[principal ones] of them that came from Leyden went on this ship [the
SPEEDWELL] to give the Master content," and his further minute, that
"Master Martin was governour in the biger ship and Master Cushman
assistante." It is very certain that Deacon Carver, one of the four
agents of the colonists, who had "fitted out" the voyage in England, was
a passenger in the SPEEDWELL from Southampton,--as the above mentioned
remark of Bradford would suggest,--and was made "governour" of her
passengers, as he later was of the whole company, on the MAY-FLOWER.
It has sometimes been queried whether, in the interim between the arrival
of the SPEEDWELL at Southampton and the assignment of the colonists to
their respective ships (especially as both vessels were taking in and
transferring cargo), the passengers remained on board or were quartered
on shore. The same query has arisen, with even better reason, as to the
passengers of the SPEEDWELL during the stay at Dartmouth, when the
consort was being carefully overhauled to find her leaks, the suggestion
being made that in this case some of them might have found accommodation
on board the larger ship. The question may be fairly considered as
settled negatively, from the facts that the colonists, with few
exceptions, were unable to bear such extra expense themselves; the funds
of the Adventurers--if any were on hand, which appears doubtful--were not
available for the purpose; while the evidence of some of the early
writers renders it very certain that the Leyden party were not released
from residence on shipboard from the time they embarked on the SPEEDWELL
at Delfshaven till the final landing in the harbor of New Plimoth. Just
who of the Leyden chiefs caused themselves to be assigned to the smaller
vessel, to encourage its cowardly Master, cannot be definitely known.
It may be confidently assumed, however, that Dr. Samuel Fuller, the
physician of the colonists, was transferred to the MAY-FLOWER, upon which
were embarked three fourths of the entire company, including most of the
women and children, with some of whom, it was evident, his services would