all lands, had been held compatible in dignity with that of arms,—­the pursuit of agriculture.  While always the “Sword of the White Men,” he was the pioneer “planter” in the first settlement begun (at Duxbury) beyond Plymouth limits.  Of the “arts, crafts or trades” of the colonists from London and neighboring English localities, but little has been gleaned.  They were mostly people of some means, tradesmen rather than artisans, and at least two (Martin and Mullens) were evidently also of the Merchant Adventurers.

Their social (conjugal) conditions—­not previously analyzed, it is thought—­have been determined, it is believed, with approximate accuracy; though it is of course possible that some were married, of whom that fact does not appear, especially among the seamen.

The passengers of the may-Flower on her departure from Plymouth (England), as arranged for convenience by families, were as appears by the following lists.

While the ages given in these lists are the result of much careful study of all the latest available data, and are believed, when not exact, to be very close approximates; as it has been possible to arrive at results, in several cases, only by considerable calculation, the bases of which may not always have been entirely reliable, errors may have crept in.  Though the author is aware that, in a few instances, the age stated does not agree with that assigned by other recognized authority, critical re-analysis seems to warrant and confirm the figures given.

The actual and comparative youth of the majority of the colonist leaders —­the Pilgrim Fathers—­is matter of comment, even of surprise, to most students of Pilgrim history, especially in view of what the Leyden congregation had experienced before embarking for America.  Only two of the leaders exceeded fifty years of age, and of these Governor Carver died early.  Of the principal men only nine could have been over forty, and of these Carver, Chilton, Martin, Mullins, and Priest (more than half died within a few months after landing), leaving Brewster, Warren (who died early), Cooke, and Hopkins—­neither of the latter hardly forty—­the seniors.  One does not readily think of Alden as but twenty-one, Winslow as only twenty-five, Dr. Fuller as about thirty, Bradford as only thirty-one when chosen Governor, Allerton as thirty-two, and Captain Standish as thirty-six.  Verily they were “old heads on young shoulders.”  It is interesting to note that the dominant influence at all times was that of the Leyden contingent.

Of these, all except William Butten, who died upon the voyage, reached Cape Cod in safety, though some of them had become seriously ill from the hardships encountered, and Howland had narrowly escaped drowning.  Two were added to the number en voyage,—­Oceanus Hopkins, born upon the sea, and Peregrine White, born soon after the arrival in Cape Cod harbor.  This made the total of the passenger list 103, before further depletion by death occurred, though several deaths again reduced it before the may-Flower cast anchor in Plymouth harbor, her final haven on the outward voyage.