PettfaredmuchworseatthehandsofRaleighhimself。Hisgreatship，theDestiny，wasfinishedandlaunchedinDecember，1616。
“Ideliveredhertohim，“saysPett，“onfloat，ingoodorderandfashion；bywhichbusinessIlost700L。，andcouldnevergetanyrecompenseatallforit；SirWaltergoingtoseaandleavingmeunsatisfied。“[29]NorwasthistheonlylossthatPettmetwiththisyear。TheKing，hestates，“bestoweduponmeforthesupplyofmypresentreliefthemakingofaknight-baronet，“whichauthorityPettpassedtoarecusant，oneFrancisRatcliffe，for700L。；butthatworthydefraudedhim，sothathelost30L。bythebargain。
Nextyear，PettwasdespatchedbytheGovernmenttotheNewForestinHampshire，“where，“hesays，“oneSirGilesMompesson[30]hadmadeavastwasteinthespoilofhisMajesty’stimber，toredresswhichIwasemployedthither，tomakechoiceoutofthenumberoftreeshehadfelledofallsuchtimberaswasusefulforshipping，inwhichbusinessIspentagreatdealoftime，andbroughtmyselfintoagreatdealoftrouble。“Aboutthisperiod，poorPett’swifeandtwoofhischildrenlayforsometimeatdeath’sdoor。Thenmoreenquiriestookplaceintotheabusesofthedockyards，inwhichitwassoughttoimplicatePett。Duringthenextthreeyears1618-20heworkedundertheimmediateordersoftheCommissionersintheNewDockatChatham。
In1620，Pett’sfriendSirRobertMansellwasappointedGeneraloftheFleetdestinedtochastisetheAlgerinepirates，whostillcontinuedtheirdepredationsontheshippingintheChannel，andtheKingthereuponcommissionedPetttobuildwithalldispatchtwopinnaces，of120and80tonsrespectively。“Iwasmyself，“
hesays，“toserveasCaptaininthevoyage“——beingglad，nodoubt，toescapefromhistormentors。ThetwopinnaceswerebuiltatRatcliffe，andwerelaunchedonthe16thandl8thofOctober，1620。Onthe30th，Pettsailedwiththefleet，andafterdrivingthepiratesoutoftheChannel，hereturnedtoportafteranabsenceofelevenmonths。
HisenemieshadtakenadvantageofhisabsencefromEnglandtogetanorderforthesurveyofthePrinceRoyal，hismasterpiece；
theresultofwhichwas，hesays，that“theymaliciouslycertifiedtheshiptobeunserviceable，andnotfittocontinue——thatwhatchargesshouldbebestoweduponherwouldbelost。“Nevertheless，thePrinceRoyalwasdocked，andfittedforavoyagetoSpain。ShewassentthitherwithCharlesPrinceofWalesandtheDukeofBuckingham，theformergoinginsearchofaSpanishwife。Pett，thebuilderoftheship，wascommandedtoaccompanytheyoungPrinceandtheDuke。
Theexpeditionsailedonthe24thofAugust，1623，andreturnedonthel4thofOctober。PettwasentertainedonboardthePrinceRoyal，andrenderedoccasionalservicestotheofficersincommand，thoughnothingofimportanceoccurredduringthevoyage。
ThePrinceofWalespresentedhimwithavaluablegoldchainasarewardforhisattendance。In1625，Pett，afterrenderingmanyimportantservicestotheAdmiralty，wasorderedagaintopreparethePrinceRoyalforsea。ShewastobringoverthePrinceofWales’sbridefromFrance。Whilethepreparationsweremakingforthevoyage，newsreachedChathamofthedeathofKingJames。
PettwasafterwardscommandedtogoforwardwiththeworkofpreparingthePrinceRoyal，aswellasthewholefleet，whichwasintendedtoescorttheFrenchPrincess，orrathertheQueen，toEngland。TheexpeditiontookplaceinMay，andtheyoungQueenlandedatDoveronthe12thofthatmonth。
Pettcontinuedtobeemployedinbuildingandrepairingships，aswellasinpreparingnewdesigns，whichhesubmittedtotheKingandtheCommissionersoftheNavy。In1626，hewasappointedajointcommissioner，withtheLordHighAdmiral，theLordTreasurerMarlborough，andothers，“toenquireintocertainallegedabusesoftheNavy，andtoviewthestatethereof，andalsothestoresthereof，“clearlyshowingthathewasregaininghisoldposition。Hewasalsoengagedindeterminingthebestmodeofmeasuringthetonnageofships。[31]Fouryearslaterhewasagainappointedacommissionerformaking“ageneralsurveyofthewholenavyatChatham。“ForthisandhisotherservicestheKingpromotedPetttobeaprincipalofficeroftheNavy，withafeeof200L。perannum。Hispatentwassealedonthe16thofJanuary，1631。InthesameyeartheKingvisitedWoolwichtowitnessthelaunchingoftheVanguard，whichPetthadbuilt；andhisMajestyhonouredtheshipwrightbyparticipatinginabanquetathislodgings。
