1621,—­the autumn following his return from the Pilgrim voyage,—­he seems to have gone to Virginia as “pilot” (or “mate”) of the flying hart, with cattle of Daniel Gookin, and in 1623 to have attained command of a ship, the providence, belonging to Mr. Gookin, on a voyage to Virginia where he arrived April 10, 1623, but died in that colony soon after his arrival.  He seems to have been a competent and faithful man, who filled well his part in life.  He will always have honorable mention as the first officer of the historic may-Flower, and as sponsor at the English christening of the smiling islet in Plymouth harbor which bears his name.

Of Robert Coppin, the “second mate” (or “pilot”) of the may-Flower, nothing is known before his voyage in the Pilgrim ship, except that he seems to have made a former to the coast of New England and the vicinity of Cape Cod, though under what auspices, or in what ship, does not transpire.  Bradford says:  “Their Pilotte, one Mr. Coppin, who had been in the countrie before.”  Dr. Young a suggests that Coppin was perhaps on the coast with Smith or Hunt.  Mrs. Austin imaginatively makes him, of “the whaling bark Scotsman of Glasgow,” but no warrant whatever for such a conception appears.

Dr. Dexter, as elsewhere noted, has said:  “My impression is that Coppin was originally hired to go in the Speedwell, . . that he sailed with them [the Pilgrims] in the speed well, but on her final putting back was transferred to the may-Flower.”  As we have seen in another relation, Dr. Dexter also believed Coppin to have been the “pilot” sent over by Cushman to Leyden, in May, 1620, and we have found both views to be untenable.  It was doubtless because of this mistaken view that Dr. Dexter believed that Coppin was “hired to go in the Speedwell,” and, the premise being wrong, the conclusion is sequentially incorrect.  But there are abundant reasons for thinking that Dexter’s “impression” is wholly mistaken.  It would be unreasonable to suppose (as both vessels were expected to cross the ocean), that each had not—­certainly on leaving Southampton her full complement of officers.  If so, each undoubtedly had her second mate.  The may-FLOWER’S officers and crew were, as we know, hired for the voyage, and there is no good reason to suppose that the second mate of the may-Flower was dismissed at Plymouth and Coppin put in his place which would not be equally potent for such an exchange between the first mate of the Speedwell and Clarke of the may-Flower.  The assumption presumes too much.  In fact, there can be no doubt that Dexter’s misconception was enbased upon, and arose from, the unwarranted impression that Coppin was the “pilot” sent over to Leyden.  It is not likely that, when the SPEEDWELL’S officers were so evidently anxious to escape the voyage, they would seek transfer to the may-Flower.