Then the Lord Admiral commanded me to tell His Majesty the story of the Three Ravens[23] I had seen at Lisbon, in St.Vincent's Church; which I did as well as I could, with my best expressions, though somewhat daunted at first at His Majesty's presence, having never before spoken before any King." Before, however, he could accomplish his purpose, Pett was overtaken by misfortunes.

His enemies, very likely seeing with spite the favour with which he had been received by men in high position, stirred up an agitation against him.

There may, and there very probably was, a great deal of jobbery going on in the dockyards.

It was difficult, under the system which prevailed, to have any proper check upon the expenditure for the repair and construction of ships.

At all events, a commission was appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the abuses and misdemeanors of those in office; and Pett's enemies took care that his past proceedings should be thoroughly overhauled,--together with those of Sir Robert Mansell, then Treasurer to the Navy; Sir John Trevor, surveyor; Sir Henry Palmer, controller; Sir Thomas Bluther, victualler; and many others.
While the commission was still sitting and holding what Pett calls their "malicious proceedings," he was able to lay the keel of his new great ship upon the stocks in the dock at Woolwich on the 20th of October, 1608.