to the same belonging.”  It is of course possible that this was the historic ship, though, if so, reappearing twenty two years after her last known voyage to New England.  If the same, she was apparently under both new master and owner.  From the facts that she is called “of Boston in New England” and was trading between that port, “the Barbadoes” and London, it is not impossible that she may have been built at Boston—­a sort of namesake descendant of the historic ship—­and was that may-Flower mentioned as belonging, in 1657, to Mr. Samuel Vassall; as he had large interests alike in Boston, Barbadoes, and London.  Masters of vessels were often empowered to sell their ships or shares in them.  Although we know not where her keel was laid, by what master she was built, or where she laid her timbers when her work was done, by virtue of her grand service to humanity, her fame is secure, and her name written among the few, the immortal names that were not born to die.

CHAPTER V

THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE MAYFLOWER

The officers and crew of the may-Flower were obviously important factors in the success of the Pilgrim undertaking, and it is of interest to know what we may concerning them.  We have seen that the “pilot,” John Clarke, was employed by Weston and Cushman, even before the vessel upon which he was to serve had been found, and he had hence the distinction of being the first man “shipped” of the may-FLOWER’S complement.  It is evident that he was promptly hired on its being known that he had recently returned from a voyage to Virginia in the cattle-ship Falcon, as certain to be of value in the colonists’ undertakings.

Knowing that the Adventurers’ agents were seeking both a ship and a master for her, it was the natural thing for the latter, that he should propose the Captain under whom he had last sailed, on much the same voyage as that now contemplated.  It is an interesting fact that something of the uncertainty which for a time existed as to the names and features of the Pilgrim barks attaches the names and identity of their respective commanders.  The “given” name of “Master” Reynolds, “pilott” and “Master” of the speed well, does not appear, but the assertion of Professor Arber, though positive enough, that “the Christian name of the Captain of the may-Flower is not known,” is not accepted by other authorities in Pilgrim history, though it is true that it does not find mention in the contemporaneous accounts of the Pilgrim ship and her voyage.

There is no room for doubt that the Captain of the Falcon—­whose release from arrest while under charge of piracy the Earl of Warwick procured, that he might take command of the above-named cattle-ship on her voyage to Virginia, as hereinafter shown—­was Thomas Jones.  The identity of this man and “Master Jones” who assumed command of the may-Flower—­with the former mate of the Falcon, John Clarke, as his first officer—­is abundantly certified by circumstantial evidence of the strongest kind, as is also the fact that he commanded the ship discovery a little later.