men of invention and industry-第7章

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by　oath；　it　was　resolved　amongst　them　I　should　be　turned　out；　and

for　ever　disgraced。〃



But　the　lords　appointed　by　the　King　now　interfered　between　Pett

and　his　adversaries。　　They　first　inspected　the　ship；　and　made　a

diligent　survey　of　the　form　and　manner　of　the　work　and　the

goodness　of　the　materials；　and　then　called　all　the　accusers

before　them　to　hear　their　allegations。　　They　were　examined

separately。　　First；　Baker　the　master　shipbuilder　was　called。　　He

objected　to　the　size　of　the　ship；　to　the　length；　breadth；　depth；

draught　of　water；　height　of　jack；　rake　before　and　aft；　breadth　of

the　floor；　scantling　of　the　timber；　and　so　on。　　Then　another　of

the　objectors　was　called；　and　his　evidence　was　so　clearly　in

contradiction　to　that　which　had　already　been　given；　that　either

one　or　both　must　be　wrong。　　The　principal　objector；　Captain

Waymouth；　next　gave　his　evidence；　but　he　was　able　to　say　nothing

to　any　purpose；　except　giving　their　lordships　〃a　long；　tedious

discourse　of　proportions；　measures；　lines；　and　an　infinite　rabble

of　idle　and　unprofitable　speeches；　clean　from　the　matter。〃



The　result　was　that　their　lordships　reported　favourably　of　the

design　of　the　ship；　and　the　progress　which　had　already　been　made。



The　Earl　of　Nottingham　interposed　his　influence；　and　the　King

himself；　accompanied　by　the　young　Prince；　went　down　to　Woolwich；

and　made　a　personal　examination。＇26＇　　A　great　many　witnesses　were

again　examined；　twenty…four　on　one　side；　and　twenty…seven　on　the

other。　　The　King　then　carefully　examined　the　ship　himself：　　〃the

planks；　the　tree…nails；　the　workmanship；　and　the　cross…grained

timber。〃　　〃The　cross…grain；〃　he　concluded；　〃was　in　the　men　and

not　in　the　timber。〃　　After　all　the　measurements　had　been　made　and

found　correct；　〃his　Majesty；〃　says　Pett；　〃with　a　loud　voice

commanded　the　measurers　to　declare　publicly　the　very　truth；　which

when　they　had　delivered　clearly　on　our　side；　all　the　whole

multitude　heaved　up　their　hats；　and　gave　a　great　and　loud　shout

and　acclamation。　　And　then　the　Prince；　his　Highness；　called　with

a　high　voice　in　these　words：　　'Where　be　now　these　perjured

fellows　that　dare　thus　abuse　his　Majesty　with　these　false

accusations？　　Do　they　not　worthily　deserve　hanging？〃'



