The voyages of John Wodlas in the Mary Rose are marked in red.

Spelling:

  • Blake Depes = Black Deeps
  • Tamys = Thames
  • Blake Wale = Blackwall (in London)
  • Portesmouth = you can work that one out yourself, can't you?

In 1514, a pilot called John Wodlas navigated the Mary Rose on several short voyages. In this letter he is asking the King's Council for his pay for those journeys.

John Wodlas (2 May 1514)

Petition to the Council by John Wodlas, of Harwich, for his reasonable expenses in the following service.

He guided the Mary Rose over 'a danger in the sea called the Nase' and then brought her back to Harwich. After 5 days he was commanded to take her through 'a place in the sea called the Slade' to meet the king coming from Calais. He did so and then took her through 'the Blake Depes into Tymes'.

He 'now last' brought the Mary Rose from Blake Wale to Portesmouth ...
Stowe MS. 146, f. 120. BM