The Voyage of the Mayflower

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: From England to Plymouth, Massachusetts

Mayflower

The Mayflower was the famous ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.[1] The vessel left England on September 16, and after a gruelling journey marked by disease, the ship dropped anchor inside the hook tip of Cape Cod Provincetown Harbor) on November 11 (dates in Old Style, Julian Calendar).[1] The Mayflower originally was destined for the mouth of the Hudson River, near present-day New York City, at the northern edge of England's Virginia colony, which itself was established with the 1607 Jamestown Settlement.[2] However, the Mayflower went off-course as the winter approached and it remained in Cape Cod Bay (mapped in 1602 by Gosnold). Many historians believe that the landing in Cape Cod Bay was not an accident, but was intentional for two main reasons: the area's location outside the control of the Virginia colony and the abundance of cod.[Willison, Saints and Strangers, p.145-146.]

On March 21, 1621, all surviving passengers, who had inhabited the ship during the winter, moved ashore at Plymouth, and on April 5, the Mayflower, a privately commissioned vessel, returned to England (details below).[1]

In 1623, a year after the death of captain Christopher Jones, the Mayflower was most likely dismantled for scrap lumber in Rotherhithe, London.[3]

Ship

The Mayflower was used primarily as a cargo ship, involved in active trade of goods (often wine) between England and other European countries,[1] [4] (principally France, but also Norway, Germany, and Spain). At least between 1609 and 1622, it was mastered by Christopher Jones, who would command the ship on the famous transatlantic voyage, and based in Rotherhithe, London, England.[1] After the famous voyage of the Mayflower, the ship returned to England, likely dismantled for scrap lumber in Rotherhithe in 1623, only a year after Jones's death in March 1622. The Mayflower Barn, just outside the Quaker village of Jordans, in Buckinghamshire, England, is said to be built from these timbers.[citation needed]

Details of the ship's dimensions are unknown; but estimates based on its load weight and the typical size of 180-ton merchant ships of its day suggest an estimated length of 90?110 feet (27.4?33.5 m) and a width of about 25 feet (7.6 m). The ship was manned by a crew of 25-30.[4]

Replica

Careful research went into designing a replica, the Mayflower II (launched September 22, 1956), to resemble its namesake as closely as possible. This vessel is now part of the Plimoth Plantation living museum, near Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Pilgrims' voyage

Initially, the plan was for the voyage to be made in two vessels, the other being the smaller Speedwell. The first voyage of the ships departed Southampton, England, [5] on August 5, 1620, but the Speedwell developed a leak, and had to be refitted at Dartmouth.

On the second attempt, the ships reached the Atlantic Ocean but again were forced to return to Dartmouth because of the Speedwell's leak. It would later be revealed that there was in fact nothing wrong with the Speedwell. The crew had sabotaged it in order to escape the year-long commitment of their contract.

After reorganisation, the final sixty-six day voyage was made by the Mayflower alone, leaving from a site near to the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England on September 6.[5] With 102 passengers plus crew, each family was allotted a very confined amount of space for personal belongings.

The ship probably had a crew of twenty-five to thirty, along with other hired personnel; however, only he names of five are known, including John Alden.[2] William Bradford, who penned our only account of the Mayflower voyage, wrote that John Alden (archaic spellings) "was hired for a cooper [barrel-maker], at South-Hampton, where the ship victuled; and being a hopefull yong man, was much desired, but left to his owne liking to go or stay when he came here; but he stayed, and maryed here."[6]

The intended destination was an area near the Hudson River, in "North Virginia". However the ship was forced far off-course by inclement weather and drifted well north of the intended Virginia settlement. As a result of the delay, the settlers did not arrive in Cape Cod till the onset of a harsh New England winter. The settlers ultimately failed to reach Virginia where they had already obtained permission from the London Company to settle.[citation needed] To establish legal order and to quell increasing strife within the ranks, the settlers wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact after the ship dropped anchor at the tip of Cape Cod on November 11, in what is now Provincetown Harbor.[1]

The settlers, upon initially setting anchor, explored the snow-covered area and discovered an empty Native American village. The curious settlers dug up some artificially-made mounds, some of which had stored corn while others were burial sites. The settlers stole the corn, sparking friction with the locals.[7] They explored the area of Cape Cod for several weeks and decided to relocate after a difficult encounter with the local native Americans, the Nausets.

