hat had been hatched
against him; and beseeched his lordship, for the honour of the State,
and the reputation of his office, to cause the entire matter to be
thoroughly investigated "by judicious and impartial persons." After a
conference with Pett, and an interview with his Majesty, the Lord High
Admiral was authorised by the latter to invite the Earls of Worcester
and Suffolk to attend with him at Woolwich, and bring all the accusers
of Pett's design of the great ship before them for the purpose of
examination, and to report to him as to the actual state of affairs.
Meanwhile Pett's enemies had been equally busy. They obtained a
private warrant from the Earl of Northampton[25] to survey the work;
"which being done," says Pett, "upon return of the insufficiency of the
same under their hands, and confirmation by oath, it was resolved
amongst them I should be turned out, and for ever disgraced."

But the lords appointed by the King now interfered between Pett and his
adversaries. They first inspected the ship, and made a diligent survey
of the form and manner of the work and the goodness of the materials,
and then called all the accusers before them to hear their allegations.
They were examined separately. First, Baker the master shipbuilder was
called. He objected to the size of the ship, to the length, breadth,
depth, draught of water, height of jack, rake before and aft, breadth
of the floor, scantling of the timber, and so on. Then another of the
objectors was called; and his evidence was so clearly in contradiction
to that which had already been given, that either one or both must be
wrong. The principal objector, Captain Waymouth, next gave his
evidence; but he was able to say nothing to any purpose, except giving
their lordships "a long, tedious discourse of proportions, measures,
lines, and an infinite rabble of idle and unprofitable speeches, clean
from the matter."

The result was that their lordships reported favourably of the design
of the ship, and the progress which had already been made.

The Earl of Nottingham interposed his influence; and the King himself,
accompanied by the young Prince, went down to Woolwich, and made a
personal examination.[26] A great many witnesses were again examined,
twenty-four on one side, and twenty-seven on the other. The King then
carefully examined the ship himself: "the planks, the tree-nails, the
workmanship, and the cross-grained timber." "The cross-grain,"