The second of August, the King of Denmark was entertained on board the Prince, riding at her moorings in the river of Chatham, the Prince of Wales and the Lord Admiral of England accompanying him, Sir Robert Mansell and myself attending. The ship was completely rigged and all her sails at the yards, and richly adorned with ensigns and pendants, all of silk, which gave very great content to the King of Denmark; yet it was a very foul rainy day. From thence they returned to Gravesend, where they took leave and the King of Denmark embarked in his own ships.
In the end of November, all the workmen that wrought upon the Merhonor were discharged from Woolwich.
The 6th of March,[434] the Merhonor and Defiance were both launched out of the dry dock at Woolwich in one tide, and the 25th day of April following they set sail from Woolwich, and the next day came to their moorings at Chatham.
In May the dock at Woolwich was prepared for the receiving in of the Elizabeth Jonas and the Triumph, who were appointed to be new built; which ships were accordingly brought from Chatham, and were both brought into the dock, the first and second days of June, and the gates shut again and the ships shored.
The 25th of July, the Lord's Grace of Canterbury lay at Rochester, and went on board the Prince, riding at her moorings, where he was entertained with a banquet of sweetmeats by Sir Robert Mansell, myself attending there.
The 29th of August, I removed from Woolwich to Chatham with my wife and family, and the next day after my wife sickened of a surfeit, eating too many grapes, which had like to have cost her her life.
The 9th of October, my wife was delivered of her 7th child, being a son, between the hours of 10 and 11 [o']clock at night: the 22nd day after he was baptized at Chatham Church and called by mine own name, Phineas; the witnesses were Mr. Robert Yardley and Mr. King, godfathers, and my sister Simonson, the godmother.
About the 27th day of March I bargained with Sir Walter Ralegh[435] for to build him a ship of 500 tons, which I procured leave for from the Lord Admiral, to build her in the galley dock in his Majesty's Yard at Woolwich, towards which I presently received 500l. to begin withal, and the 8th day of April following I began to set men on work upon her.
The 8th day of April, I bought a piece of ground of one Christopher Collier, lying in a place called the Brook at Chatham, for which I paid him 35l. ready moneys.