CHAPTER IX

THE JOURNAL OF THE SHIP MAY-FLOWER

Thomas Jones, Master, from London, England, towards “Hudson’s River” in Virginia

[The voyage of the MAY-FLOWER began at London, as her consort’s did

at Delfshaven, and though, as incident to the tatter’s brief career,

we have been obliged to take note of some of the happenings to the

larger ship and her company (at Southampton, etc.), out of due

course and time, they have been recited only because of their

insuperable relation to the consort and her company, and not as part

of the MAY-FLOWER’S own proper record]

SATURDAY, July 15/25, 1620

Gravesend.  Finished lading.  Got

passengers aboard  and got under way for

Southampton.  Dropped down the Thames to

Gravesend with the tide.

[Vessels leaving the port of London always, in that day, “dropped

down with the tide,” tug-boats being unknown, and sail-headway

against the tide being difficult in the narrow river.]

Masters Cushman and Martin, agents of the

chartering—party, came aboard at London.

SUNDAY, July 16/26

Gravesend.  Channel pilot aboard.  Favoring

wind.

MONDAY, July 17/27

In Channel.  Course D. W. by W.  Favoring

wind.

TUESDAY, July 18/28

In Channel.  Southampton Water.

WEDNESDAY, July 19/29

Southampton Water.  Arrived at Southampton

and came to anchor.

[Both ships undoubtedly lay at anchor a day or two, before hauling

in to the quay.  The MAY-FLOWER undoubtedly lay at anchor until

after the SPEEDWELL arrived, to save expense]

THURSDAY, July 20/30

Lying at Southampton off north end of “West

Quay.”

FRIDAY, July 21/31

Lying at Southampton.  Masters Carver,

Cushman, and Martin, three of the agents

here.  Outfitting ship, taking in lading,

and getting ready for sea.

SATURDAY, July 22/Aug 1

Lying off Quay, Southampton.

SUNDAY, July 23/Aug 2

Lying off Quay, Southampton.

MONDAY, July 24/Aug 3

Lying off Quay, Southampton.

TUESDAY, July 25/Aug 4

Lying off Quay, Southampton.  Waiting for

consort to arrive from Holland.

WEDNESDAY, July 26/Aug 5

Lying off Quay, Southampton.  Pinnace

SPEEDWELL, 60 tons, Reynolds, Master, from

Delfshaven, July 22, consort to this ship,

arrived in harbor, having on board some 70

passengers and lading for Virginia.  She

came to anchor off north end “West Quay.”

THURSDAY, July 27/Aug. 6

Lying at Quay, Southampton, SPEEDWELL

warped to berth at Quay near the ship, to

transfer lading.

[Some of the cargo of the SPEEDWELL is understood to have been here

transferred to the larger ship; doubtless the cheese, “Hollands,”

and other provisions, ordered, as noted, by Cushman]

FRIDAY, July 28/Aug. 7

Lying at Quay, Southampton, Much parleying

and discontent among the passengers.

[Bradford gives an account of the bickering and recrimination at

Southampton, when all parties had arrived.  Pastor Robinson had

rather too strenuously given instructions, which it now began to be

seen were not altogether wise.  Cushman was very much censured, and

there was evidently some acrimony.  See Cushman’s Dartmouth letter

of August 17 to Edward Southworth, Bradford’s Historie, Mass. ed.

p. 86.]

SATURDAY, July 29/Aug. 8

Lying at Quay, Southampton. Some of the

passengers transferred from SPEEDWELL and

some to her.  Master Christopher Martin

chosen by passengers their “Governour” for

the voyage to order them by the way, see to

the disposing of their pro visions, etc.

Master Robert Cushman chosen “Assistant.”

The ship ready for sea this day, but

obliged to lie here on account of leakiness

of consort, which is forced to retrim. Ship

has now 90 passengers and consort 30.

SUNDAY, July 30/Aug. 9

Lying at Southampton.

MONDAY, July 31/Aug. 10

Lying at Southampton.  Letters received for

passengers from Holland.  One from the

Leyden Pastor [Robinson] read out to the

company that came from that place.

