The 1st of April, being Maundy Thursday, the Prince set sail over the chain,[409] Captain John King being master. The Lord Admiral, being newly come to Chatham, came on board of us as we were under sail and went down in her to Gillingham, coming to an anchor at St. Mary Creek's mouth. His Lordship lay at Mr. Legatt's.
On Easter day, being the 4th of April, the Lord Admiral with his retinue received the holy sacrament in the parish church at Chatham. Doctor Pay that was chaplain to the Lord William Howard, Baron of Effingham and Vice Admiral in the Anne Royal, preached and delivered the sacrament.
On Easter Tuesday in the afternoon the Lord Admiral with all his retinue removed from Chatham, and came on board their several charges at St. Mary Creek at Gillingham, and lay on board in his own cabin this night. So soon as prayers were done this evening and the tables covered, the Lord Admiral, out of his noble favour to me, called me unto him and there gave me special charge to take my place at his own table all the voyage; and would not commonly have grace said before his Lordship had seen me set down, except I had been upon some earnest business, giving charge also to all his officers to let me have any thing of his own provisions which I should send for at any time. I lay in a settle bed on one side of the master's cabin.
Wednesday being the 7th day, at quarter flood, being about eleven of the clock, we set sail from Gillingham, the wind at south-west, a pretty fresh gale: the ship wrought exceedingly well and was so yare[410] of conduct, as a foot of the helm did steer her: we came to an anchor at Queenborough a great while before high water, where we rode all that night.
The next day, being Thursday, the wind south-west and a very fair gale, the Admiral had given order we should weigh betimes to get out, and accordingly the Anne Royal, being Vice Admiral, in whom Hugh Meritt served Master, was fitted and prepared for the purpose, having one anchor on board by the time the ship was went up upon the flood, and was ready with his other anchor on peak,[411] supposing we had been so provident to have our ship in the like readiness; but our master, willing to do his countryman a courtesy, that lay by our side in a hoy with forty tons of beer of our provision to take in, neglected the time so long, being not accustomed to command such great ships, that it was more than half flood before we could get our anchor on board; by reason whereof, the tide running very strong and the wind hartening[412] in, it was almost high water before we were fitted to set sail and our other anchor got up. The wind then having power on our weather quarter, and the tide upon the lee bow, kept our ship from flatting;[413] and in the setting of our sails, many seamen being with us that were prime commanders and captains, attending the Lord Admiral as his retinue, had every one their voice in commanding and countermanding one another, that they bred a mere[414] confusion and put the master clean besides almost his senses; so that in fine the ship was put on ground at the top of high water, upon the tongue of the spit of the sand going into Queenborough, where, do what we could with all our wits and endeavours, she sat all the tide of ebb and almost ebbed dry; which unfortunate accident gave not only great discouragement to the Lord Admiral, to have such a chance befall him, but also gave great advantage to the enemies of the ship, of whom the Lord Northampton was chief, to persuade the Lady Elizabeth not to venture her person in such a vessel that had so ill a beginning, but rather to embark herself in some other and to return her[415] home.
When we saw we were so fast as there was not hope of getting the ship off that tide, I desired liberty to sound the place where she sat, which the Lord Admiral easily gave his consent to do. I then calling into the boat with me some of the captains that were masters and mariners, amongst which I chose Captain Robert Bradshaw and Captain Geare for two principal, with others, and John Reynolds, then Master Gunner of the ship, taking lead lines with us, we sounded both on head, stern, and sides; and finding soft ground and little difference in depth, we were satisfied that the ship could take no hurt if she had strength sufficient to bear herself with so massy a weight as she had in her of ordnance, victuals, and other things in hold, and her masts and sails above head, with so much company, both of the mariners belonging to the ship and the Lord Admiral's retinue, being not so few in all as 800 persons; but God be thanked, the ship took no harm at all; and we, having sounded the depth of the same furrow she made in running on shore, we caused an anchor to be laid right a-stern as her dock[416] directed us, and so with little difficulty she was heaved afloat into the channel in the morning tide, to the great satisfaction and content of[417] the Lord Admiral and general joy of the whole company, for which we gave God thanks.
The next days, being Friday and Saturday, we lay still to prytly[418] the ship and take in such provisions as were wanting.
The 11th day, being Sunday, we weighed and set sail, and anchored for that night at The Spits[419]; next day we weighed and anchored short of the Long Sand head[420]; next day we weighed and anchored middle of the Channel[421]; next day anchored short of the North Foreland.
The 15th day, being Thursday, we came to an anchor in Margate Road.