AccordingtoWheeler，attheaccessionoftheQueen，therewerenotmorethanfourshipsbelongingtotheriverThames，exceptingthoseoftheRoyalNavy，whichwereover120tonsinburthen；[12]
andafterfortyyears，thewholeofthemerchantshipsofEngland，over100tons，amountedto135；onlyafewofthesebeingof500tons。In1588，thenumberhadincreasedto150，“ofabout150tonsonewithanother，employedintradingvoyagestoallpartsandcountries。“TheprincipalshippingwhichfrequentedtheEnglishportsstillcontinuedtobeforeign——Italian，Flemish，andGerman。
Liverpool，nowpossessingthelargestshippingtonnageintheworld，hadnotyetcomeintoexistence。Itwaslittlebetterthanafishingvillage。ThepeopleoftheplacepresentedapetitiontotheQueen，prayinghertoremitasubsidywhichhadbeenimposeduponthem，andspeakingoftheirnativeplaceas“HerMajesty’spoordecayedtownofLiverpool。“In1565，sevenyearsafterQueenElizabethbegantoreign，thenumberofvesselsbelongingtoLiverpoolwasonlytwelve。Thelargestwasoffortytonsburthen，withtwelvemen；andthesmallestwasaboatofsixtons，withthreemen。[13]
JamesI。，onhisaccessiontothethroneofEnglandin1603，calledinalltheshipsofwar，aswellasthenumerousprivateerswhichhadbeenemployedduringthepreviousreigninwagingwaragainstthecommerceofSpain，anddeclaredhimselftobeatpeacewithalltheworld。JameswasaspeacefulasaQuaker。HewasnotafightingKing；-and，partlyonthisaccount，hewasnotpopular。Heencouragedmanufacturesinwool，silk，andtapestry。HegaveeveryencouragementtothemercantileandcolonizingadventurerstoplantandimprovetherisingsettlementsofVirginia，NewEngland，andNewfoundland。
HealsopromotedthetradetotheEastIndies。Attemptscontinuedtobemade，byHudson，Poole，Button，Hall，Baffin，andothercourageousseamen，todiscovertheNorth-Westpassage，butalwayswithouteffect。
TheshoresofEnglandbeingstillmuchinfestedbyAlgerineandotherpirates，[14]KingJamesfounditnecessarytomaintaintheshipsofwarinordertoprotectnavigationandcommerce。HenearlydoubledtheshipsoftheRoyalNavy，andincreasedthenumberfromthirteentotwenty-four。Theirsize，however，continuedsmall，bothRoyalandmerchantships。SirWilliamMonsonsays，thatattheaccessionofJamesI。therewerenotabovefourmerchantshipsinEnglandof400tonsburthen。[15]
TheEastIndianmerchantswerethefirsttoincreasethesize。
In1609，encouragedbytheirCharter，theybuilttheTrade’sIncrease，of1100tonsburthen，thelargestmerchantshipthathadeverbeenbuiltinEngland。Asitwasnecessarythat，thecrewoftheshipshouldbeabletobeatoffthepirates，shewasfullyarmed。Theadditionalshipsofwarwerealsoofheavierburthen。Inthesameyear，thePrince，of1400tonsburthen，waslaunched；shecarriedsixty-fourcannon，andwassuperiortoanyshipofthekindhithertoseeninEngland。
Andnowwearriveatthesubjectofthismemoir。ThePettsweretheprincipalship-buildersofthetime。TheyhadlongbeenknownupontheThames，andhadheldpostsintheRoyalDockyardssincethereignofHenryVII。Theyweregallantsailors，too；
oneofthem，asalreadymentioned，havingmadeanadventurousvoyagetotheArcticOceaninhislittlebark，theGeorge，ofonly40tonsburthen。PhineasPettwasthefirstofthegreatship-builders。Hisfather，PeterPett，wasoneoftheQueen’smastershipwrights。Besidesbeingaship-builder，hewasalsoapoet，beingtheauthorofapoeticalpieceentitled，“Time’sJourneytoseekhisdaughterTruth，“[16]averyrespectableperformance。Indeed，poetryisbynomeansincompatiblewithship-building——thelateChiefConstructoroftheNavybeing，perhaps，asproudofhispoetryasofhisships。Pett’spoemwasdedicatedtotheLordHighAdmiral，Howard，EarlofNottingham；
andthismaypossiblyhavebeenthereasonofthesingularinterestwhichheafterwardstookinPhineasPett，thepoetshipwright’sson。
