. If Edward Tilley and his wife were assigned to the MAY
FLOWER, room would doubtless also be found for these cousins on the
ship. John Alden, the only positively known addition (except Carver)
made to the list at Southampton, was, from the nature of his engagement
as "cooper," quite likely assigned to the larger ship. There are no
known hints as to the assignments of passengers to the respective
vessels at Southampton--then supposed to be final--beyond the remarks of
Bradford that "the chief [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, up