Fromthisperiodtotheyear1637，Pettrecordsnothingofparticularimportanceinhisautobiography。HewaschieflyoccupiedinaidinghissonPeter——whowasrapidlyincreasinghisfameasashipwright——inrepairingandbuildingfirst-classshipsofwar。AsPetthad，onanearlyoccasioninhislife，preparedaminiatureshipforPrinceHenry，eldestsonofJamesI。，henowproceededtoprepareasimilarmodelforthePrinceofWales，theKing’seldestson，afterwardsCharlesII。ThismodelwaspresentedtothePrinceatSt。James’s，“whoentertaineditwithgreatjoy，beingpurposelymadetodisporthimselfwithal。“OnthenextvisitofhisMajestytoWoolwich，heinspectedtheprogressmadewiththeLeopard，asloop-of-warbuiltbyPeterPett。Whileintheholdofthevessel，theKingcalledPhineastooneside，andtoldhimofhisresolutiontohaveagreatnewshipbuilt，andthatPhineasmustbethebuilder。ThisgreatnewshipwasTheSovereignoftheSeas，afterwardsbuiltbyPhineasandPeterPett。Somesaythatthemodelwaspreparedbythelatter；butPhineassaysthatitwaspreparedbyhimself，andfinishedbythe29thofOctober，1634。Asacompensationforhisservices，hisMajestyrenewedhispensionof40L。whichhadbeenpreviouslystopped，withordersforallthearrearsdueuponittobepaid。
Toprovidethenecessarytimberforthenewship，PhineasandhissonwentdownintotheNorthtosurveytheforests。TheywentfirstbywatertoWhitby；fromthencetheyproceededonhorsebacktoGisboroughandbaited；thentoStockton，wheretheyfoundbutpoorentertainment，thoughtheylodgedwiththeMayor，whosehouse“wasonlyameanthatchedcottage！“MiddlesboroughandthegreatirondistrictoftheNorthhadnotyetcomeintoexistence。
Newcastle，alreadyofsomeimportance，wastheprincipalsceneoftheirlabours。ThetimberforthenewshipwasfoundinChapleyWoodandBracepethPark。ThegentrydidalltheycouldtofacilitatetheobjectofPett。OnhisjourneyhomewardsJuly，1635，hetookCambridgeonhisway，where，sayshe，“IlodgedattheFalcon，andvisitedEmmanuelCollege，whereIhadbeenascholarinmyyouth。“
TheSovereignoftheSeaswaslaunchedonthel2thofOctober，1637，havingbeenabouttwoyearsinbuilding。Evelyninhisdiarysaysoftheshipl9thJuly，1641:-“WerodetoRochesterandChathamtoseetheSoveraigne，amonstrousvesselsocalled，beingforburthen，defence，andornament，therichestthateverspreadclothbeforethewind。Shecarried100brasscannon，andwas1600tons，araresailer，theworkofthefamousPhineasPett。“Rear-AdmiralSirWilliamSymondssaysthatshewasafterwardscutdown，andwasasafeandfastship。[32]
TheSovereigncontinuedfornearlysixtyyearstobethefinestshipintheEnglishservice。Thoughfrequentlyengagedinthemostinjuriousoccupations，shecontinuedfitforanyserviceswhichtheexigenciesoftheStatemightrequire。ShefoughtallthroughthewarsoftheCommonwealth；shewastheleadingshipofAdmiralBlake，andwasinallthegreatnavalengagementswithFranceandHolland。TheDutchgaveherthenameofTheGoldenDevil。InthelastfightbetweentheEnglishandFrench，sheencounteredtheWonderoftheWorld，andsowarmlypliedtheFrenchAdmiral，thatsheforcedhimoutofhisthree-deckedwoodencastle，andchasingtheRoyalSun，beforeher，forcedhertoflyforshelteramongtherocks，whereshebecameapreytolesservessels，andwasreducedtoashes。Atlast，inthereignofWilliamIII。，theSovereignbecameleakyanddefectivewithage；shewaslaidupatChatham，andbeingsetonfirebynegligenceoraccident，sheburnttothewater’sedge。
ToreturntothehistoryofPhineasPett。Asyearsapproached，heretiredfromoffice，and“hislovingson，“ashealwaysaffectionatelydesignatesPeter，succeededhimasprincipalshipwright，CharlesI。conferringuponhimthehonourofknighthood。PhineaslivedfortenyearsaftertheSovereignoftheSeaswaslaunched。IntheburialregisteroftheparishofChathamitisrecorded，“PhineasPett，Esqe。andCapt。，wasburied21stAugust，l647。“[33]
