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," he concluded, "was in the men and
not in the timber." After all the measurements had been made and
found correct, "his Majesty," says Pett, "with a loud voice
commanded the measurers to declare publicly the very truth; which
when they had delivered clearly on our side, all the whole
multitude heaved up their hats, and gave a great and loud shout
and acclamation. And then the Prince, his Highness, called with
a high voice in these words: 'Where be now these perjured
fellows that dare thus abuse his Majesty with these false
accusations? Do they not worthily deserve hanging?"'
Thus Pett triumphed over all his enemies, and was allowed to
finish the great ship in his own way. By the middle of September
1610, the vessel was ready to be "strucken down upon her ways";
and a dozen of the choice master carpenters of his Majesty's navy
came from Chatham to assist in launching her. The ship was
decorated, gilded, draped, and garlanded; and on the 24th the
King, the Queen, and the Royal family came from the palace at
Theobald's to witness the great sight.
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