[S.P. Dom., Eliz., ccxxvii. 63]
To the right honourable the Lords of her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.
In most humble and reverent wise do complain unto your honours as well the Mr. Shipwrights of her Majesty's Ships, as also all other of the same art, that take charge over any of that faculty, be it in ships, boats, barges, or any such like vessels, both appertaining to her Majesty or her Highness' subjects, specially within the liberty of the Thames and other places near adjoining to the same. In the which place, as all kind of vessels are greatly increased, so are the artificers likewise augmented, only in number, but less in skill, whereby such as do use them are not only deceived but also the work greatly endangered. Besides their manners are mutinous even in her Majesty's service, and their exactions intolerable amongst her Majesty's subjects. These and many other enormities, which daily increase to the great grief of many her Majesty's good and honest subjects, may bring the art to a ruinous state.
In tender consideration of the premises we humbly pray your Honours to be a mean unto her Highness that a Corporation may be granted in such reasonable form as her Majesty's learned Council shall allow of, and be thought meet for us; whereby her Majesty in her own Navy shall be more safely and dutifully served, the whole State through the Realm better furnished, and we daily bound to pray to Almighty God both for her Majesty and your Honours' most happy and prosperous estate.
III
Charter to Shipwrights, 22nd April 1605.
[Pat. Roll. 1684]
[Parts in italics abbreviated to save space]
James &c. To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Whereas we are credibly informed as well by our right trusty and well-beloved cousin and councillor Charles Earl of Nottingham, High Admiral of England and Captain General of our Navy Royal as also by our principal officers of our said Navy how slenderly and deceitfully as well our own ships and barges as also other ships boats pinnaces and like vessels of our merchants and other our subjects used in continual service and traffic are made and wrought to the great loss danger and prejudice of us and our said subjects and also of the great and wasteful charge and expense which we do from time to time bear and sustain in building and repairing our own ships and pinnaces which are and have been the chiefest and greatest defence of this our Realm from the assaults of such enemies as have practised the overthrow of the same. We weighing the manifold dangers losses and hindrances which may and are likely more and more to ensue thereof if speedy remedy be not therefore had and provided, and to the end that the fittest and ablest shipwrights and workmen may from time to time as cause shall require be made known unto our principal officers of our Navy and to be employed for wages for the building repairing and making of our own ships and pinnaces as also may have the oversight of all such other workmen as shall from time to time be employed or shall intermeddle in building of other ships pinnaces or vessels for other our merchants and subjects for the further more better and continual service of us our Realm and subjects. Know ye therefore that we intending to provide for the better strengthening of this our Realm with shipping for the defence and service thereof and to the intent that as well our self as also our merchants and other our subjects may from time to time hereafter be furnished stored and supplied with skilful shipwrights and workmen of that kind to work upon our Navy and other ships and vessels for the better suppressing of deceits and other abuses which may hereafter be practised by divers persons which shall take upon them without sufficient skill and knowledge to make or repair ships pinnaces and other vessels to the great danger and hindrance as well of our self as of divers other our loving subjects, of our special grace certain knowledge and mere motion have given granted constituted and ordained and by these presents for us our heirs and successors do grant constitute and ordain that all and every person and persons being shipwrights or carpenters using the Art or Mystery of building and making of ships within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales shall be from henceforth forever one body corporate and body politic in matter deed and name by the name of Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Art or Mystery of Shipwrights of England.... [To be] one Master and four Wardens and twelve Assistants ... do assign name ordain and constitute our well-beloved subject Mathew Baker our servant and ancientest Master Shipwright to be the first Master ... Joseph Pett and William Bright two other of our Master Shipwrights, Edward Stephens of Limehouse and Nicholas Symonson of Ratcliffe in the county of Middlesex Shipwrights to be the first four Wardens.... John Adye of Deptford in our county of Kent, Phineas Pett of Chatham in our county of Kent, John Apslyn of our said town and county, Peter Pett of Wapping in our county of Middlesex, Nicholas Cley of Redriff in our county of Surrey, Thomas Cole of Woodbridge in our county of Suffolk, Robert Wilkinson of Ipswich in our county of Suffolk, James Russell of Southwark in our said county of Surrey, John Head of our City of Bristol, Esau Whitehead of our town of Southampton in our county of Southampton, Thomas Dymocke of Horsey Downe[613] in our said county of Surrey and Thomas Pryme of Yarmouth in our county of Norfolk, Shipwrights, to be the first and present twelve Assistants....
[Power to hold and dispose of real property; to plead and defend in any Court; to have a common seal.]
[To meet in a] convenient house or hall for their use to be by them provided within the City of London or Suburbs[614] of the same or within five miles of the said City ... Nicholas Rabye Gent. to be the first and present Clerk....