TUESDAY, Aug. 1/Aug. 11

Lying at anchor at Southampton.  SPEEDWELL

retrimmed a second time to overcome

leakiness.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 2/Aug. 12

Lying at anchor at Southampton. Master

Weston, principal agent of the Merchants

setting out the voyage, came up from Lon

don to see the ships dispatched,  but, on

the refusal of the Planters to sign certain

papers, took offence and returned to London

in displeasure, bidding them “stand on

their own legs,” etc.

[The two “conditions” which Weston had changed in the proposed

agreement between the Adventurers and Planters, the Leyden leaders

refused to agree to.  Bradford, op  cit.  p. 61.  He says: “But they

refused to sign, and answered him that he knew right well that these

were not according to the first Agreement.”  Dr. Griffis has made

one of those little slips common to all writers—though perfectly

conversant with the facts—in stating as he does (The Pilgrims in

their Three Homes, etc.  p.  158), with reference to the new

“conditions” which some blamed Cushman for assenting to, as “more

fit for thieves and slaves than for honest men,” that, “nevertheless

they consented to them;” while on p. 169 he says “The SPEEDWELL

people [i.e.  the Leyden leaders would not agree with the new

conditions, without the consent of those left behind in Leyden.”

The fact is that the Pilgrims did not assent to the new conditions,

unwarrantably imposed by Weston, though of small consequence in any

view of the case, until Cushman came over to New Plymouth in the

FORTUNE, in 1621, and by dint of his sermon on the “Sin and Danger

of Self-Love,” and his persuasion, induced them (they being also

advised thereto by Robinson) to sign them.  All business up to this

time had been done between the Adventurers and the Pilgrims,

apparently, without any agreement in writing.  It was probably felt,

both by Robinson and the Plymouth leaders, that it was the least

reparation they could make Cushman for their cruel and unjust

treatment of him, realizing at length that, through all

vicissitudes, he had proven their just, sagacious, faithful, and

efficient friend.  There does not appear to be any conclusive

evidence that any articles of agreement between the Adventurers and

colonists were signed before the MAY-FLOWER Sailed.]

THURSDAY, Aug. 3/Aug. 13

Lying at anchor at Southampton.  After

Master Weston’s departure, the Planters had

a meeting and resolved to sell some of such

stores as they could best spare, to clear

port charges, etc., and to write a general

letter to the Adventurers explaining the

case, which they did.  Landed some three

score firkins of butter,  sold as

determined.

FRIDAY, Aug. 4/Aug. 14

Lying at anchor at Southampton.  Consort

nearly ready for sea.  Heard that the

King’s warrant had issued to Sir James

Coventry, under date of July 23, to prepare

a Patent for the Council for the Affairs of

New England to supersede the Plymouth

Virginia Company, Sir Ferdinando Gorges and

Sir Robert Rich the Earl of Warwick among

the Patentees.

SATURDAY, Aug. 5/Aug. 15

Weighed anchor, as did consort, and in

company dropped down Southampton Water.

Took departure from Cowes, Isle of Wight,

and laid course down the Solent to Channel.

Winds baffling. General course S. W. by S.

SUNDAY, Aug. 6/Aug. 16

Head winds.  Beating out Channel.

SPEEDWELL In Company.  Passed Bill of

Portland.

MONDAY, Aug. 7/Aug. 17

Wind contrary.  Beating out Channel.

SPEEDWELL In company.

TUESDAY, Aug. 8/Aug. 18

Wind still contrary.  Beating out Channel.

SPEEDWELL in company.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 9/Aug. 19

Wind ahead.  Beating down Channel.  Consort

in company.

THURSDAY, Aug. 10/20

Wind fair.  All sail set.  SPEEDWELL in

company.  Signalled by consort, which hove

to.  Found to be leaking badly. On

consultation of Masters and chief of

passengers of both ships, it was concluded

that both should put into Dartmouth, being

nearest port.  Laid course for Dartmouth

with wind ahead.