This story appears both in Mourt's Relation, published in London in 1622, and (in a condensed version) in William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation.

"Wednesday, the sixth of December [1620]. It was resolved our discoverers should set forth ... So ten of our men were appointed who were of themselves willing to undertake it, to wit, Captain Standish, Master Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward Tilley, John Howland, and three of London, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Doten, and two of our seamen, John Alderton, and Thomas English. Of the ship's company there went two of the master's mates, Master Clarke and Master Coppin, the master gunner, and three sailors ... Mourts Relation, ed. Jordan D. Fiore (Plymouth, Mass. : Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1985), p. 27-28.

" ... the 6th of December [1620] they sent out their shallop again with ten of their principal men and some seamen, upon further discovery, intending to circulate that deep bay of Cape Cod. The weather was very cold and it froze so hard as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed. Yet that night betimes they got down into the bottom of the bay, and as they drew near the shore they saw some ten or twelve Indians very busy about something. They landed about a league or two from them ... they made themselves a barricado with logs and boughs as well as they could in the time, and set out their sentinel and betook them to rest, and saw the smoke of the fire the savages made that night. When morning was come they divided their company, some to coast along the shore in the boat, and the rest marched through the woods to see the land, if any fit place might be for their dwelling. They came also to the place where they saw the Indians the night before, and found they had been cutting up a great fish like a grampus ... "So they ranged up and down all that day, but found no people, nor any place they liked. When the sun grew low, they hasted out of the woods to meet with their shallop ... of which they were very glad, for they had not seen each other all that day since the morning. So they made them a barricado as usually they did every night, with logs, stakes and thick pine boughs, the height of a man, leaving it open to leeward, partly to shelter them from the cold and wind (making their fire in the middle and lying round about it) and partly to defend them from any sudden assaults of the savages, if they should surround them; so being very weary, they betook them to rest. But about midnight they heard a hideous and great cry, and their sentinel called "Arm! arm!" So they bestirred them and stood to their arms and shot off a couple of muskets, and then the noise ceased. They concluded it was a company of wolves or such like wild beasts, for one of the seamen told them he had often heard such noise in Newfoundland. "So they rested till about five of the clock in the morning; for the tide, and their purpose to go from thence, made them be stirring betimes. So after prayer they prepared for breakfast, and it being day dawning it was thought best to be carrying things down to the boat ... "But presently, all on the sudden, they heard a great and strange cry, which they knew to be the same voices they heard in the night, though they varied their notes; and one of their company being abroad came running in and cried, "Men, Indians! Indians!" And withal, their arrows came flying amongst them. Their men ran with all speed to recover their arms, as by the good providence of God they did. In the meantime, of those that were there ready, two muskets were discharged at them, and two more stood ready in the entrance of their rendezvous but were commanded not to shoot till they could take full aim at them. And the other two charged again with all speed, for there were only four had arms there, and defended the barricado, which was first assaulted. The cry of the Indians was dreadful, especially when they saw their men run out of the rendezvous toward the shallop to recover their arms, the Indians wheeling about upon them. But some running out with coats of mail on, and cutlasses in their hands, they soon got their arms and let fly amongst them and quickly stopped their violence ... "Thus it pleased God to vanquish their enemies and give them deliverance; and by his special providence so to dispose that not any one of them were either hurt or hit, though their arrows came close by them and on every side [of] them; and sundry of their coats, which hung up in the barricado, were shot through and through. Afterwards they gave God solemn thanks and praise for their deliverance, and gathered up a bundle of their arrows and sent them into England afterward by the master of the ship, and called that place the FIRST ENCOUNTER." William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 68-72.

During the winter the passengers remained on board the 'Mayflower', suffering an outbreak of a contagious disease described as a mixture of scurvy, pneumonia and tuberculosis.[1] When it ended, there were only 53 persons still alive, half of the passengers and half of the crew.[1] In spring, they built huts ashore, and on March 21, 1621, the surviving passengers left the 'Mayflower'.[1]

