the　Nore；　the　vessel　reached　the　Tower；　where　the　King　and　the

young　Prince　inspected　her　with　delight。　　She　was　christened

Disdain　by　the　Lord　High　Admiral；　and　Pett　was　appointed　captain

of　the　ship。



After　his　return　to　Chatham；　Pett；　at　his　own　charge；　built　a

small　ship　at　Gillingham；　of　300　tons；　which　he　launched　in　the

same　year；　and　named　the　Resistance。　　The　ship　was　scarcely　out

of　hand；　when　Pett　was　ordered　to　Woolwich；　to　prepare　the　Bear

and　other　vessels　for　conveying　his　patron；　the　Lord　High

Admiral；　as　an　Ambassador　Extraordinary　to　Spain；　for　the　purpose

of　concluding　peace；　after　a　strife　of　more　than　forty　years。　

The　Resistance　was　hired　by　the　Government　as　a　transport；　and

Pett　was　put　in　command。　　He　seems　to　have　been　married　at　this

time；　as　he　mentions　in　his　memoir　that　he　parted　with　his　wife

and　children　at　Chatham　on　the　24th　of　March；　1605；　and　that　he

sailed　from　Queenborough　on　Easter　Sunday。



During　the　voyage　to　Lisbon　the　Resistance　became　separated　from

the　Ambassador's　squadron；　and　took　refuge　in　Corunna。　　She　then

set　sail　for　Lisbon；　which　she　reached　on　the　24th　of　April；　and

afterwards　for　St。　Lucar；　on　the　Guadalquiver；　near　Seville；

which　she　reached　on　the　11th　of　May　following。　　After　revisiting

Corunna；　〃according　to　instructions；〃　on　the　homeward　voyage；

Pett　directed　his　course　for　England；　and　reached　Rye　on　the　26th

of　June；　〃amidst　much　rain；　thunder；　and　lightning。〃　　In　the

course　of　the　same　year；　his　brother　Joseph　died；　and　Phineas

succeeded　to　his　post　as　master　shipbuilder　at　Chatham。　　He　was

permitted；　in　conjunction　with　one　Henry　Farvey　and　three　others；

to　receive　the　usual　reward　of　5s。　per　ton　for　building　five　new

merchant　ships；＇21＇　most　probably　for　East　Indian　commerce；　now

assuming　large　dimensions。　　He　was　despatched　by　the　Government

to　Bearwood；　in　Hampshire；　to　make　a　selection　of　timber　from　the

estate　of　the　Earl　of　Worcester　for　the　use　of　the　navy；　and　on

presenting　his　report　3000　tons　were　purchased。　　What　with　his

building　of　ships；　his　attendance　on　the　Lord　Admiral　to　Spain；

and　his　selection　of　timber　for　the　Government；　his　hands　seem　to

have　been　kept　very　full　during　the　whole　of　1605。



In　July；　1606；　Pett　received　private　instructions　from　the　Lord

High　Admiral　to　have　all　the　King's　ships　〃put　into　comely

readiness〃　for　the　reception　of　the　King　of　Denmark；　who　was

expected　on　a　Royal　visit。　　〃Wherein；〃　he　says；　〃I　strove

extraordinarily　to　express　my　service　for　the　honour　of　the

kingdom；　but　by　reason　the　time　limited　was　short；　and　the

business　great；　we　laboured　night　and　day　to　effect　it；　which

accordingly　was　done；　to　the　great　honour　of　our　sovereign　king

and　master；　and　no　less　admiration　of　all　strangers　that　were

eye…witnesses　to　the　same。〃　　The　reception　took　place　on　the　10th

of　August；　1606。



Shortly　after　the　departure　of　His　Majesty　of　Denmark；　four　of

the　Royal　shipsthe　Ark；　Victory；　Golden　Lion；　and

Swiftsurewere　ordered　to　be　dry…docked；　the　two　last　mentioned

at　Deptford；　under　charge　of　Matthew　Baker；　and　the　two　former　at

Woolwich；　under　that　of　Pett。　　For　greater　convenience；　Pett

removed　his　family　to　Woolwich。　　After　being　elected　and　sworn

Master　of　the　Company　of　Shipwrights；　he　refers　in　his

manuscript；　for　the　first　time；　to　his　magnificent　and　original

design　of　the　Prince　Royal。＇22＇



〃After　settling　at　Woolwich；〃　he　says；　〃I　began　a　curious　model

for　the　prince　my　master；　most　part　whereof　I　wrought　with　my　own

hands。〃　　After　finishing　the　model；　he　exhibited　it　to　the　Lord

High　Admiral；　and；　after　receiving　his　approval　and　commands；　he

presented　it　to　the　young　prince　at　Richmond。　　〃His　Majesty　（who

was　present）　was　exceedingly　delighted　with　the　sight　of　the

model；　and　passed　some　time　in　questioning　the　divers　material

things　concerning　it；　and　demanded　whether　I　could　build　the

great　ship　in　all　parts　like　the　same；　for　I　will；　says　His

Majesty；　compare　them　together　when　she　shall　be　finished。　　Then

the　Lord　Admiral　commanded　me　to　tell　His　Majesty　the　story　of

the　Three　Ravens＇23＇　I　had　seen　at　Lisbon；　in　St。　Vincent's

Church；　which　I　did　as　well　as　I　could；　with　my　best　expressions；