THURSDAY, Aug. 11/21

Wind ahead.  Bearing up to Dartmouth.

SATURDAY, Aug. 12/22

Made port at Dartmouth.  SPEEDWELL in

company, and came to anchor in harbor.

[Bradford, op. cit.  Deane’s ed. p. 68, note.  Russell (Pilgrim

Memorials, p. 15) says: “The ships put back into Dartmouth, August

13/23.”  Goodwin (op. cit.  p. 55) says: “The port was reached

about August 23.”  Captain John Smith strangely omits the return of

the ships to Dartmouth, and confuses dates, as he says “But the next

day after leaving Southampton the lesser ship sprung a leak that

forced their return to Plymouth,” etc.  Smith, New England’s Trials,

2d ed.  1622.  Cushman’s letter, written the 17th, says they had

then lain there “four days,” which would mean, if four full days,

the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.]

SUNDAY, Aug. 13/23

Lying at anchor with SPEEDWELL leaking

badly in Dartmouth harbor.  No passengers,

except leaders, allowed ashore.

[Cushman in his letter to Edward Southworth, written at Dartmouth,

August 17, says that Martin, the “governour” of the passengers in

the MAY-FLOWER, “will not suffer them the passengers to go, ashore

lest they should run away.”  This probably applied especially to

such as had become disaffected by the delays and disasters, the

apprenticed (“bound”) servants, etc.  Of course no responsible

colonist would be thus restrained for the reason alleged.]

MONDAY, Aug. 14/24

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

SPEEDWELL at Quay taking out lading for

thorough overhauling.

TUESDAY, Aug. 15/25

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 16/26

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

SPEEDWELL being thoroughly overhauled for

leaks.  Pronounced “as open and leaky as a

sieve.”  Much dissatisfaction between the

passengers, and discontent with the ship’s

“governour” Master Martin, between whom

and Mr. Cushman, the “assistant,” there is

constant disagreement.

[Cushman portrays the contemptible character and manner of Martin

very sharply, and could not have wished to punish him worse for his

meannesses than he has, by thus holding him up to the scorn of the

world, for all time.  He says, ‘inter alia’: “If I speak to him, he

flies in my face and saith no complaints shall be heard or received

but by himself, and saith: ‘They are froward, and waspish,

discontented people, and I do ill to hear them.’”]

THURSDAY, Aug. 17/27

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.  Consort

being searched and mended. Sailors offended

at Master Martin because of meddling.

[Cushman’s letter, Dartmouth, August 17.  He says: “The sailors also

are so offended at his ignorant boldness in meddling and controling

in things he knows not what belongs to, as that some threaten to

mischief him .  .  .  .  But at best this cometh of it, that he

makes himself a scorn and laughing stock unto them.”]

FRIDAY, Aug. 18/28

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.  Consort

still repairing.  Judged by workmen that

mended her sufficient for the voyage.

SATURDAY, Aug. 19/29

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

SPEEDWELL relading.

SUNDAY, Aug. 20/30

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

MONDAY, Aug. 21/31

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor. Consort

relading.

TUESDAY, Aug. 22/Sept. 1

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor. Both

ships ready for sea.

[Bradford, Historie, Deane’s ed.  p. 68.  He says: “Some leaks were

found and mended and now it was conceived by the workmen and all,

that she was sufficient, and they might proceed without either fear

or danger.”  Bradford shows (op. cit.  p. 69) note that they must

have left Dartmouth “about the 21st” of August.  Captain John Smith

gives that date, though somewhat confusedly.  Arber (the Story of

the Pilgrim Fathers, p. 343 says: “They actually left on 23 August.”

Goodwin (Pilgrim Republic, p. 55) says : “Ten days were spent in

discharging and re-stowing the SPEEDWELL and repairing her from stem

to stern,” etc.)]

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 23/Sept. 2

Weighed anchor, as did consort.  Laid

course W. S. W.  Ships in company.  Wind

fair.