Note: From the Planters of the Commonwealth 1620-1680 by Charles Edward Banks-

Half of the passengers died the first winter. They arrived in the fall when everything was brown and no fresh fruits or vegetables were available. They had lived on salted or dried meat for months. It was after a year or two that they finally discovered that the illness was scurvy and caused by the lack of fresh foods. The Mayflower weighted 200 tons and Christefor Jones was the master. It left Southampton August 5, 1620, and arrived in Cape Cod Dec. 11, 1620 with 101 passengers. It was detained in Dartmouth and Plymouth England because of the Speedwell. The Speedwell was to accompany the Mayflower on the trip but was out to sea when it proved not seaworthy and the two returned. After some time, the Speedwell did not continue and the passengers were shuffled leaving some of the original passengers of either ship behind. Included in the final list was Richard Warren-of London-Merchant. His family did not accompany him but most came later. In 1623 the ship. Ann .with William Pierce as Master arrived in Plymouth 10 June, 1623 with 60 passengers included in the passenger list were Mrs Elizabeth Warren- wife of Richard Warren and their children Marry Warren, Elizabeth Warren, Anne Warren, Sarah Warren and Abigail Warren.

Note: From THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER Vol 1-50 The landing of the Pilgrims was on Dec. 11, 1620 An exploring party of 18 men who had left the Mayflower at Cape Cod five days before and spent the Sabbath at Clark's Island landed that day and marched that day into the land..The party consisted of 12 Pilgrams and members of the crew. One of the twelve was Richard Warren.

On April 5, 1621, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth to return to England,[1] where she arrived on May 6, 1621.[8]

Passengers

The 102 passengers on the Mayflower were the earliest permanent European settlers in New England. (The Jamestown settlement was the first English settlement in what would become the United States.) Some of their descendants have taken great interest in tracing their ancestry back to one or more of these Pilgrims. (See The Society of Mayflower Descendants and the "List of passengers on the Mayflower" for a complete accounting. See also "List of Mayflower passengers who died in the winter of 1620?1621".) Throughout the winter, the passengers spent time ashore preparing home sites and searching for food but partly remained based aboard the Mayflower. Only about half of the settlers would still be alive when the Mayflower left in the spring. Governor Bradford noted that about half the sailors died as well.[1]

Second Mayflower

In 1629, a ship called the Mayflower made a voyage from London to Plymouth Colony carrying thirty-five passengers, many from Leiden. This was not the same ship that made the original voyage with the first settlers. This voyage began in May and reached Plymouth in August.^[1]

Note: The Mayflower left Harwich, England September 6, 1620 with her Master and Captain, Christopher Jones. Land was sighted November 9, 1620 and they landed on the 11th in Plymouth Harbor.

The Mayflower departed "Cape Cod" on April 5, 1621.

Passengers:

Alden John

The ship's Cooper

From Harwich, Essex, and Southampton, Hampshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 47 & 62

A 'hopeful young man' hired at Southampton, married Priscilla Mullens and had eleven children. 8a pg xxvii

Died 1687, Duxbury. 200

Allerton Issac

From St Andrews Undershaft, London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 98

Chosen assistant to the governor. 8a pg xxv

Remarried to Fear Brewster after Mary died.200

Allerton Mary Norris *

From Newbury, England, married in Leiden, Holland, died Feb 25 1621. Part of Pilgrims who fled to Holland. 200

Delivered stillborn son on board Dec 1620. 200

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxv

Allerton Bartholomew

Son of Issac and Mary, born in Holland. 200

Married and died in England. 8a pg xxv

Allerton Remember

Daughter of Issac and Mary, born in Holland. 200

Married Moses Maverick in Salem, had three or four children. 8a pg xxv

Allerton Mary

Daughter of Issac and Mary, probably born in Holland, died Nov 28 1699. 200

Married Thomas Cushman at Plymouth, had four children. 8a pg xxv

Allerton, John *

No comments. 8a Died the first winter.

Probably relative of Issac Allerton, buried a child in Holland. Planned on returning to Holland to escort others over. 200

Billington John

First to be hung 1630, for murder of John Newcomen

From London and/or Austerfield, Yorkshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Bradford & Hunter. 36 pg 106

Not from Leyden, or the Leyden Company, but from London. 8a pg xxvi

From Lincolnshire 200

Billington Eleanor

Wife, remarried a Gregory Armstrong. 200

Billington John

Son, died in a few years, was gone before his father was hanged. 8a pg xxvi

Serious troublemaker who wandered off to the Indians but 'rescued' by the Pilgrims. 200

Billington Francis

Son, married and had eight children. 8a pg xxvi

The son who shot off a musket inside the ship cabins.

