The Mayflower and Her Log; July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621. Volume 1

Dr. Holmes has prettily pictured the "Departure" in his "Robinson of Leyden," even if not altogether correctly, geographically.

"He spake; with lingering, long embrace,With tears of love and partings fond,They floated down the creeping Maas,Along the isle of Ysselmond."They passed the frowning towers of Briel,The 'Hook of Holland's' shelf of sand,And grated soon with lifting keelThe sullen shores of Fatherland."No home for these! too well they knewThe mitred king behind the throne;The sails were set, the pennons flew,And westward ho! for worlds unknown."

Winslow informs us that they of the Leyden congregation who volunteered for the American enterprise were rather the smaller fraction of the whole body, though he adds, as noted "that the difference was not great." A careful analysis of the approximate list of the Leyden colonists,– including, of course, Carver, and Cushman and his family,—whose total number seems to have been seventy-two, indicates that of this number, forty-two, or considerably more than half (the rest being children, seamen, or servants), were probably members of the Leyden church. Of these, thirty, probably, were males and twelve females. The exact proportion this number bore to the numerical strength of Robinson's church at that time cannot be determined, because while something less than half as we know, gave their votes for the American undertaking, it cannot be known whether or not the women of church had a vote in the matter. Presumably they did not, the primitive church gave good heed to the words of Paul (i Corinthians xiv. 34), "Let your women keep silence in the churches." Neither can it be known—if they had a voice—whether the wives and daughters of some of the embarking Pilgrims, who did not go themselves at this time, voted with their husbands and fathers for the removal. The total number, seventy-two, coincides very nearly with the estimate made by Goodwin, who says: "Only eighty or ninety could go in this party from Leyden," and again: "Not more than eighty of the MAY- FLOWER company were from Leyden. Allowing for [i.e. leaving out] the younger children and servants, it is evident that not half the company can have been from Robinson's congregation." As the total number of passengers on the MAYFLOWER was one hundred and two when she took her final departure from England, it is clear that Goodwin's estimate is substantially correct, and that the number representing the Leyden church as given above, viz., forty-two, is very close to the fact.

"When they came to the place" [Delfshaven], says Bradford, "they found the ship and all things ready; and such of their friends as could not come with them [from Leyden] followed after them; and sundry also came from Amsterdam (about fifty miles) to see them shipped, and to take their leave of them."

Saturday, July 22/Aug. 1, 1620, the Pilgrim company took their farewells, and Winslow records: "We only going aboard, the ship lying to the key [quay] and ready to sail; the wind being fair, we gave them [their friends] a volley of small shot [musketry] and three pieces of ordnance and so lifting up our hands to each other and our hearts for each other to the Lord our God, we departed."

Goodwin says of the parting: "The hull was wrapped in smoke, through which was seen at the stern the white flag of England doubly bisected by the great red cross of St. George, a token that the emigrants had at last resumed their dearly-loved nationality. Far above them at the main was seen the Union Jack of new device."

And so after more than eleven years of banishment for conscience' sake from their native shores, this little band of English exiles, as true to their mother-land—despite persecutions—as to their God, raised the flag of England, above their own little vessel, and under its folds set sail to plant themselves for a larger life in a New World.

And thus opens the "Log" of the SPEEDWELL, and the "Westward-Ho" of the Pilgrim Fathers.

THE SPEEDWELL'S LOG

Sunday, July 23/Aug. 2.

On the German Ocean. Wind fair. General course D.W., toward Southampton. sails set, running free.

Monday, July 24/Aug. 3.

Fair. Wind moderate. Dover Straits English Channel. In sight Dover Cliffs.

Tuesday, July 25/Aug. 5

Hugging English shore. Enters Southampton Water.

Wednesday, July 26/Aug. 5.

Came to anchor in Port of Southampton near ship MAYFLOWER of Yarmouth, from London (to which this pinnace is consort), off the north of the West Quay.'

Thursday, July 27/Aug. 6.

At anchor in port of Southampton.

Friday, July 28/Aug. 7.

Lying at anchor at Southampton.

Saturday, July 29/Aug. 8.

Lying at Southampton. MAY-FLOWER ready for sea, but pinnace leaking and requires retrimming.

Sunday, July 30/Aug. 9.

Lying at Southampton.

Monday, July 31/Aug. 10.

Ditto.

Tuesday, Aug. 1/11.

Ditto.

