The 28th of August, the Sovereign came safe to her moorings at St. Mary Creek, being Tuesday.
The 8th of September my dear wife sickened, taken with a violent fever, being then great with child.
The 19th of September, being Wednesday, between 8 and 9 clock in the morning, she departed this life in a most Christian manner, surrendering up her spirit into His hands that gave it her; the next day after, being Thursday, she was buried in a seemly manner in Chatham Church, close by the side of my first wife, leaving me a sorrowful and disconsolate husband.
Within few days after, deceased also my wife's one[604] sister and next neighbour, wife to Mr. John Short, Clerk of the Check to his Majesty's Navy.[605] They sickened together, she also being with child, and knew not of one and tother's death. Soon after died Mr. Etherington, their own father, at Mr. Short's house, who came thither purposely to visit them.
After I had a little passed over this great and sudden affliction, I prepared myself to go for London; and having set all things in order, on Thursday morning, the 27th of September, 1638, I took leave of my family at Chatham and rode to Gravesend, thence took boat to Woolwich where I stayed one night, and next day, accompanied with my son Peter, we went by water to Kingston, where we took up our lodging in a private house, the inns being full. The next day, being Sunday, we went by water to Hampton Court, where we presented ourselves to his Majesty, who was pleased to use us very graciously, where we spent that whole day, at night returning by water to our lodging at Kingston.
Next morning, my son and myself rode to Sion,[606] to wait upon the Lord Admiral, and was presently commanded by him to hasten to Chatham to prepare barges and boats to be sent to Dover for the receiving on shore the Queen Mother,[607] expected to arrive and land there
(Here the manuscript ends.)
FOOTNOTES:
[178] MS. 'Phinees' (the form also adopted in his signature), the Greek form of the Hebrew name Mouth of Brass, given as 'Phinehas' by the translators of the Bible.
[179] MS. 'Deepforde Stronde.' The etymology of this well-known name does not appear to have been satisfactorily determined. Antiquaries have been content to explain it as the 'Strand' or shore of the deep ford over the Ravensbourne River, which enters the Thames at Deptford Creek. As a matter of fact, Deptford Strond lay on the shore of the Thames some distance to the west of the Ravensbourne. It seems more probable that Deptford Town, at the head of the creek near the bridge by which the Dover Road crosses, was the original settlement, and took its name from the deep creek (fiord), which was navigable for ships of 500 tons up to that bridge, and that Deptford Stronde was settled later from the 'Town' and took the addition 'Stronde' in contradistinction. The dockyard was on the site now occupied by the Foreign Cattle Market.