Married Widow Eaton (Francis Eaton's 3rd wife) and had nine children, both died 1684 in Middleboro. 200

Daughter Rebekah was born June 8, 1647 Plymouth 4 pg 4

Bradford, William, Gov

From Scrooby, Nott, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Savage. 36 pg 133 & 185

Second governor, author of the history of the Plymouth Colony, loved to the year 1657. 8a pg xxv

He had left a son in England to come afterwards - had four children by a second marriage. 8a pg xxv

Bradford Dorothy (May) *

Wife of William

Drowned Dec 7, 1620 at Cape Cod, Providetown Harbor. 200

Died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

Brewster, Elder William

Ruling Elder, lived some twenty-three or four years after his arrival. 8a pg xxiv

Brewster Mary

Wife

Died between 1623 and 1627. 8a pg xxiv

Brewster, Love

Married, lived to the year 1650, had four children. 8a pg xxiv

Brewster Wrestling

Youngest son. 8a pg xxiv

Brittenridge, Richard *

First to die after landing, died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

From Prittlewell, Essex, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Pilgrim Story. 36 pg 50

Browne, Peter

From Billericay, Essex, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 39

Lived fome fourteen years after, was twice married and left four children. 8a pg xxvii

Died 1633.

Button, William *

Died Nov 6, three days before land was sighted. 200

Servant for Samuel Fuller, died on the passage. 8a pg xxv

Carter, Robert *

Servant to shoemaker William Mullens

Died the first winter. 8a pg xxv

Carver, John *

From Doncaster, Yorkshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 186

Chosen first Governor at Cape Cod, died the first spring. 8a pg xxiv

Carver Katherine (Leggett)(White), wife *

Dies a few weeks after her husband, in early summer. 8a pg xxiv

Chilton, James *

From Canterbury, Kent, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 77

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Another married daughter came afterward.

Chilton Mrs *

Wife, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Chilton, Mary

Daughter, married and had nine children. 8a pg xxvi

Clarke, Richard *

Died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

Cooke Francis

Lived until after 1650. His wife and children came afterward, they had 6 or more children. 8a pg xxvi

Cooke John

Son, married and had four children. 8a pg xxvi

Cooper, Humility

Cousin of Edward and Ann Tilley. Returned to England. 8a pg xxvi

Crackstone, John *

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxv

Crackstone John *

Son, died soon after his father. 8a pg xxv

Doty, Edward

From St Mary le Strand, London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 102

Servant, had 7 children by second marriage. After his term of service went to Virginia. 8a pg xxvi

Eaton, Francis

From Bristol, Gloucestershire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 55

Had three children by a third marriage. 8a pg xxvii

Eaton Sarah *

Wife, died in the first winter. 8a pg xxvii

Eaton Samuel

Son, married, had one child. 8a pg xxvii

Ely Mr.

Hired hand ret to England

One of the two seamen hired to remain a year, possibly why counts are off.

English, Thomas *

Hired hand, no comment in 8a.

Fletcher, Moses *

From Sandwich, Kent, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 82

Died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

Fuller, Edward *

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Fuller Mrs. Edward *

Wife, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Fuller Samuel

Son , married and had four children. 8a pg xxvi

Fuller, Doctor Samuel

From Redenhall, Norfolk, bound for Plymouth. Ref: NEGR 55/193. 36 pg 121

The physician. His wife and child remained, and came afterwards. They had two more children. 8a pg xxv

Gardinar, Richard *

Became a seaman and died abroad. 8a pg xxvii

Goodman, John *

Died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

Holbeck, William *

Servant to William White

Died soon after landing. 8a pg xxv

Hooke, John *

Servant to Issac Allerton

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Stephen

From Wotton Edge, Gloucestershire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 59

and from St Mary Whitechapel, London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 102

Lived over twenty years after their arrival, had a son and four daughters born in this country. 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Elizabeth Fisher

Wife, Lived over twenty years after their arrival, had a son and four daughters born in this country. 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Giles

Son by first marriage, had four children. 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Constance,

Daughter by first marriage, had 12 children. 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Damaris

Son 8a pg xxv

Hopkins Oceanus

Born en route 8a pg xxv

Howland John

From London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Bradford. 36 pg 107

Man Servant, afterwards married the daughter of John Tillie, and had ten children. 8a pg xxiv

