water at the Cape.  The “steel-yards” and “measures” were the only determiners of weight and quantity—­as the hour-glass and sun dial were of time—­possessed at first (so far as appears) by the passengers of the Pilgrim ship, though it is barely possible that a Dutch clock or two may have been among the possessions of the wealthiest.  Clocks and watches were not yet in common use (though the former were known in England from 1540), and except that in “Mourt’s Relation” and Bradford’s “Historie” mention is made of the time of day as such “o’clock” (indicating some degree of familiarity with clocks), no mention is made of their possession at the first.  Certain of the leaders were apparently acquainted at Leyden with the astronomer Galileo, co-resident with them there, and through this acquaintance some of the wealthier and more scholarly may have come to know, and even to own, one of the earliest Dutch clocks made with the pendulum invented by Galileo, though hardly probable as early as 1620.  Pocket watches were yet practically unknown.

Except for a few pieces of silver owned by the wealthiest of their number, pewter was the most elegant and expensive of the Pilgrims’ table-ware.  A pewter platter said to have been “brought over in the may-Flower” is now owned by the Pilgrim Society, which also exhibits smaller pewter formerly Edward Winslow’s, and bearing his “arms,” for which, as previously noted, a like claim is made.  Platters, dishes, “potts,” ladles, bottles, “flaggons,” “skelletts,” cups, porringers, “basons,” spoons, candlesticks, and salt “sellars,” were among the many pewter utensils unmistakably brought on the good ship.

The wooden-ware of the colonists, brought with them, was considerable and various.  The Dutch were long famous for its fabrication.  There was but very little china, glass, or pottery of any kind in common use in western Europe in 1620; some kinds were not yet made, and pewter, wood, and leather largely filled their places.  Wooden trenchers (taking the place of plates), trays, “noggins” (jug or pitcher-like cups), cups, and “lossets” (flat dishes like the bread-plates of to day), were of course part of every housewife’s providings.  Some few of Pilgrim origin possibly still exist.  As neither coffee, tea, nor china had come into use, the cups and saucers which another century brought in—­to delight their owners in that day and the ceramic hunter in this—­were not among the “breakables” of the “good-wife” of the may-Flower.  The “table-plenishings” had not much variety, but in the aggregate the (first) “nineteen families” must have required quite a quantity of spoons, knives, salt “sellars,” etc.  Forks there were none, and of the accessories of to-day (except napkins), very few.  Meat was held by the napkin while being cut with the knife.  Josselyn’ gives a list of “Implements for a family of six persons” going to New England.