All that winter, in the evenings, commonly I spent my time to good purposes, as in cyphering, drawing, and practising to attain the knowledge of my profession, and I then found Mr. Baker sometime forward to give me instructions, from whose help I must acknowledge I received my greatest lights. At this time also the Lord Admiral[193] lay most of the winter at his house[194] at Deptford, by reason whereof I got some acquaintance amongst his men, and was much importuned to have attended his Lordship in that journey,[195] which no doubt might have proved very much both profitable and beneficial unto me, besides it would have brought me in acquaintance and favour with my Lord Admiral, but some other reasons restrained me from all these likelihoods and kept me at home, to my no small hindrance as it fell out.
After I was discharged from the Repulse, my brother Joseph entertained me at Woolwich upon the Triumph, upon which ship I wrought till her launching and the discharge of the men from her, and afterwards was employed at my brother's, at Limehouse, upon a small model for the Lord Treasurer[196] his house called Theobalds,[197] and the next winter I spent in Essex, at Paglesham[198] in Rochford Hundred, as overseer for my brother Peter in certain woods he had bought there.
About this time, was I very desirous, by the instigation of some special friends of mine, to have been a follower of the Lord of Essex, and was three several times brought purposely to have been presented unto his lordship, but was every time delayed by reason of his great state[199] affairs, the Lord of heaven having other ways in his secret wisdom determined to dispose of me.
In the latter end of March succeeding, or beginning of April 1597, by the means of one Mr. Gilbert Wood, one of the Lord Admiral's Chamber, an especial good friend of mine, I was presented to the Lord High Admiral of England, at his Manor at Chelsea, where his lordship was pleased not only to accept me as his servant, but also openly shewed such extraordinary respect of me as I had much cause to give God thanks, who no doubt had stirred his honourable heart to regard me, but a simple and mean fellow, even far beyond my expectation or desert, and this was the very first beginning of my rising.
In the beginning of this year, 1597, my dear and loving mother deceased at Weston in Suffolk, not far from Bury, and lieth buried in the parish church there. A little after midsummer in the same year, I was employed by my brother Joseph Pett, in his yard at Limehouse, upon the repairing of a great Flemish ship of whom was master Mr. John King of Limehouse, where I first came acquainted with him, and in his company and Mr. Nicolas Simonson of Limehouse, I was first brought acquainted at Highwood Hill[200] where I first fell in love with my now wife, which was about St. James' tide.[201] About Bartholomew tide[202] next following, the Elizabeth Jonas was brought into her Majesty's Dock at Woolwich, and there was the first preferment my brother Joseph holp me with, making me principal overseer of that business under him. During all the time of this work, we both lodged and dieted at old Mr. Lydiard's[203] in the yard.
During the continuance of this work I did not neglect my wooing, having taken such a liking of the maiden that I determined resolutely (by God's help) either to match with her or never to marry any; the which I with much difficulty (praised be God) at length achieved, all my own kindred being much against my matching with her, by reason of some controversies grown twixt Mr. Nicolas Simonson and them.
Toward the end of February in this present year, I took the lease of a new house (of Mr. William Borough,[204] then Comptroller of her Majesty's Navy) at Limehouse by the through head,[205] which to some charge I fitted for my dwelling, although I remained not in it little more than two years, paying 11l. yearly rent, and 20l. income.[206]
I was married to my now wife Ann, the daughter of Richard Nicholls of Highwood Hill in the parish of Hendon in Middlesex, a man of good report and honest stock, the 15th day of May 1598 at Stepney Church upon a Monday in the forenoon. I kept my wedding at my own charge in my new dwelling house at Limehouse, accompanied with my brothers and sisters, my wife's parents, and divers of her friends and kindred.
About midsummer after, was the Elizabeth Jonas launched out of Woolwich Dock, and sudden preparation made to have received her Majesty aboard the ship riding afloat; but upon some unknown reasons her Majesty came not at all, for even at that instant had one Mr. Wiggs[207] procured commission about examination of certain abuses in the Navy, which was pursued with a great deal of malice against divers particular men but with little profit to her Majesty's service.