Transactions - vol. 2: 1632

Trinity House of Deptford Transactions, 1609-35. Originally published by London Record Society, London, 1983.

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'Transactions - vol. 2: 1632', in Trinity House of Deptford Transactions, 1609-35, (London, 1983) pp. 117-118. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol19/pp117-118 [accessed 19 March 2024]

1632

404. [f.56v] 13 June 1632. [Ratcliff. Report by Trinity House. Cf SP 16/218/47; CSPD 1631–3, 353.]

Their opinion was desired about the making of a ballast shore at South Shields, which is 6 miles on this side of Newcastle. [Their reasons are similar to those in 371 with the following additions.] At neap tide, great ships cannot come to any ballast shore above [South Shields] but have to await the spring tide, whereas they can always cast their ballast at this shore. If the wharf is not filled with ballast, that which is already there will next winter be washed into the river to its great detriment.

Mr Bell, master; Sir John Wattes, Capt. Best, Messrs Salmon, Cooke, Bennett, Hatch, Tutchin, Totton, Case, Moyer. (fn. 1)

405. [f.57] 25 Aug. 1632. Trinity House to Sir John Coke, chief secretary of state

By reason of 401 signed by merchants, captains and owners of good note, Trinity House sought the appointment of Massola as consul at Genoa [400]. According to their former desire, they ask the king to confirm the appointment and seek Coke's furtherance therein.

Robert Bell, master; T. Best, Robert Salmon, Anthony Tutchin, Gervais Hockett, Samuel Doves, John Totton, John Bennett, William Ewen, etc.

406. 19 Sept. 1632. Order by Trinity House

They have considered the petition of the men who mutinied in the Mary, Roger Marten master, and who 'set their hands in a mutinous manner to a circle' against a voyage from Gore End to the Texel in Holland to deliver the ship, which might have been very prejudicial to the merchants and owners, and prove a bad example to others. Those who set their hands to the circle shall pay out of their wages a proportionable part of the charges, past or future, of sending up the principal mutineer from the ship and committing him to the Marshalsea.

R. Bell, master; Messrs Salmon, Bennett, Tutchin, Case, Hockett, Bushell.

407. [f.57v. 20 Dec. 1632. Masters of Trinity House and others to the principal officers of the navy. Cf SP 16/226/74; CSPD 1631–3, 468.]

According to warrant they have examined the 2 new ships of the king now built in dry dock at Deptford and Woolwich. The measurements and burdens, on the basis both of the old rule used by Mr Burrell in the time of the commission [of 1619 for the navy] and on that laid down by the privy council on 26 May 1628 for ships of the king and of merchants, are:

Ship built at Deptford by Mr Goddard [Henrietta Maria] Ship built at Woolwich by Mr [Peter] Pett (fn. 2) [Charles]
Old rule:
Length of the keel 106 ft 106 ft 4 inches
Breadth from outside [the planks] 36 ft 5 inches 36 ft 3 inches
Draught 16 ft 6 inches 16 ft 6 inches
These figures multiplied together and divided by 100 produce in tons and tonnage* 848 848
New rule:
Length of the keel 106 ft 105 ft 2 inches (excepting the false post)
Breadth inside the planks 35 ft 9 inches 35 ft 7 inches (fn. 3)
Depth from the upper edge of the keel to the diameter of the breadth 15 ft 8½ inches 16 ft 3 inches
These figures multiplied together and divided by 100 produce in tons and tonnage 793 8102/3

From appearances, the ships are very substantially timbered and the floor-riders, beams and knees* on the decks are of large and fit sizes and well bolted for ships of [f.58] their burdens. Footwaling clamps and the 'middle bands' [? bend* or wale for the middle deck] are of sufficient scantling and well made, the breast hooks are sufficient to strengthen the bows, and the transoms are well kneed to strengthen the sterns. The ship at Deptford lacked standers upon the gundecks and knees at the upper end of the pillars. The ship at Woolwich lacked 2 knees on the lower transoms, knees to all pillars at the lower and upper ends, and all stander knees upon both gundecks, except for 2 on the quarter deck. When these defects are made good, both ships will be very serviceable for the king. (fn. 4)

Footnotes

  • 1. SP text omits Bell, Wattes and Cooke but includes Christopher Browne, Samuel Doves, Jonas James, William Rainborowe and William Swanley.
  • 2. Phineas Pett and Peter, his son, were both concerned with her construction (Pett, 149).
  • 3. 33 ft 7 inches in Oppenheim, 254.
  • 4. Subscribed in SP text by John Goodwyn (master attendant), Peter Pett (? of Deptford), Edward Stevens, John Greaves, John Dearslye (shipwrights), T. Best, Robert Salmon, Walter Cooke, William Rainborow.