Wednesday, Aug. 2/22.

Ditto. Pinnace leaking. Re-trimmed again.

Thursday, Aug 3/13.

Ditto. Receiving passengers, etc. Some of principal Leyden men assigned to SPEEDWELL.

Friday, Aug. 4/14

Southampton. Making ready to leave.

Saturday, Aug. 5/55.

Dropped down Southampton Water and beat down Channel. Wind dead ahead. Laid general course W.S.W.

Sunday, Aug. 6/16.

Wind baffling. Beating down Channel.

Monday, Aug. 7/17.

Ditto.

Tuesday, Aug. 8/18.

Ditto. Ship leaking.

Wednesday, Aug. 9/19.

Ship leaking badly. Wind still ahead.

Thursday, Aug. 10/20.

Ship still leaking badly. Gaining on

pumps. Hove to. Signalled MAY-FLOWER, in company. Consultation with Captain Jones and principal passengers. Decided vessels shall put back, Dartmouth, being nearest convenient port. Wore ship and laid course for Dartmouth with good wind.

Friday, Aug. 11/21.

Wind fair. Ship leaking badly.

Saturday, Aug. 12/22.

Made port at Dartmouth MAY-FLOWER in company. Came to anchor near MAY-FLOWER.

Sunday, Aug. 13/23.

Lying at anchor, Dartmouth harbor.

Monday, Aug. 14/24.

Moving cargo and overhauling and retrimming ship.

Tuesday, Aug. 15/25.

Lying at Dartmouth. At on ship.

Wednesday, Aug. 16/26.

Ditto. Found a plank feet long loose and admitting water freely, as at a mole hole. Seams opened some.

Thursday, Aug. 17/27.

Lying at Dartmouth. Some dissension among chief of passengers. Ship's "Governor" unsatisfactory.

Friday, Aug. 18/28.

Lying at Dartmouth. Still at work on ship.

Saturday, Aug. 19/29.

Still lying at Dartmouth.

Sunday, Aug. 20/30.

Lying at Dartmouth.

Monday, Aug. 21/31

Still at Dartmouth. Overhauling completed. Cargo relaced. Making ready to go to sea.

Tuesday, Aug. 22/Sept. 1.

Still at Dartmouth. Lying at anchor ready for sea.

Wednesday, Aug. 23/Sept. 2.

Weighed anchor,' as did also MAY-FLOWER, and set sail. Laid general course W.S.W. Wind fair

Thursday, Aug. 24/Sept.3.

Fair wind, but ship leaking.

Friday, Aug. 25/Sept. 4.

Wind fair. Ship leaking dangerously. MAYFLOWER in company.

Saturday, Aug. 26/Sept. 5.

About 100 leagues [300 miles] from Land's End. Ship leaking badly. Hove to. Signalled MAY-FLOWER, in company.

Consultation between masters, carpenters, and principal passengers. Decided to put back into Plymouth and determine whether pinnace is seaworthy. Put about and laid course for Plymouth.

Sunday, Aug. 27/Sept. 6.

Wind on starboard quarter. Made Plymouth harbor and came to anchor. MAY-FLOWER in company.

Monday, Aug. 28/Sept. 7.

At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Conference of chief of Colonists and officers of MAYFLOWER and SPEEDWELL. No special leak could be found, but it was judged to be the general weakness of the ship, and that she would not prove sufficient for the voyage.

It was resolved to dismiss her the SPEEDWELL, and part of the company, and proceed with the other ship.

Tuesday, Aug. 29/Sept. 8

Lying at Plymouth. Transferring cargo.

Wednesday, Aug. 30/Sept. 9

Lying at Plymouth. Transferring cargo.

Saturday, Sept. 2/12

Ditto. Reassignment of passengers. Master Cushman and family, Master Blossom and son, Wm. Ring and others to return in pinnace to London.

Sunday, Sept. 3/13

At anchor in Plymouth roadstead.

Monday, Sept. 4/14

Weighed anchor and took departure for London, leaving MAY-FLOWER at anchor in roadstead.

Saturday, Sept. 9/19

Off Gravesend. Came to anchor in Thames.

THE END OF THE VOYAGE AND OF THE LOG OF THE MAY-FLOWER'S CONSORT

From Bradford we learn that the SPEEDWELL was sold at London, and was "refitted", her old trip being restored, and that she afterwards made for her new owners many and very prosperous voyages.