Towards the end of December, I was appointed by the Officers of the Navy to take charge of docking the Vanguard at Woolwich, which I presently took order in, to have the dock fitted and prepared for that purpose.
I docked the Vanguard and caused a dam to be made without the gates; then took down the gates and wharves within the dam, and made all new, both floor, wharves and gates; which was finished in a short time. About this time, riding from Woolwich to Greenwich, sent for by Captain Pennington, mid way betwixt both, the horse gave me a dangerous fall, close by a ditch side full of water; by which I received a great hurt upon my right leg and thigh, which was sore bruised by the fall, in so much as I had much ado to get back again, and was not recovered of the hurt in six weeks time, but was forced to use crutches.
About the beginning of June, by Captain Pennington's procurement I passed the baronet given me formerly by the King, for which the Captain received for me 200 pounds, which he sent me to Woolwich in gold.
About this time I gave over my house at Chatham and surrendered the lease thereof to Mr. Isackson,[526] the painter, who renewed it for longer time with Sir Robert Jackson, then Lord of the Manor.
Towards the end of September, I was employed by the Lord Treasurer Weston as a Commissioner for his Majesty to the forests of Shotover and Stowood, near Oxford, which forests were granted from his Majesty by letters patent to the Earl of Lindsey;[527] wherein I discharged my duty so effectually as gained me a good opinion both from his Majesty and the Lord Treasurer; from which employment I returned to Woolwich the 8th day of November, having finished a tedious and troublesome business.
The 27th day of November, it pleased God to take from me my dear beloved son Richard, who died with me at Woolwich and was buried in the church chancel next day after; being a great affliction unto me, by reason he was my eldest son then living, being a very hopeful young man, and for his years an excellent artist, being trained by me to that purpose for making of ships.
A little after Christmas, I was employed as a Commissioner with Mr. Treswell,[528] Surveyor of his Majesty's Woods, to view certain parks of his Majesty: as Ditton Park, Sunning Park and Folly John[529] Park, lying near about Windsor; which we despatched in four or five days, and returned back to Westminster, and delivered in the account and certificate of the business to the Lord Treasurer.
Towards the middle of February, there was a resolution by his Majesty and the Lords of the Admiralty to make an addition of assistants to the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Navy, for the better managing of that great business by experienced men; to which purpose Mr. William Burrell was nominated as one and myself by his Majesty's own appointment was chosen for the other, not without some strong opposition which could not prevail; so that there was a letter under his Majesty's signet directed to the Officers, and ourselves to sit with the Officers, and to authorise us to proceed together in all businesses concerning his Majesty's Service, which was twice read in public court at their meeting in Mincing Lane, the 8th day of March 1629, and then we took place first with them; where it was concluded to begin first with a general survey of the whole Navy at Chatham, and all stores within and without doors, and to put out by the great, as we should hold fitting, the repair of all apparent defects in the ships, which was recommended wholly to the care of Mr. Burrell and myself; which was effectually performed by us, and the works of the ships put to Mr. Goddard,[530] one of the Master Shipwrights, to be done by contract; which business we fully concluded by the end of March, 1630.
After we had settled all business at Chatham, Deptford and Woolwich, Mr. Burrell and myself took our journey, the 6th of May, to Portsmouth, where we arrived the 8th day after; taking up our lodgings at [the] Dock with the Clerk of the Stores,[531] where Mr. Burrell lay, and myself at the Clerk of the Check,[532] both Mr. Brookes and brothers; here we stayed upon despatch of all business concerning the defects of the ships, surveys, and other material business; which having all ordered, settled, and graved the ships, we returned thence and came to London the 4th day of June following.
The 4th of August, there was a great Commission sent to Portsmouth, to take a view of the harbour and the river running up to Fareham,[533] for the removing of his Majesty's ships to a more safe place of riding; all the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Navy being Commissioners, together with Mr. Burrell, his Majesty's Masters of the Navy, and six of the chief Masters of the Trinity House. There was much dispute and contrariety about the business, but in the end a fair agreement was concluded. Some of the Masters of the Trinity House there sickened, which hastened both their returns and ours back. In our return home, myself was taken very sick at Farnham, where Mr. Burrell and myself parted, he staying behind about some particular business of his own, but we never saw one another after, being the 13th day of August. It pleased God that I got home to Woolwich that very night very dangerously sick, and stirred not out of my chamber in eight weeks space, in which interim Mr. Burrell died in an inn, as he travelled toward Huntingdon, the end of this present month.