This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
July 15, 1620—May 6, 1621
Chiefly from Original Sources
By AZEL AMES, M.D.
Member of Pilgrim Society, etc.
The ship MAY-FLOWER was evidently chartered about the middle of June,1620 at London, by Masters Thomas West Robert Cushman acting together inbehalf of the Merchant Adventurers (chiefly of London) and the Englishcongregation of "Separatists" (the "Pilgrims"), at Leyden in Holland who,with certain of England associated, proposed to colony in America.
Professor Arber, when he says, in speaking of Cushman and Weston, "thehiring of the MAY-FLOWER, when they did do it, was their act alone, andthe Leyden church nothing to do with it," seems to forget that Cushmanand his associate Carver had no other function or authority in theirconjunction with Weston and Martin, except to represent the Leydencongregation. Furthermore, it was the avowed wish of Robinson (see hisletter dated June 14, 1620, to John Carver), that Weston "may [should]presently succeed in hiring" [a ship], which was equivalent to hopingthat Carver and Cushman—Weston's associates representing Leyden—wouldaid in so doing. Moreover, Bradford expressly states that: "Articles ofAgreement, drawn by themselves were, by their [the Leyden congregation's]said messenger [Carver] sent into England, who together with RobertCushman were to receive moneys and make provisions, both for shipping,and other things for the voyage."
Up to Saturday, June 10, nothing had been effected in the way ofproviding shipping for the migrating planters though the undertaking hadbeen four months afoot—beyond the purchase and refitting, in Holland, bythe Leyden people themselves, of a pinnace of sixty tons (the SPEEDWELL)intended as consort to a larger ship—and the hiring of a "pilott" torefit her, as we have seen.
The Leyden leaders had apparently favored purchasing also the largervessel still needed for the voyage, hoping, perhaps, to interest thereinat least one of their friends, Master Edward Pickering, a merchant ofHolland, himself one of the Adventurers, while Master Weston had, asappears, inclined to hire. From this disagreement and other causes,perhaps certain sinister reasons, Weston had become disaffected, theenterprise drooped, the outlook was dubious, and several formerlyinterested drew back, until shipping should be provided and the goodfaith of the enterprise be thus assured.
It transpires from Robinson's letter dated June 14., before quoted (inwhich he says: "For shipping, Master Weston, it should seem is set uponhiring"), that Robinson's own idea was to purchase, and he seems to havedominated the rest. There is perhaps a hint of his reason for this inthe following clause of the same letter, where he writes: "I do not thinkMaster Pickering [the friend previously named] will ingage, except in thecourse of buying ['ships?'—Arber interpolates] as in former lettersspecified." If he had not then "ingaged" (as Robinson intimates), as anAdventurer, he surely did later, contrary to the pastor's prediction, andthe above may have been a bit of special pleading. Robinson naturallywished to keep their, affairs, so far as possible, in known and