though　somewhat　daunted　at　first　at　His　Majesty's　presence；

having　never　before　spoken　before　any　King。〃



Before；　however；　he　could　accomplish　his　purpose；　Pett　was

overtaken　by　misfortunes。　　His　enemies；　very　likely　seeing　with

spite　the　favour　with　which　he　had　been　received　by　men　in　high

position；　stirred　up　an　agitation　against　him。　　There　may；　and

there　very　probably　was；　a　great　deal　of　jobbery　going　on　in　the

dockyards。　　It　was　difficult；　under　the　system　which　prevailed；

to　have　any　proper　check　upon　the　expenditure　for　the　repair　and

construction　of　ships。　　At　all　events；　a　commission　was　appointed

for　the　purpose　of　inquiring　into　the　abuses　and　misdemeanors　of

those　in　office；　and　Pett's　enemies　took　care　that　his　past

proceedings　should　be　thoroughly　overhauled；together　with　those

of　Sir　Robert　Mansell；　then　Treasurer　to　the　Navy；　Sir　John

Trevor；　surveyor；　Sir　Henry　Palmer；　controller；　Sir　Thomas

Bluther；　victualler；　and　many　others。



While　the　commission　was　still　sitting　and　holding　what　Pett

calls　their　〃malicious　proceedings；〃　he　was　able　to　lay　the　keel

of　his　new　great　ship　upon　the　stocks　in　the　dock　at　Woolwich　on

the　20th　of　October；　1608。　　He　had　a　clear　conscience；　for　his

hands　were　clean。　　He　went　on　vigorously　with　his　work；　though　he

knew　that　the　inquisition　against　him　was　at　its　full　height。　

His　enemies　reported　that　he　was　〃no　artist；　and　that　he　was

altogether　insufficient　to　perform　such　a　service〃　as　that　of

building　his　great　ship。　　Nevertheless；　he　persevered；　believing

in　the　goodness　of　his　cause。　　Eventually；　he　was　enabled　to　turn

the　tables　upon　his　accusers；　and　to　completely　justify　himself

in　all　his　transactions　with　the　king；　the　Lord　Admiral；　and　the

public　officers；　who　were　privy　to　all　his　transactions。　　Indeed；

the　result　of　the　enquiry　was　not　only　to　cause　a　great　trouble

and　expense　to　all　the　persons　accused；　but；　as　Pett　says　in　his

Memoir；　〃the　Government　itself　of　that　royal　office　was　so　shaken

and　disjoined　as　brought　almost　ruin　upon　the　whole　Navy；　and　a

far　greater　charge　to　his　Majesty　in　his　yearly　expense　than　ever

was　known　before。〃＇24＇



In　the　midst　of　his　troubles　and　anxieties；　Pett　was　unexpectedly

cheered　with　the　presence　of　his　〃Master〃　Prince　Henry；　who

specially　travelled　out　of　his　way　from　Essex　to　visit　him　at

Woolwich；　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　what　progress　he　was　making

with　the　great　ship。　　After　viewing　the　dry　dock；　which　had　been

constructed　by　Pett；　and　was　one　of　the　first；　if　not　the　very

first　in　England；his　Highness　partook　of　a　banquet　which　the

shipbuilder　had　hastily　prepared　for　him　in　his　temporary

lodgings。



One　of　the　circumstances　which　troubled　Pett　so　much　at　this

time；　was　the　strenuous　opposition　of　the　other　shipbuilders　to

his　plans　of　the　great　ship。　　There　never　had　been　such　a

frightful　innovation。　　The　model　was　all　wrong。　　The　lines　were

detestable。　　The　man　who　planned　the　whole　thing　was　a　fool；　a

〃cozener〃　of　the　king；　and　the　ship；　suppose　it　to　be　made；　was

〃unfit　for　any　other　use　but　a　dung…boat！〃　　This　attack　upon　his

professional　character　weighed　very　heavily　upon　his　mind。



He　determined　to　put　his　case　in　a　staightforward　manner　before

the　Lord　High　Admiral。　　He　set　down　in　writing　in　the　briefest

manner　everything　that　he　had　done；　and　the　plots　that　had　been

hatched　against　him；　and　beseeched　his　lordship；　for　the　honour

of　the　State；　and　the　reputation　of　his　office；　to　cause　the

entire　matter　to　be　thoroughly　investigated　〃by　judicious　and

impartial　persons。〃　　After　a　conference　with　Pett；　and　an

interview　with　his　Majesty；　　the　Lord　High　Admiral　was　authorised

by　the　latter　to　invite　the　Earls　of　Worcester　and　Suffolk　to

attend　with　him　at　Woolwich；　and　bring　all　the　accusers　of　Pett's

design　of　the　great　ship　before　them　for　the　purpose　of

examination；　and　to　report　to　him　as　to　the　actual　state　of

affairs。　　Meanwhile　Pett's　enemies　had　been　equally　busy。　　They

obtained　a　private　warrant　from　the　Earl　of　Northampton＇25＇　to

survey　the　work；　〃which　being　done；〃　says　Pett；　〃upon　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