The Portland daily press., 1884-12-03
The Ship "Speedwell" of the Pill
grims.
She TOek a Cargo from an Outpost of Old
Falmouth in 1888.
lFrom Hon. William Gocld's Forthcoming Volume
Of Local History

| lETOLn dOu. MllnaU GOCluB rOrtncomluS NO4uho
of Local History
Among the scores Of ships employed in the
trade from Rchmond's Island by Tfelswuey
and Winter was one called "The Speedwel."
Not only from her name, but from the Ian
gusge of Winter to his principals concern
ing the vessel, think she vas unquestiona-
bly, the historical old Dutch ship of the Ptl-
grims. ''The smale shlp'' (of 80 tonsl which
Governor Bradford says in his History OF
Plymouth, "was bought and fted in Hol-
land, which was intended to help to trans
port them, and to stay in the country and
attend upon fishing, and such other affairs
as might be for the good of the colony when
they came there" In the "SpeedUep'
those from Holland left Delft Haven aud ar
rived at South Hampton in July, 1920,
"where they found the bigger ship tthe May
doweI) come from London, lying ready with
all the rest Of their company"
On the 9th of August the Pilgrims sailed
from Southampton in the two ships, the
May1ower and the Speedwell, for the New
World. Bradford says, Being thus put to
sea, they bad not gone far, but Mr.. Reinolds
the master of the lesser ship complained
that he found his ship so leak' as he burst
not put further TO Till she was meuded.
So the master of the bigger ship (called Mr.
Joans) being consulted with, they both re-
solved 10 put into Dartmouth, and have her
searched and mended, which was according
ly done to their great charge and loss or
time and fair wnd. She was here thor
s6ghly searched from stem to stern; some
l9aks were found aud mended and now it
VAS conceived by the workmen and all that
slBe was sufficient and that they m ght pro-
cesd without either fear or danger. So with
GOOD hopes, from hence they put to sea
again, coDceiving they should go comforts
~ on, not looking for any more leis OF this
lad but it fell out otherwise; for after they
had gone to sea again above 100 leagues
Without the Lands Eud, holding company
together all this while, the master Of the
small ship complained his ship was so leaky
as he must bear up or sink at sea, for they
could scarce free her with much pumping.
SO they came to consultation again, and re-
solved both ships to bear up back again, and
put into Plymouth, which accordingly was
doBe. But no special leak could be found,
but it was judged to be the general weakness
of the ship, and that she would not prove
sufficient for the voyage. Upon this it was
resolved to dismiss her and a part OF the
company, and proceed with the other ship"
From the volume of 'TrelawDey Papers"
lately published by the Maine Historical 30
ciety, we learn that the weak old ship did
''prove sufficient afterwards for voyage to
New England aud 10 return.
John Winter, the agent at Richmonds
Island, wrote to Trelawney in England on
the 11th of June, 1895, as follows; ';Sr: IL
may please you to understand that the
| Speedwell arrived here on the 10Th OF April.
By her | received your order for despatching
her away for Bilooa." II have no
other intent as yet but to come away in the
Speedwell, for | think the company linen
| whose term of service had expired) will not
come home in her otherwise; they tell me so
plainly. The ship Is an old leuky resset still
and our men are very unwilling 10 come
| home in her. You made choice OF very
| bad ship to come this way, but l assure ny
| self that God of his mercy can bring as as
| safe home in this weak snip, as he can in
stronger if it please him."
This voyage of the Speedwell was made
fifteen years after her failure TO accompany
the Mayhower. Would there probably Do
two Speedwells In the west of England with
in this time, both "old leaky vesselsr' IL
Ihis was not the Speedwell of the Pilgrims,
why this expression of Winter-"The ship Is
an old leaky vessel still? 1t implies thai the
ship had bad reputation, which was known
by Trelawney Winter and their men. Her
| failure With the Mayiower was an event that
| all remembered. The merchant adventur-
1 6fS.f OF 1ll lDOutE 1uEuloucU thO hSt AAto
with the means TO purchase the Spsedwel
| in Holland, and when she proved ihsntti-
| cient they Of course took her off their hands
| and had her repaired. True to her tradition
the Speedwell sprung aleak In the harbor AZ
Richmond Island. Winter wrote on the
| 26h of June, "This letter not being sealed be-
| fore an Ill hap beiel US of great leak, which
| broke open upon us the night before we
| were ready to come to sea, that our men did
pump between and hundred strokes
| glass ian hourl-that we were compelled TO
| Take out most of our fish again and hanl the
| ship ashore to stop the leak, the next strake
| from the cardboard, in a seam and knot of
| the plank; but at present the ship is from
| the grouud, and tight, and all the fish in
that we took out"
| The 'ssmale ship" of Ill omen did carry her
| passengers and cargo safe home. John Joee-
| lyn says Winter was "a grave and discreet
| man'-his men must have believed him
more than that when they thought his pres
/ epce would save leaky ship.
| The historic Speedwell may have swung
| at her anchor in Portland harbor, as 1t often
occurred before the improvement OF the
| island harbor, when the uiAd was strong
| from certain points, that vessels were COM
| PEELED to leave their anchorage aud take
| shelter in Portland or Winter harbor, accord
| ing to the direction Of the wind.