THURSDAY, Aug. 24/Sept. 3

Comes in with wind fair.  General course

W. S. W.  Consort in company.

FRIDAY, Aug. 25/Sept. 4

Comes in with wind fair.  Course W. S. W.

SPEEDWELL in company.

SATURDAY, Aug. 26/Sept. 5

Observations showed ship above 100 leagues

W. S. W.  of Land’s End.  SPEEDWELL signalled

and hove to.  Reported leaking dangerously.

On consultation between Masters and

carpenters of both ships, it was concluded

to put back into Plymouth—Bore up for

Plymouth.  Consort in company.

SUNDAY, Aug. 27/Sept. 6

Ship on course for Plymouth.  SPEEDWELL in

company.

MONDAY, Aug. 28/Sept. 7

Made Plymouth harbor, and came to anchor in

the Catwater, followed by consort.

TUESDAY, Aug. 29/Sept. 8

At anchor in roadstead.  At conference of

officers of ship and consort and the chief

of the Planters, it was decided to send the

SPEEDWELL back to London with some 18 or 20

of her passengers, transferring a dozen or

more, with part of her lading, to the

MAY-FLOWER.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 30/Sept. 9

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead off the

Barbican.  Transferring passengers and

lading from consort, lying near by.

Weather fine.

[Goodwin notes (Pilgrim Republic, p. 57) that “it was fortunate for

the overloaded MAY-FLOWER that she had fine weather while lying at

anchor there, .  .  .  for the port of Plymouth was then only a

shallow, open bay, with no protection.  In southwesterly gales its

waters rose into enormous waves, with such depressions between that

ships while anchored sometimes struck the bottom of the harbor and

were dashed in pieces.”]

THURSDAY, Aug. 31/Sept. 10

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.

Transferring cargo from SPEEDWELL.

FRIDAY, Sept. 1/Sept. 11

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.

Transferring passengers and freight to and

from consort.  Master Cushman and family,

Master Blossom and son, William Ring, and

others with children, going back to London

in SPEEDWELL.  All Of SPEEDWELL’S

passengers who are to make the voyage now

aboard.  New “governour” of ship and

assistants chosen. Master Carver

“governour.”

[We have seen that Christopher Martin was made “governour” of the

passengers on the MAY-FLOWER for the voyage, and Cushman

“assistant.”  It is evident from Cushman’s oft-quoted letter (see

ante) that Martin became obnoxious, before the ship reached

Dartmouth, to both passengers and crew.  It is also evident that

when the emigrants were all gathered in the MAY-FLOWER there was a

new choice of officers (though no record is found of it), as Cushman

vacated his place and went back to London, and we find that, as

noted before, on November 11 the colonists “confirmed” John Carver

as their “governour,” showing that he had been such hitherto.

Doubtless Martin was deposed at Southampton (perhaps put into

Cushman’s vacant place, and Carver made “governour” in his stead.)]

SATURDAY, Sept. 2/Sept. 12

At anchor, Plymouth roadstead.  Some of

principal passengers entertained ashore by

friends of their faith.  SPEEDWELL sailed

for London.  Quarters assigned, etc.

SUNDAY, Sept. 3/Sept. 13

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.

MONDAY, Sept. 4/Sept. 14

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.  Some Of

company ashore.

TUESDAY, Sept. 5/Sept. 15

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.  Ready for

sea.

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6/Sept. 16

Weighed anchor.  Wind E. N. E., a fine gale.

Laid course W. S. W.  for northern coasts of

Virginia.

THURSDAY, Sept. 7/Sept. 17

Comes in with wind E. N. E.  Light gale

continues.  Made all sail on ship.

FRIDAY, Sept. 8/Sept. 18

Comes in with wind E. N. E.  Gale continues.

All sails full.

SATURDAY, Sept. 9/Sept. 19

Comes in with wind E. N E.  Gale holds.

Ship well off the land.

SUNDAY, Sept. 10/Sept. 20

Comes in with wind E. N. E.  Gale holds.

Distance lost, when ship bore up for

Plymouth, more than regained.