PhineasPettwasthesecondsonofhisfather。HewasbornatDeptford，or“DeptfordStrond，“astheplaceusedtobecalled，onthe1stofNovember，1570。Atnineyearsold，hewassenttothefree-schoolatRochester，andremainedthereforfouryears。
Notprofitingmuchbyhiseducationthere，hisfatherremovedhimtoaprivateschoolatGreenwich，keptbyaMr。Adams。Herehemadesomuchprogress，thatinthreeyearstimehewasreadyforCambridge。HewasaccordinglysenttothatUniversityatShrovetide，l586，andwasenteredatEmmanuelCollege，underchargeofMr。CharlesChadwick，thepresident。Hisfatherallowedhim20L。perannum，besidesbooks，apparel，andothernecessaries。
PhineasremainedatCambridgeforthreeyears。HewasobligedtoquittheUniversitybythedeathofhis“reverend，ever-lovingfather，“whoseloss，hesays，“provedafterwardsmyutterundoingalmost，hadnotGodbeenmoremercifultome。“Hismothermarriedagain，“amostwickedhusband，“saysPettinhisautobiography，[17]“one，Mr。ThomasNunn，aminister，“butofwhatdenominationhedoesnotstate。Hismother’simprudencewhollydeprivedhimofhismaintenance，andhavingnohopesofprefermentfromhisfriends，henecessarilyabandonedhisUniversitycareer，“presentlyafterChristmas，1590。“
Earlyinthefollowingyear，hewaspersuadedbyhismothertoapprenticehimselftoMr。RichardChapman，ofDeptfordStrond，oneoftheQueen’sMastershipwrights，whomhislatefatherhad“bredupfromachildtothatprofession。“Hewasallowed2L。
6s。8d。perannum，withwhichhehadtoprovidehimselfwithtoolsandapparel。Pettspenttwoyearsinthisman’sservicetoverylittlepurpose；Chapmanthendied，andtheapprenticewasdismissed。PettappliedtohiselderbrotherJoseph，whowouldnothelphim，althoughhehadsucceededtohisfather’spostintheRoyalDockyard。Hewasaccordingly“constrainedtoshiphimselftoseauponadesperatevoyageinaman-of-war。“Heacceptedthehumbleplaceofcarpenter’smateonboardthegalleonConstance，ofLondon。Pett’syoungerbrother，Peter，thenlivingatWapping，gavehimlodging，meat，anddrink，untiltheshipwasreadytosail。Buthehadnomoneytobuyclothes。
FortunatelyoneWilliamKing，ayoemaninEssex，takingpityupontheunfortunateyoungman，lenthim3L。forthatpurpose；whichPettafterwardsrepaid。
TheConstancewasofonly200tonsburden。ShesetsailfortheSouthafewdaysbeforeChristmas，1592。Thereisnodoubtthatshewasbounduponapiraticaladventure。Piracywasnotthoughtdishonourableinthosedays。FouryearshadelapsedsincetheArmadahadapproachedtheEnglishcoast；andnowtheEnglishandDutchshipswerescouringtheseasinsearchofSpanishgalleons。
Whoeverhadthemeansoffurnishingaship，andcouldfindapluckycaptaintocommandher，sentheroutasaprivateer。EventheCompaniesoftheCityofLondonclubbedtheirmeanstogetherforthepurposeofsendingoutSirWaiterRaleightocaptureSpanishships，andafterwardstodividetheplunder；asanyonemayseeonreferringtothedocumentsoftheLondonCorporation。[18]
TheadventureinwhichPettwasconcerneddidnotproveveryfortunate。HewasabsentforabouttwentymonthsonthecoastsofSpainandBarbary，andintheLevant，enduringmuchmiseryforwantofvictualsandapparel，and“withouttakinganypurchaseofanyvalue。“TheConstancereturnedtotheIrishcoast，“extremepoorly。“ThevesselenteredCorkharbour，andthenPett，thoroughlydisgustedwithprivateeringlife，tookleaveofbothshipandvoyage。Withmuchdifficulty，hemadehiswayacrossthecountrytoWaterford，fromwhencehetookshipforLondon。
HearrivedtherethreedaysbeforeChristmas，1594，inabeggarlycondition，andmadehiswaytohisbrotherPeter’shouseatWapping，whoagainkindlyentertainedhim。TheelderbrotherJosephreceivedhimmorecoldly，thoughhelenthimfortyshillingstofindhimselfinclothes。Atthattime，thefleetwasorderedtobegotreadyforthelastexpeditionofDrakeandHawkinstotheWestIndies。TheDefiancewassentintoWoolwichdocktobesheathed；andasJosephPettwasinchargeofthejob，heallowedhisbrothertobeemployedasacarpenter。