Langmore, John *

Servant to Christopher Martin

Died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

Latham, William

A Boy, after more than twenty years, visited England anf died at the Bahama Islands. 8a pg xxiv

Leister, Edward *

Margesson, Edmund *

Died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

Martin, Christopher *

From Billericay, Essex, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 39

Died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

Martin Mary (Prower) *

Wife, died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

Minter, Desire

Part of Carver household, ret to her friends, in poor health, to England and died 8a pg xxiv

More, Ellen *

Aged 8, daughter of Katherine More, Shipton, Shropshire. Died the first winter. 200

Elinor, from Shipton, Shropshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Parish Reg. 36 pg 137

A little girl placed in the Winslow' family, sister of Richard More who died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

More Jasper *

Aged 7, son of Katherine More, Shipton, Shropshire, died Dec 6, 1620 on board. 200

From Shipton, Shropshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Parish Reg. 36 pg 137

Spelled Moore, died the first season. 8a

More Richard

Aged 6, son of Katherine More, Shipton, Shropshire 200

From Shipton, Shropshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Parish Reg. 36 pg 137

Placed with the Brewster family. Richard married and had four or more children. 8a pg xxiv

More Mary *

Aged 4, daughter of Katherine More, Shipton, Shropshire 200

Placed with the Brewster family. Died the first winter.

Mullens William

From Stroke near Guildford, Surrey, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 170

Died the first winter. 8a pg xxv

Mullens Alice *

Wife, died the first winter. 8a pg xxv

Mullens Priscilla, daughter

Married John Alden

Mullins Joseph *

Son, died the first winter. 8a pg xxv

Priest, Degory *

From London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 104

Spelled Digerie, died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

His wife, the sister of Mr. Allerton, and her children acame afterwards. 8a pg xxvii

Prower, Solomon *

From Billericay, Essex, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Bradford. 36 pg 39

Servant to Christopher Martin

Died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxv

Rigsdale, John *

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Rigsdale Alice *

Wife, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Rogers, Thomas *

From Great St Bartholomew, London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 99

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

His other children came afterward and had families. 8a pg xxvi

Rogers Joseph

Son, living in 1650, married and had 6 children. 8a pg xxvi

Samson, Henry

From St Andrews Undershaft, London, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 98

Cousin of Edward and Ann Tilley, had seven children. 8a pg xxvi

Soule, George

From Eckington Worcestershire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Soule Gen. 36 pg 184

Servant in Winslow's family, married and had eight children. 8a pg xxiv

His will read, in a nutshell, if my son bothers my daughter, she gets everything.

Standish Myles

Lived to the year 1656, chief in military affairs. 8a pg xxv

Had four sons living in 1650 by a second marriage. 8a pg xxv

Standish Rose *

Wife, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxv

Story, Elias *

Servant to John Winslow

Died in the first sickness 8a pg xxiv

Thompson, Edward *

Servant to William White

Died soon after landing. 8a pg xxv

Tilley, Edward *

Tillie, died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxvi

Tilley Ann (Cooper) *

Wife, died soon after their arrival. 8a pg xxvi

Tilley John *

Brother to Edward

Died soon after he came on shore. 8a pg xxvi

Tilley Joan Hurst Rogers *

Wife, died soon after she came on shore. 8a pg xxvi

Tilley Elizabeth

Daughter. married John Howland. 8a pg xxvi

Tinker, Thomas *

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Tinker Mrs. Thomas *

Wife, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Tinker son *

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Trevore, William

Hired shipman ret to England

One of the two seamen hired to stay a year, possibly why the counts are off. 8a pg xxvii

Turner, John *

From Doncaster, Yorkshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 186

Died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

A daughter came afterward to Salem and married there. 8a pg xxvi

Turner *

Son, name unknown, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Turner *

Son, name unknown, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxvi

Richard Warren

From Shoreditch, S Leonard, Middlesex, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Morton. 36 pg 111

His wife and five daughters were left, and came over afterwards. They also had two sons, the daughters married here. 8a pg xxvi

White, William *

From Beaminster, Dorsetshire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Banks Mss. 36 pg 30

Died soon after landing. 8a pg xxv

White Susanna

Wife m2 Edward Winslow

White Resolved

Son, married and had five children 8a pg xxv

White, Peregrine

Son, born Dec on board (at Cape Cod after landing) married and had 2 children before 1650. 8a pg xxv

