At the time of our being at Richmond, it was concluded by Mr. Alexander and some others of the Prince's servants (not without his Highness' knowledge) to come to Chatham with their wives to be merry, and it was agreed also that we would fetch them to Chatham by water in our pinnaces, to go round about by water; which accordingly was by us performed, and upon the 12th day of this month we embarked them at Greenwich, about five of the clock in the morning, to the number of some twenty persons, men and women, being provided of all manner of victuals and store of wine for our passage, and by 6 at night we arrived at Chatham, where they were that night entertained at supper and lodged with me, as many as we could receive; the rest were billeted with Mr. Legatt and other neighbours; they were entertained by none but the Prince's servants. The first day I feasted all the company; the second day they were feasted with great royalty on board the great ship, the Prince, dinner and supper, accompanied with the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Navy, where the King's, Queen's, and all their children's healths were drunk round with loud report of the ordnance, a noise of music attending us all the day. We took leave on board about ten of the clock at night, our music playing before us, and for our farewell there were 25 pieces of great ordnance discharged after the watch was set. On the Saturday, being the 15th day, all the company were feasted, dinner and supper, at Mr. John Legatt's. On the Sunday we were all invited to Rochester by Doctor Milbourne, one of his Highness' chaplains, and then Dean of Rochester, who bestowed upon us a sermon, himself preaching; with him we dined and supped, and then returned to Chatham.
Monday proved so foul and rainy that the company could not take their journey towards London as was purposed; they all dined with me and supped at Captain King's.
The next proved very fair, so that after breakfast some in coaches, and some on horseback, rode for Gravesend, accompanied with Mr. Legatt, Captain King, and myself; where we saw them shipped in a barge, and then took our leaves, bidding them farewell with some ordnance from both blockhouses.
The 25th day of September, the new charter[396] for incorporating the shipwrights of England, granted by King James, in which by the same charter I was ordained the first Master. I was sworn in my place of Mr. Master, the dinner being kept at the King's Head in Fish Street, Mr. Doctor Pay[397] making the sermon at the next church adjoining.
About this time my picture was begun to be drawn by a Dutchman working then with Mr. Rock[398] at Rochester.
The 15th day of October, my eldest and first daughter Ann was born at my house [at] Chatham between one and two of the clock in the afternoon, and at that time I had a little fit of sickness which made me keep house 9 or 10 days.
The 25th day of this month the noble Prince my master, the hope of Christendom, sickened.
The 26th of this month my daughter was baptized in the forenoon at Chatham Church, where Mr. Doctor Milbourne, then Dean of Rochester, preached; where a great company of my friends dined with me and were very merry, little thinking of the calamity that so soon followed to us all in general, but to myself in particular, by the death of that ever renowned branch, Prince Henry, my royal and most indulgent master; at which time began my ensuing misfortune and the utter downfall of all my former hopes, to the ruin of all my poor posterity, being now exposed to the malicious practices of my old enemies, having nothing but the mercies of my good God to trust unto and to comfort me withal.
The 6th day of November, I being the same day come up to London, in the afternoon I came to St. James about four of the clock, where I found a house turned to the very map[399] of true sorrow, every man with the character of grief written in his dejected countenance, all places flowing with tears and bitter lamentations; and about 6 of the clock the same evening, the most renowned Prince of the world, our royal and most loving master, departed this life, not only to the loss and utter undoing of his poor servants, but the general loss of all Christendom of the protestant religion.