Quite A Large Sum Of Money, Which Came, Apparently, From The
Pockets Of The Leyden Adventurers (Pickering, Greene, Etc.), And Some Of
The Pilgrims, Was Requisite To Pay For The SPEEDWELL And Her Refitting,
Etc.; But How Much Came From Either Is Conjectural At Best.
But aside
from "Hollands cheese," "strong-waters" (schnapps), some few things that
Cushman names; and probably a few others, obtained in Holland, most of
the "provisioning," as repeatedly appears, was done at the English
Southampton.
In fact, after clothing and generally "outfitting"
themselves, it is pretty certain that but few of the Leyden party had
much left. There was evidently an understanding between the partners that
there should be four principal agents charged with the preparations for,
and carrying out of, the enterprise, - Thomas Weston and Christopher
Martin representing the Adventurers and the colonists who were recruited
in England (Martin being made treasurer), while Carver and Cushman acted
for the Leyden company. John Pierce seems to have been the especial
representative of the Adventurers in the matter of the obtaining of the
Patent from the (London) Virginia Company, and later from the Council for
New England. Bradford says: "For besides these two formerly mentioned,
sent from Leyden, viz., Master Carver and Robert Cushman, there was one
chosen in England to be joyned with them, to make the provisions for the
Voyage. His name was Master Martin. He came from Billerike in Essexe;
from which parts came sundry others to go with them; as also from London
and other places, and therefore it was thought meet and convenient by
them in Holand, that these strangers that were to goe with them, should
appointe one thus to be joyned with them; not so much from any great need
of their help as to avoid all susspition, or jealosie, of any
partialitie." But neither Weston, Martin, Carver, nor Cushman seems to
have been directly concerned in the purchase of the SPEEDWELL. The most
probable conjecture concerning it is, that in furtherance of the purpose
of the Leyden leaders, stated by Bradford, that there should be a small
vessel for their service in fishing, traffic, etc., wherever they might
plant the colony, they were permitted by the Adventurers to purchase the
SPEEDWELL for that service, and as a consort, "on general account."
It is evident, however, from John Robinson's letter of June 14, 1620, to
John Carver, that Weston ridiculed the transaction, probably on selfish
grounds, but, as events proved, not without some justification.
Robinson says: "Master Weston makes himself merry with our endeavors
about buying a ship," [the SPEEDWELL] "but we have done nothing in this
but with good reason, as I am persuaded." Although bought with funds
raised in Holland,
[Arber (The Story of the Pilgrim Fathers, p. 341) arrives at the
conclusion that "The SPEEDWELL had been bought with Leyden money.
The proceeds of her sale, after her return to London, would, of
course, go to the credit of the common joint-Stock there." This
inference seems warranted by Robinson's letter of June 16/26 to
Carver, in which he clearly indicates that the Leyden brethren
collected the "Adventurers" subscriptions of Pickering and his
partner (Greene), which were evidently considerable.]
it was evidently upon "joint-account," and she was doubtless so sold, as
alleged, on her arrival in September, at London, having proved
unseaworthy. In fact, the only view of this transaction that harmonizes
with the known facts and the respective rights and relations of the
parties is, that permission was obtained (perhaps through Edward
Pickering, one of the Adventurers, a merchant of Leyden, and others) that
the Leyden leaders should buy and refit the consort, and in so doing
might expend the funds which certain of the Leyden Pilgrims were to pay
into the enterprise, which it appears they did, - and for which they would
receive, as shown, extra shares in the Planters' half-interest. It was
very possibly further permitted by the Adventurers, that Mr. Pickering's
and his partners' subscriptions to their capital stock should be applied
to the purchase of the SPEEDWELL, as they were collected by the Leyden
leaders, as Pastor Robinson's letter of June 14/24 to John Carver,
previously noted, clearly shows.
She was obviously bought some little time before May 31, 1620, - probably
in the early part of the month, - from the fact that in their letter of
May 31st to Carver and Cushman, then in London, Messrs. Fuller, Winslow,
Bradford, and Allerton state that "we received divers letters at the
coming of Master Nash and our Pilott," etc. From this it is clear that
time enough had elapsed, since their purchase of the pinnace, for their
messenger (Master Nash) to go to London, - evidently with a request to
Carver and Cushman that they would send over a competent "pilott" to
refit her, and for Nash to return with him, while the letter announcing
their arrival does not seem to have been immediately written.
The writers of the above-mentioned letter use the words "we received,"
- using the past tense, as if some days before, instead of "we have your
letters," or "we have just received your letters," which would rather
indicate present, or recent, time. Probably some days elapsed after the
"pilott's" arrival, before this letter of acknowledgment was sent. It is
hence fair to assume that the pinnace was bought early in May, and that
no time was lost by the Leyden party in preparing for the exodus, after
their negotiations with the Dutch were "broken off" and they had "struck
hands" with Weston, sometime between February 2/12, 1619/20, and April
1/11, 1620, - probably in March.
The consort was a pinnace - as vessels of her class were then and for many
years called - of sixty tons burden, as already stated, having two masts,
which were put in - as we are informed by Bradford, and are not allowed by
Professor Arber to forget - as apart of her refitting in Holland. That
she was "square-rigged," and generally of the then prevalent style of
vessels of her size and class, is altogether probable.
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