Thus　Pett　triumphed　over　all　his　enemies；　and　was　allowed　to

finish　the　great　ship　in　his　own　way。　　By　the　middle　of　September

1610；　the　vessel　was　ready　to　be　〃strucken　down　upon　her　ways〃；

and　a　dozen　of　the　choice　master　carpenters　of　his　Majesty's　navy

came　from　Chatham　to　assist　in　launching　her。　　The　ship　was

decorated；　gilded；　draped；　and　garlanded；　and　on　the　24th　the

King；　the　Queen；　and　the　Royal　family　came　from　the　palace　at

Theobald's　to　witness　the　great　sight。　　Unfortunately；　the　day

proved　very　rough；　and　it　was　little　better　than　a　neap　tide。　

The　ship　started　very　well；　but　the　wind　〃overblew　the　tide〃；　she

caught　in　the　dock…gates；　and　settled　hard　upon　the　ground；　so

that　there　was　no　possibility　of　launching　her　that　day。



This　was　a　great　disappointment。　　The　King　retired　to　the　palace

at　Greenwich；　though　the　Prince　lingered　behind。　　When　he　left；

he　promised　to　return　by　midnight；　after　which　it　was　proposed　to

make　another　effort　to　set　the　ship　afloat。　　When　the　time

arrived；　the　Prince　again　made　his　appearance；　and　joined　the

Lord　High　Admiral；　and　the　principal　naval　officials。　　It　was

bright　moonshine。　　After　midnight　the　rain　began　to　fall；　and　the

wind　to　blow　from　the　southwest。　　But　about　two　o'clock；　an　hour

before　high　water；　the　word　was　given　to　set　all　taut；　and　the

ship　went　away　without　any　straining　of　screws　and　tackles；　till

she　came　clear　afloat　into　the　midst　of　the　Thames。　　The　Prince

was　aboard；　and　amidst　the　blast　of　trumpets　and　expressions　of

joy；　he　performed　the　ceremony　of　drinking　from　the　great

standing　cup；　and　throwing　the　rest　of　the　wine　towards　the

half…deck；　and　christening　the　ship　by　the　name　of　the　Prince

Royal。＇27＇



The　dimensions　of　the　ship　may　be　briefly　described。　　Her　keel

was　114　feet　long；　and　her　cross…beam　44　feet。　　She　was　of　1400

tons　burthen；　and　carried　64　pieces　of　great　ordnance。　　She　was

the　largest　ship　that　had　yet　been　constructed　in　England。



The　Prince　Royal　was；　at　the　time　she　was　built；　considered　one

of　the　most　wonderful　efforts　of　human　genius。　　Mr。　Charnock；　in

his　'Treatise　on　Marine　Architecture；'　speaks　of　her　as　abounding

in　striking　peculiarities。　　Previous　to　the　construction　of　this

ship；　vessels　were　built　in　the　style　of　the　Venetian　galley；

which　although　well　adapted　for　the　quiet　Mediterranean；　were　not

suited　for　the　stormy　northern　ocean。　　The　fighting　ships　also　of

the　time　of　Henry　VIII。　and　Elizabeth　were　too　full　of

〃top…hamper〃　for　modern　navigation。　　They　were　oppressed　by　high

forecastles　and　poops。　　Pett　struck　out　entirely　new　ideas　in　the

build　and　lines　of　his　new　ship；　and　the　course　which　he　adopted

had　its　effect　upon　all　future　marine　structures。　　The　ship　was

more　handy；　more　wieldy；　and　more　convenient。　　She　was

unquestionably　the　first　effort　of　English　ingenuity　in　the

direction　of　manageableness　and　simplicity。　　〃The　vessel　in

question；〃　says　Charnock；　〃may　be　considered　the　parent　of　the

class　of　shipping　which　continues　in　practice　even　to　the　present

moment。〃



It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　pursue　in　detail　the　further　history

