About[586] the 10th of April, his Majesty's ship called by the name of the Anne Royal, bound for to be Admiral of the narrow seas, and anchoring in Tilbury Hope, being unmoored,[587] the ship winding up[588] upon the flood, came foul of her own anchor, which pulled out a great part of her keel abaft the mast; and so, in sinking, overthrew so suddenly that some of the company were drowned, amongst whom was the master's wife and one other woman. Myself, amongst others, was commanded by his Majesty to give my assistance for weighing of her, which cost much trouble, great charge and no small danger to them that travelled[589] about it; which was afterwards objected to them as a great fault, and were rewarded with a bitter check from the Lords. The ship was weighed, and carried to Blackwall, and put into the East India Dock about the 10th of August.
The 3rd of February, his Majesty came to Woolwich by water, accompanied with the Prince Elector[590] and divers other lords, where he thoroughly viewed all the works of the ship without; and then went on board and seriously perused all the ship within board, both aloft and in the hold, being very well satisfied in all points; and then retired himself into my lodgings, where he stayed till flood, and then took his barge and returned to Whitehall.
Tuesday, the 25th of April, my daughter Martha was married unto John Hodierne, sometimes my servant.[591] She was married at Chatham Church, accompanied with the best sort of our neighbours, who were entertained in the garden under a long tent, set up for that purpose, where they ate, dined, and supped.
On the 21st day [of] July, being Friday, I brought my wife from Woolwich to Chatham in a coach, having been very ill some weeks before. We brought her safe to my house, and the next day she was to our thinking very cheerful, and was visited by divers our good neighbours, but on Sunday she grew very ill, and continued worse and worse all that night. About 3 clock, Monday morning, she fell into a sweet sleep and so like [a] lamb quietly departed this life, and the Wednesday afternoon following was buried in Chatham Church, accompanied with the better sort of all the neighbours about us; Mr. Vaughan, our Minister, preached at her funeral.
Tuesday, being the 29th August, proved a very wet, rainy day, but the shipwrights of the river, which were warned to help to strike the ship upon the ways, being come together, we set on the business, and by God's blessing the ship was struck by eleven of the clock without harm to any man, which we accounted a great mercy of God.
Monday, the 25th of September, was the day peremptorily appointed by his Majesty for launching the great ship; and accordingly all things were prepared in readiness for performance thereof. His Majesty, accompanied with the Queen and all the train of lords and ladies, their attendants, came to Woolwich, for the most part by water, landing at the dock stairs about 12 of the clock, and went directly on board the ship, where they stayed about one hour, and thence retired into our rooms, prepared and furnished for their entertainment. About 2 of the clock the tackles were set taut and the ship started as they heaved, till the tackles failed and the water pinched,[592] being a very poor tide, so that we gave over to strain the tackles and began to shore the ship. Then his Majesty with the Queen took their barge and returned to Whitehall, being very sorry the ship could not be launched. We attempted two or three tides afterward to no purpose; it was then concluded to let the ship sit till the next spring,[593] sitting so easily and safely that she could take no hurt.
After, it was resolved the ship should lie till the spring after, which was about the 12th or 13th October following. In the interim many malicious reports were raised to disable the ship, and to bring as much disgrace upon me as malice itself could possibly invent; all proceeding from the Masters of the Trinity House and other rough-hewn seamen, with whom William Cooke, one of the four Masters of his Majesty's Navy, enviously adhering to pleasure Secretary Coke, and Mr. Edisbury, then newly made Surveyor of his Majesty's Navy, all professed enemies to the building of the ship, and more to myself, joined together to cast what aspersions upon both as far as they durst (for fear of the King's displeasure); but the time of the spring drawing on, there was a meeting called by Sir Robert Mansell's means at Woolwich of such Trinity House Masters as were formerly employed on the business, with the Officers of the Navy, to resolve of the certain day and time of launching, which was generally concluded to be on Sunday following, being the 14th October, and that I should not attempt to stir the ship before; but on the Saturday night tide, the wind chopping up for westerly, and a fair night in hand promising a great tide to follow, I caused the two Masters of the Navy there attending to be ready, commanding all we could on the sudden get together to attend us, contrary to the mind of Mr. Cooke, who was very unwilling to meddle with the ship in the night, though Mr. Austen,[594] the more resolute man, was very willing to take the benefit of the first opportunity to launch. The tide came in so fast that the ship was on float by three-quarters flood, which I perceiving thought it fit to command the ship to be heaved off, the night being fair and calm; which accordingly was presently performed, and the ship brought into the channel and from thence by several warps conveyed safely to her moorings by high water; keeping lights with reed[595] all alongst the shore till the mooring cables were taken in and made fast to the bitts; which success with much thankfulness we acknowledged an especial mercy of God towards us. This done, I presently dispatched a messenger to Sir Robert Mansell at Greenwich, who came with all speed on board us, and according to his Majesty's commandment gave the name to the ship and named her the Sovereign of the Seas. The next morning the company of the Trinity House Masters and others appointed to attend the launching, came according to the appointment to give their attendance, but finding the ship already launched, and at her moorings in the midst of the river, they seemed to be much discontented that they were so disappointed and prevented, which they expressed as far as they durst.
This morning Sir Robert Mansell rode away post to the King, lying then at Hampton Court, and acquainted his Majesty with our proceedings, who was wonderfully pleased with it.
The week following we reared the sheers to set the masts, which was performed with much safety and expedition, and all the masts set within fourteen days; and so soon as the rigging could be in some reasonable complete manner fitted, and sails brought to the yards, the ship was removed from Woolwich to Erith, by reason there was a greater depth of water to ride in. His Majesty had been on board of her before she went thence.
The 12th of May, 1638, the Sovereign set sail from Erith to Greenhithe,[596] where she anchored to take in her ordnance and provisions. The 6th of June after, his Majesty, accompanied with the Queen, Duchess of Chevreuse,[597] Duke and Duchess of Lennox,[598] with divers other lords and ladies more, came on board the ship at Greenhithe, where they dined to their great content. At their going from the ship, we gave them 17 pieces of ordnance.