in with Arber’s indictment:  “In their eagerness to get away promptly, they [the Leyden men] made the mistake of ordering for the Speedwell heavier and taller masts and larger spars than her hull had been built to receive, thus altering most unwisely and disastrously her trim.”  He adds still more unhappily:  “We do not hear of these inveterate landsmen and townsfolk [of whom he says, ’possibly there was not one man familiar with ships or sea life’] who were about to venture on the Atlantic, taking counsel of Dutch builders or mariners as to the proportion of their craft.”  Why so discredit the capacity and intelligence of these nation-builders?  Was their sagacity ever found unequal to the problems they met?  Were the men who commanded confidence and respect in every avenue of affairs they entered; who talked with kings and dealt with statesmen; these diplomats, merchants, students, artisans, and manufacturers; these men who learned law, politics, state craft, town building, navigation, husbandry, boat-building, and medicine, likely to deal negligently or presumptuously with matters upon which they were not informed?  Their first act, after buying the Speedwell, was to send to England for an “expert” to take charge of all technical matters of her “outfitting,” which was done, beyond all question, in Holland.  What need had they, having done this (very probably upon the advice of those experienced ship-merchants, their own “Adventurers” and townsmen, Edward Pickering and William Greene), to consult Dutch ship-builders or mariners?  She was to be an English ship, under the English flag, with English owners, and an English captain; why:  should they defer to Dutch seamen or put other than an English “expert” in charge of her alterations, especially when England rightfully boasted the best?  But not only were these Leyden leaders not guilty of any laches as indicted by Arber and too readily convicted by Griffis, but the “overmasting” was of small account as compared with the deliberate rascality of captain and crew, in the disabling of the consort, as expressly certified by Bradford, who certainly, as an eye-witness, knew whereof he affirmed.

Having bought a vessel, it was necessary to fit her for the severe service in which she was to be employed; to provision her for the voyage, etc.; and this could be done properly only by experienced hands.  The Pilgrim leaders at Leyden seem, therefore, as noted, to have sent to their agents at London for a competent man to take charge of this work, and were sent a “pilott” (or “mate"), doubtless presumed to be equal to the task.  Goodwin mistakenly says:  “As Spring waned, Thomas Nash went from Leyden to confer with the agents at London.  He soon returned with a pilot (doubtless [sic] Robert Coppin), who was to conduct the Continental party to England.”  This is both wild and remarkable “guessing” for the usually careful compiler of the “Pilgrim Republic.”  There is no warrant whatever for this assumption, and everything