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 apprentice himself to Mr.Richard Chapman, of Deptford Strond, one of the Queen's Master shipwrights, whom his late father had "bred up from a child to that profession." He was allowed 2L.6s.8d.per annum, with which he had to provide himself with tools and apparel.

Pett spent two years in this man's service to very little purpose; Chapman then died, and the apprentice was dismissed.