of　Phineas　Pett。　　We　may　briefly　mention　the　principal　points。　

In　1612；　the　Prince　Royal　was　appointed　to　convey　the　Princess

Elizabeth　and　her　husband；　The　Palsgrave；　to　the　Continent。　　Pett

was　on　board　the　ship；　and　found　that　〃it　wrought　exceedingly

well；　and　was　so　yare　of　conduct　that　a　foot　of　helm　would　steer

her。〃　　While　at　Flushing；　〃such　a　multitude　of　people；　men；

women；　and　children；　came　from　all　places　in　Holland　to　see　the

ship；　that　we　could　scarce　have　room　to　go　up　and　down　till　very

night。〃



About　the　27th　of　March；　1616；　Pett　bargained　with　Sir　Waiter

Raleigh　to　build　a　vessel　of　500　tons；＇28＇　and　received　500L。

from　him　on　account。　　The　King；　through　the　interposition　of　the

Lord　Admiral；　allowed　Pett　to　lay　her　keel　on　the　galley　dock　at

Woolwich。　　In　the　same　year　he　was　commissioned　by　the　Lord

Zouche；　now　Lord　Warden　of　the　Cinque　Ports；　to　construct　a

pinnace　of　40　tons；　in　respect　of　which　Pett　remarks；　〃towards

the　whole　of　the　hull　of　the　pinnace；　and　all　her　rigging；　I

received　only　100L。　from　the　Lord　Zouche；　the　rest　Sir　Henry

Mainwaring　（half…brother　to　Raleigh）　cunningly　received　on　my

behalf；　without　my　knowledge；　which　I　never　got　from　him　but　by

piecemeal；　so　that　by　the　bargain　I　was　loser　100L。　at　least。〃



Pett　fared　much　worse　at　the　hands　of　Raleigh　himself。　　His　great

ship；　the　Destiny；　was　finished　and　launched　in　December；　1616。　

〃I　delivered　her　to　him；〃　says　Pett；　〃on　float；　in　good　order　and

fashion；　by　which　business　I　lost　700L。；　and　could　never　get　any

recompense　at　all　for　it；　Sir　Walter　going　to　sea　and　leaving　me

unsatisfied。〃＇29＇　Nor　was　this　the　only　loss　that　Pett　met　with

this　year。　　The　King；　he　states；　〃bestowed　upon　me　for　the　supply

of　my　present　relief　the　making　of　a　knight…baronet；〃　which

authority　Pett　passed　to　a　recusant；　one　Francis　Ratcliffe；　for

700L。；　but　that　worthy　defrauded　him；　so　that　he　lost　30L。　by　the

bargain。



Next　year；　Pett　was　despatched　by　the　Government　to　the　New

Forest　in　Hampshire；　〃where；〃　he　says；　〃one　Sir　Giles

Mompesson＇30＇　had　made　a　vast　waste　in　the　spoil　of　his　Majesty's

timber；　to　redress　which　I　was　employed　thither；　to　make　choice

out　of　the　number　of　trees　he　had　felled　of　all　such　timber　as

was　useful　for　shipping；　in　which　business　I　spent　a　great　deal

of　time；　and　brought　myself　into　a　great　deal　of　trouble。〃　　About

this　period；　poor　Pett's　wife　and　two　of　his　children　lay　for

some　time　at　death's　door。　　Then　more　enquiries　took　place　into

the　abuses　of　the　dockyards；　in　which　it　was　sought　to　implicate

Pett。　　During　the　next　three　years　（1618…20）　he　worked　under　the

immediate　orders　of　the　Commissioners　in　the　New　Dock　at　Chatham。



In　1620；　Pett's　friend　Sir　Robert　Mansell　was　appointed　General

of　the　Fleet　destined　to　chastise　the　Algerine　pirates；　who　still

continued　their　depredations　on　the　shipping　in　the　Channel；　and

the　King　thereupon　commissioned　Pett　to　build　with　all　dispatch

two　pinnaces；　of　120　and　80　tons　respectively。　　〃I　was　myself；〃

he　says；　〃to　serve　as　Captain　in　the　voyage〃being　glad；　no

doubt；　to　escape　from　his　tormentors。　　The　two　pinnaces　were

built　at　Ratcliffe；　and　were　launched　on　the　16th　and　l8th　of

October；　1620。　　On　the　30th；　Pett　sailed　with　the　fleet；　and

after　driving　the　pirates　out　of　the　Channel；　he　returned　to　port

after　an　absence　of　eleven　months。



His　enemies　had　taken　advantage　of　his　absence　from　England　to

get　an　order　for　the　survey　of　the　Prince　Royal；　his　masterpiece；

the　result　of　which　was；　he　says；　that　〃they　maliciously

certified　the　ship　to　be　unserviceable；　and　not　fit　to

continuethat　what　charges　should　be　bestowed　upon　her　would　be

lost。〃　　Nevertheless；　the　Prince　Royal　was　docked；　and　fitted　for

a　voyage　to　Spain。　　She　was　sent　thither　with　Charles　Prince　of

Wales　and　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　the　former　going　in　search　of　a

Spanish　wife。　　Pett；　the　builder　of　the　ship；　was　commanded　to

accompany　the　young　Prince　and　the　Duke。



The　expedition　sailed　on　the　24th　of　August；　1623；　and　returned

on　the　l4th　of　October。　　Pett　was　entertained　on　board　the　Prince

Royal；　and　rendered　occasional　services　to　the　officers　in

command；　though　nothing　of　importance　occurred　during　the　voyage。



The　Prince　of　Wales　presented　him　with　a　valuable　gold　chain　as　a

reward　for　his　attendance。　　In　1625；　Pett；　after　rendering　many

important　services　to　the　Admiralty；　was　ordered　again　to　prepare

the　Prince　Royal　for　sea。　　She　was　to　bring　over　the　Prince　of

Wales's　bride　from　France。　　While　the　preparations　were　making

for　the　voyage；　news　reached　Chatham　of　the　death　of　King　James。　

Pett　was　afterwards　commanded　to　go　forward　with　the　work　of

preparing　the　Prince　Royal；　as　well　as　the　whole　fleet；　which　was

intended　to　escort　the　French　Princess；　or　rather　the　Queen；　to

England。　　The　expedition　took　place　in　May；　and　the　young　Queen

landed　at　Dover　on　the　12th　of　that　month。



Pett　continued　to　be　employed　in　building　and　repairing　ships；　as

well　as　in　preparing　new　designs；　which　he　submitted　to　the　King

and　the　Commissioners　of　the　Navy。　　In　1626；　he　was　appointed　a

joint　commissioner；　with　the　Lord　High　Admiral；　the　Lord

Treasurer　Marlborough；　and　others；　〃to　enquire　into　certain

alleged　abuses　of　the　Navy；　and　to　view　the　state　thereof；　and

also　the　stores　thereof；〃　clearly　showing　that　he　was　regaining

his　old　position。　　He　was　also　engaged　in　determining　the　best

mode　of　measuring　the　tonnage　of　ships。＇31＇　Four　year