dedicated to the Lord High Admiral, Howard, Earl of Nottingham;
and this may possibly have been the reason of the singular
interest which he afterwards took in Phineas Pett, the poet
shipwright's son.

Phineas Pett was the second son of his father. He was born at
Deptford, or "Deptford Strond," as the place used to be called,
on the 1st of November, 1570. At nine years old, he was sent to
the free-school at Rochester, and remained there for four years.
Not profiting much by his education there, his father removed him
to a private school at Greenwich, kept by a Mr. Adams. Here he
made so much progress, that in three years time he was ready for
Cambridge. He was accordingly sent to that University at
Shrovetide, l586, and was entered at Emmanuel College, under
charge of Mr. Charles Chadwick, the president. His father
allowed him 20L. per annum, besides books, apparel, and other
necessaries.

Phineas remained at Cambridge for three years. He was obliged to
quit the University by the death of his "reverend, ever-loving
father," whose loss, he says, "proved afterwards my utter undoing
almost, had not God been more merciful to me." His mother
married again, "a most wicked husband," says Pett in his
autobiography,[17] "one, Mr. Thomas Nunn, a minister," but of
what denomination he does not state. His mother's imprudence
wholly deprived him of his maintenance, and having no hopes of
preferment from his friends, he necessarily abandoned his
University career, "presently after Christmas, 1590."

Early in the following year, he was persuaded by his mother to