Wilder, Roger *

Servant to John Carver

Man servant, died in the first sickness. 8a pg xxiv

Williams, Thomas *

Died from sickness. 8a pg xxvii

Winslow, Edward

From Droitwich Worcestershire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Savage. 36 pg 184

Afterward chosen governor, died in 1655, when on a commission to the West Indies. Left two children by second marriage. 8a pg xxiv

Winslow Elizabeth (Barker) *

Wife

Died the first winter. 8a pg xxiv

Winslow, Gilbert

Ret to England, died there (From Droitwich Worcestershire, bound for Plymouth. Ref: Pope. 36 pg 184

After living here a number of years, returned to England. 8a pg xxvii

Dorothy, maidservant of John Carver ?

Captain Christopher Jones, Master, partial owner of the ship

John Clarke, first mate or first officer (later received land assignment in Virginia, going there in 1623)

Robert Coppin, a mate

Giles Heale, Surgeon

Jones was buried March 5, 1621/2, at Rotherhithe, Surrey, England, his birthplace.

Both Clarke and Coppin had been in America before.

William Trevore was a hired hand, who left on the Fortune on December 13, 1621 and later mastered the William.

Total of 102 passengers

* 54 died on board, immediately after, during the first sickness and/or winter, or within the first year

45 remained and survived.^[2]

Note: Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was drafted by the Pilgrims who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower, seeking religious freedom. It was signed on November 11, 1620 (OS) [1] in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod.

Reasons for the Compact

Having landed at Plymouth (so named by Captain John Smith earlier), outside of the land controlled by the London Virginia Company which had been alloted to them by patent, the Pilgrims and others aboard sought to forestall problems of governance arising in the colony. Knowing that earlier settlements in the New World had failed due to a lack of government, the Mayflower Compact was written and adopted.

The Mayflower Compact was based simultaneously upon a majoritarian model and the settlers' allegiance to the king. It was in essence a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the compact's rules and regulations for the sake of survival. The government that the compact formed, in return, would derive its power from the consent of the governed.

The compact is often referred to as the foundation of the Constitution of the United States.[2]

Text of the Mayflower Compact

The original document was lost, but the transcriptions in Mourt's Relation and William Bradford's journal Of Plymouth Plantation are in agreement and accepted as accurate. Bradford's hand written manuscript is kept in a special vault at the State Library of Massachusetts.[3] Bradford's transcription is as follows:

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.[4][5]

The 'dread sovereign' referred to in the document used the archaic definition of dread; meaning awe and reverence (for the King), but not fear.

Signatories

The list of 41 male passengers who signed was supplied by Bradford's nephew Nathaniel Morton in his 1669 New England's Memorial.[6][7] The same list in the same order is provided by Thomas Prince in his 1736 A Chronological History of New-England in the form of Annals.[8] There are no surviving first-hand accounts of this information. Prince added the title Mr. to ten names, which he found in a list at the end of Governor Bradford's folio manuscript: Carver, Winslow, Brewster, Isaac Allerton, Samuel Fuller, Martin, Mullins, White, Warren, and Hopkins. He attributed the lack of Mr. Bradford to Bradford's modesty. He also added Capt. to Standish. He corrected the spelling of four names: John Crackston, Degory Priest, Richard Britterige, and Edward Dotey. In addition, he spelled Francis Cook and Richard Clarke.

1. John Carver

2. William Bradford

3. Edward Winslow

4. William Brewster

5. Isaac Allerton

6. Miles Standish

7. John Alden

8. Samuel Fuller

9. Christopher Martin

10. William Mullins

11. William White

12. Richard Warren

13. John Howland

14. Stephen Hopkins

15. Edward Tilly

16. John Tilly

17. Francis Cooke

18. Thomas Rogers

19. Thomas Tinker

20. John Ridgdale

21. Edward Fuller

22. John Turner

23. Francis Eaton

24. James Chilton

25. John Craxton

26. John Billington

27. Joses Fletcher (sic)

28. John Goodman

29. Digery Priest

30. Thomas Williams

31. Gilbert Winslow

32. Edmund Margeson

33. Peter Brown

34. Richard Bitteridge

35. George Soule

36. Richard Clark

37. Richard Gardiner

38. John Allerton

39. Thomas English

40. Edward Doten

41. Edward Leister^[3]