Longfellow's Delightful Poem, "The Courtship Of Miles
Standish," Has Given Him And His Bride, Priscilla Mullens,
World-Wide Celebrity, Though It Is To Be Feared That Its Historical
Accuracy Would Hardly Stand Criticism.
Why young Alden should have
been "hired for a cooper at Southampton," with liberty to "go or
stay" in the colony, as Bradford says he was (clearly indicating
that he went to perform some specific work and return, if he liked,
with the ship), has mystified many.
The matter is clear, however,
when it is known, as Griffis shows, that part of a Parliamentary Act
of 1543 reads: "Whosoever shall carry Beer beyond Sea, shall find
Sureties to the Customers (?) of that Port, to bring in Clapboard
[staves] meet [sufficient] to make so much Vessel [barrel or
"kilderkin"] as he shall carry forth." As a considerable quantity of
beer was part of the MAY-FLOWER'S lading, and her consignors stood
bound to make good in quantity the stave-stock she carried away,
it was essential, in going to a wild country where it could not be
bought, but must be "got out" from the growing timber, to take along
a "cooper and cleaver" for that purpose. Moreover, the great demand
for beer-barrel stock made "clapboard" good and profitable return
lading. It constituted a large part of the FORTUNE'S return freight
(doubtless "gotten out" by Alden), as it would have undoubtedly of
the MAY-FLOWER'S, had the hardship of the colony's condition
permitted.
Peter Browne we know little concerning.
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