MONDAY, Sept. 11/Sept. 21

Same; and so without material change, the

daily record of wind, weather, and the

ship’s general course—the repetition of

which would be both useless and wearisome

—continued through the month and until the

vessel was near half the seas over.  Fine

warm weather and the “harvest-moon.”  The

usual equinoctial weather deferred.

SATURDAY, Sept. 23/Oct. 3

One of the seamen, some time sick with a

grievous disease, died in a desperate manner.

The first death and burial at sea of the

voyage.

[We can readily imagine this first burial at sea on the MAY FLOWER,

and its impressiveness.  Doubtless the good Elder “committed the

body to the deep” with fitting ceremonial, for though the young man

was of the crew, and not of the Pilgrim company, his reverence for

death and the last rites of Christian burial would as surely impel

him to offer such services, as the rough, buccaneering Master (Jones

would surely be glad to evade them).

Dr. Griffis (The Pilgrims in their Three Homes, p. 176) says “The

Puritans [does this mean Pilgrims ?] cared next to nothing about

ceremonies over a corpse, whether at wave or grave.”  This will

hardly bear examination, though Bradford’s phraseology in this case

would seem to support it, as he speaks of the body as “thrown

overboard;” yet it is not to be supposed that it was treated quite

so indecorously as the words would imply.  It was but a few years

after, certainly, that we find both Pilgrim and Puritan making much

ceremony at burials.  We find considerable ceremony at Carver’s

burial only a few months later.  Choate, in his masterly oration at

New York, December 22, 1863, pictures Brewster’s service at the open

grave of one of the Pilgrims in March, 1621.]

A sharp change.  Equinoctial weather,

followed by stormy westerly gales;

encountered cross winds and continued

fierce storms.  Ship shrewdly shaken and

her upper works made very leaky.  One of

the main beams in the midships was bowed

and cracked.  Some fear that the ship could

not be able to perform the voyage.  The

chief of the company perceiving the

mariners to fear the sufficiency of the

ship (as appeared by their mutterings) they

entered into serious consultation with the

Master and other officers of the ship, to

consider, in time, of the danger, and

rather to return than to cast themselves

into a desperate and inevitable peril.

There was great distraction and difference

of opinion amongst the mariners themselves.

Fain would they do what would be done for

their wages’ sake, being now near half the

seas over; on the other hand, they were

loath to hazard their lives too

desperately. In examining of all opinions,

the Master and others affirmed they knew

the ship to be strong and firm under water,

and for the buckling bending or bowing of

the main beam, there was a great iron scrue

the passengers brought out of Holland which

would raise the beam into its place.  The

which being done, the carpenter and Master

affirmed that a post put under it, set firm

in the lower deck, and otherwise bound,

would make it sufficient.  As for the decks

and upper works, they would caulk them as

well as they could; and though with the

working of the ship they would not long

keep staunch, yet there would otherwise be

no great danger if they did not overpress

her with sails.  So they resolved to

proceed.

In sundry of these stormes, the winds were

so fierce and the seas so high, as the ship

could not bear a knot of sail, but was

forced to hull drift under bare poles for

divers days together.  A succession of

strong westerly gales.  In one of the

heaviest storms, while lying at hull, [hove

to  D. W.] a lusty young man, one of the

passengers, John Howland by name, coming

upon some occasion above the gratings

latticed covers to the hatches, was with

the seel [roll] of the ship thrown into the

sea, but caught hold of the topsail

halliards, which hung overboard and ran out

at length; yet he held his hold, though he

was sundry fathoms under water, till he was

hauled up by the same rope to the brim of

the water, and then with a boathook and

other means got into the ship again and his

life saved.  He was something ill with it.

The equinoctial disturbances over and the

strong October gales, the milder, warmer

weather of late October followed.

Mistress Elizabeth Hopkins, wife of Master

Stephen Hopkins, of Billericay, in Essex,

was delivered of a son, who, on account of

the circumstances of his birth, was named

Oceanus, the first birth aboard the ship

during the voyage.

A succession of fine days, with favoring

winds.