In July, I was contracted to my second wife Mistress Susan Yardley, the widow of Mr. Robert Yardley, whose daughter my son John had formerly married. The 16th of the same month we were married at St. Margaret's Church, by Mr. Franklyn; Mr. George Wilson[511] gave her in the church.
The 20th of February, 1627,[512] the Commissioners of the Navy were summoned before the Lords, and their commission called in and dissolved, and the government of the Navy conferred upon the Principal Officers then being, to be carried as in former times.
The 26th of February, attending the Officers of the Navy at Sir Sackville Crowe's[513] house by Charing Cross, Sir[514] John Pennington came thither to acquaint them with a warrant from the Lord Duke, directed to him and myself, for present bargaining with the yard-keepers[515] of the river for the building of 10 small vessels[516] for the enterprise of Rochelle, of some 120 tons a-piece, with one deck and quarter only, to row as well as sail. The 28th day of the same month we concluded our bargains with the several yardkeepers and drew covenants between us, and delivered them imprests[517] accordingly. In this business I was employed till the latter end of July, that the ships set sail to Portsmouth. My son John was placed Captain in the sixth Whelp, built by my kinsman Peter Pett; having liberty from the Lord Duke to make choice for him amongst them all, I chose that pinnace before the rest, supposing she would have proved best, which fell out afterward clean contrary.
The 21st of this month of July, as I was going in London to attend the meeting of the Officers of the Navy, I was arrested at the suit of one Freeman, upon 3 executions for timber delivered to the building of Sir Walter Ralegh's ship and the two pinnaces built at Ratcliff[518] for the expedition of Algier, and was forcibly carried to prison to the Counter[519] in the Poultry, where I was lodged all night. The next morning, the King and the Lord Duke being made acquainted by Sir John Pennington with the business, the Lords of the Council were twice assembled about my clearing, and the care recommended to the Lord Treasurer Weston, who employed his secretary, Mr. John Gibbons, to see me freed, which was done by a habeas corpus to remove me to the Fleet,[520] where I was carried and there put in bond for my appearance the first day of Michaelmas term; so for that time discharged, Mr. Gibbons defraying the whole charge. A little before this his Majesty gave me a blank for making a baronet, which was signed by his hand.
I received warrant from the Lord Duke to go to Portsmouth, there to attend the setting out of the Fleet; which accordingly I did, taking my journey from Lambeth the first of August, accompanied with my son Richard, William Dalton, and some other shipwrights. When I came to Portsmouth, by means of some friends I procured a convenient lodging in a private house, where I lay all the time of my being there, in which I saw many passages and the great disaster happening unto the Lord Duke. After the mutiny upon the Green on Friday in the evening, about the execution of a poor seaman that was hanged upon a gibbet on the beach, and the next day, being Saturday and the 23rd day, about 10 of the clock, the Duke was murdered in Captain Mason's[521] house by a private[522] discontented lieutenant called Felton, being stabbed with a knife to the heart as he was talking with Sir Thomas (left blank in MS.)[523] at the parlour door.
The 4th of September, my son John took leave of me in the evening and went on board his ship; whom I never saw after, being unfortunately cast away in the return from Rochelle; both ship and men perishing in the sea, as it was supposed foundered in the storm, which was a grievous affliction to myself, my wife [and] his own wife, left great with child at his going to sea.
The 6th September, the service concluded and all the Fleet sent away, I left Portsmouth accompanied with son Richard and returned for Chatham, coming thither on Monday the 8th day, finding my wife and family in good health, praising God for our comfortable meeting.
After divers passages and journeys from Chatham to London and Hampton Court, to my great expense, and could conclude nothing for clearing my arrest, I was forced, for saving harmless my sureties in the Fleet,[524] to deliver myself a prisoner the first day of the term, going thither in the evening, taking possession of the chamber provided for me with a heavy heart, my son Richard accompanying me. Afterward, being advised by my worthy friend, Captain Pennington, who never forsook me in all my troubles, but furnished my wants continually, way was made to acquaint his Majesty with my case; who very graciously gave order to the Lord Treasurer to see me freed from prison, where I continued, notwithstanding, six or seven days before I could be released and an agreement concluded with Freeman for his debt by the Lord Treasurer; which done, I presented myself to his Majesty who used me very graciously.
In this interim I received certain intelligence of the great loss of my son John, his ship, and all his company, who foundered in the sea about the Seames,[525] in a great storm about the beginning of November; not one man saved to bring the doleful news; no ship near them to deliver the certainty, but a small pink belonging to the Fleet, that was within ken of her, and saw her shoot 9 pieces of ordnance, hoping of succour. This affliction was the greater for that his dear wife was, much about the time of her husband's loss, delivered of a son at my house at Chatham, having a mournful time of lying in, which son was baptized at Chatham Church on Sunday the 23rd day, afternoon, called Phineas. The witnesses:—my wife, godmother; myself and good friend, Mr. George Wilson, being godfathers.