Inthefollowingyear，PhineassucceededinattractingthenoticeofMatthewBaker，whowascommissionedtorebuildHerMajesty’sTriumph。BakeremployedPettasanordinaryworkman；buthehadscarcelybegunthejobbeforeBakerwasorderedtoproceedwiththebuildingofagreatnewshipatDeptford，calledtheRepulse。
PhineaswishedtofollowtheprogressoftheTriumph，butfindinghisbrotherJosephunwillingtoretainhiminhisemployment，hefollowedBakertoDeptford，andcontinuedtoworkattheRepulseuntilshewasfinished，launched，andsetsailonhervoyage，attheendofApril，1596。ThiswastheleadingshipofthesquadronwhichsetsailforCadiz，underthecommandoftheEarlofEssexandtheLordAdmiralHoward，andwhichdidsomuchdamagetothefortsandshippingofPhilipII。ofSpain。
Duringthewintermonths，whiletheworkwasinprogress，Pettspenttheleisureofhiseveningsinperfectinghimselfinlearning，especiallyindrawing，cyphering，andmathematics，forthepurpose，ashesays，ofattainingtheknowledgeofhisprofession。Hismaster，Mr。Baker，gavehimeveryencouragement，andfromhisassistance，headds，“ImustacknowledgeIreceivedmygreatestlights。“TheLordAdmiralwasoftenpresentatBaker’shouse。Pettwasimportunedtosetsailwiththeshipwhenfinished，buthepreferredremainingathome。Theprincipalreason，nodoubt，thatrestrainedhimatthismomentfromseekingthepatronageofthegreat，wasthecareofhistwosisters，[19]
who，havingfledfromthehouseoftheirbarbarousstepfather，couldfindnorefugebutinthatoftheirbrotherPhineas。
Josephrefusedtoreceivethem，andPeterofWappingwasperhapslessablethanwillingtodoso。
InApril，1597，PetthadtheadvantageofbeingintroducedtoHoward，EarlofNottingham，thenLordHighAdmiralofEngland。
This，hesays，wasthefirstbeginningofhisrising。Twoyearslater，HowardrecommendedhimforemploymentinpurveyingplankandtimberinNorfolkandSuffolkforshipbuildingpurposes。
Pettaccomplishedhisbusinesssatisfactorily，thoughhehadsomemaliciousenemiestocontendagainst。Inhisleisure，hebegantopreparemodelsofships，whichheriggedandfinishedcomplete。Healsoproceededwiththestudyofmathematics。Thebeginningoftheyear1600foundPettoncemoreoutofemployment；andduringhisenforcedidleness，whichcontinuedforsixmonths，heseriouslycontemplatedabandoninghisprofessionandattemptingtogain“anhonestandconvenientmaintenance“byjoiningafriendinpurchasingacaravelasmallvessel，andnavigatingithimself。
Hewas，however，preventedfromundertakingthisenterprisebyamessagewhichhereceivedfromtheCourt，thenstationedatGreenwich。TheLordHighAdmiraldesiredtoseehim；andaftermanycivilcompliments，heofferedhimthepostofkeeperoftheplankyardatChatham。Pettwasonlytoogladtoacceptthisoffer，thoughthesalarywassmall。HeshippedhisfurnitureonboardahoyofRainham，andaccompanieditdowntheThamestothejunctionwiththeMedway。Thereheescapedagreatdanger——oneoftheseaperilsofthetime。Themouthsofnavigableriverswerestillinfestedwithpirates；andasthehoycontainingPettapproachedtheNoreaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，andwhilestilldark，shecameuponaDunkirkpicaroon，fullofmen。
Fortunatelythepiratewasatanchor；sheweighedandgavechase，andhadnotthehoysetfullsail，andbeenimpelleduptheSwalebyafreshwind，Pettwouldhavebeentakenprisoner，withallhisfurniture。[20]
ArrivedatChatham，PettmethisbrotherJoseph，becamereconciledtohim，andeveraftertheylivedtogetheraslovingbrethren。Athisbrother’ssuggestion，PetttookaleaseoftheManorHouse，andsettledtherewithhissisters。Hewasnowinthedirectwaytopreferment。EarlyinthefollowingyearMarch，1601hesucceededtotheplaceofassistanttotheprincipalmastershipwrightatChatham，andundertooktherepairsofHerMajesty’sshipTheLion’sWhelp，andinthenextyearhenew-builttheMoonenlargingherbothinlengthandbreadth。