SirPeterPettwasalmostasdistinguishedashisfather。Hewasthebuilderofthefirstfrigate，TheConstantWarwick。SirWilliamSymondssaysofthisvessel:——“Shewasanincomparablesailer，remarkableforhersharpnessandthefinenessofherlines；andmanywerebuiltlikeher。“Pett“introducedconvexlinesontheimmersedpartofthehull，withthestuddingandspritsails；and，inshort，heappearstohavefullydeservedhischaracterofbeingthebestshiparchitectofhistime。“[34]SirPeterPett’smonumentinDeptfordOldChurchfullyrecordshisservicestoEngland’snavalpower。
ThePettsaresaidtohavebeenconnectedwithshipbuildingintheThamesfornotlessthan200years。Fuller，inhis’WorthiesofEngland，’saysofthem——“Iamcrediblyinformedthatthatmysteryofshipwrightsforsomedescentshathbeenpreservedfaithfullyinfamilies，ofwhomthePettsaboutChathamareofsingularregard。Goodsuccesshavetheywiththeirskill，andcarefullykeepsopreciousapearl，lestotherwiseamongstmanyfriendssomefoesattainuntoit。“
ThelatePeterBolt，memberforGreenwich，tookprideinbeingdescendedfromthePetts；butsofarasweknow，thenameitselfhasdiedout。In1801，whenCharnock’s’HistoryofMarineArchitecture’waspublished，Mr。Pett，ofTovil，nearMaidstone，wasthesolerepresentativeofthefamily。
FootnotesforChapterI。
ThiswasnotthefirstvoyageofasteamerbetweenEnglandandAmerica。TheSavannahmadethepassagefromNewYorktoLiverpoolasearlyas1819；butsteamwasonlyusedoccasionallyduringthevoyage，In1825，theEnterprise，withenginesbyMaudslay，madethevoyagefromFalmouthtoCalcuttain113days；
andin1828，theCuracoamadethevoyagebetweenHollandandtheDutchWestIndies。Butinallthesecases，steamwasusedasanauxiliary，andnotastheoneessentialmeansofpropulsion，asinthecaseoftheSiriusandtheGreatWestern，whichweresteamvoyagesonly。
“In1862thesteamtonnageofthecountrywastons；
in1872，itwastons；andin1882，ithadreachedtons。“——Mr。Chamberlain’sspeech，HouseofCommons，19thMay，1884。
Thelastvisitoftheplaguewasin1665。
[RollofEdwardtheThird’sFleet。Cotton’sLibrary，BritishMuseum。
[Charnock’sHistoryOfMarineArchitecture，ii。89。
Theprincipalkindsofordnanceatthattimewerethese:——The“Apostles，“socalledfromtheheadofanApostlewhichtheybore；“Curtows，“or“Courtaulx“；“Culverins“and“Serpents“；
“Minions，“and“Potguns“；“Nurembergers，“and“Bombards“ormortars。
ThesumofallcostsoftheHarryGracedeDieuandthreesmallgalleys，
[Charnock，ii。。
[Macpherson，AnnalsofCommerce，ii。
TheHuguenots:theirSettlements，Churches，andIndustries，inEnglandandIreland，ch。iv。
Macpherson，AnnalsofCommerce，ii。
Picton’sSelectionsfromtheMunicipalArchivesandRecordsofLiverpool，p。90。Aboutahundredyearslater，in1757，thegrosscustomsreceiptsofLiverpoolhadincreasedto198，946L。；
whilstthoseofBristolwereasmuchas351，211L。In1883，theamountoftonnageofLiverpool，inwardsandoutwards，was8，527，531tons，andthetotaldockrevenuefortheyearwas1，273，752L。！
TherewerenotonlyAlgerinebutEnglishpiratesscouringtheseas。Keutzner，theGerman，whowroteinElizabeth’sreign，said，“TheEnglisharegoodsailorsandfamouspiratessuntboninautaeetinsignispyratae。“Roberts，inhisSocialHistoryoftheSouthernCountiesp。93，observes，“ElizabethhademployedmanyEnglishasprivateersagainsttheSpaniard。Afterthewar，manywerelothtoleadaninactivelife。Theyhadtheircommissionsrevoked，andwereproclaimedpirates。Thepubliclookeduponthemasgallantfellows；themerchantsgavethemunderhandsupport；andeventheauthoritiesinmaritimetownsconnivedatthesaleoftheirplunder。Inspiteofproclamations，duringthefirstfiveyearsaftertheaccessionofJamesI。，therewerecontinualcomplaints。Thislawlesswayoflifeevenbecamepopular。ManyEnglishmenfurnishedthemselveswithgoodshipsandscouredtheseas，butlittlecarefulwhomtheymightplunder。“Itwasfoundverydifficulttoputdownpiracy。AccordingtoOliver’sHistoryofthecityofExeter，notlessthan“fifteensailofTurks“heldtheEnglishChannel，snappingupmerchantmen，inthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury！Theharboursinthesouth-westwereinfestedbyMoslempirates，whoattackedandplunderedtheships，andcarriedtheircrewsintocaptivity。Theloss，eventoaninlandportlikeExeter，inships，money，andmen，wasenormous。