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 be certainly in demand.

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