It is now 29 March 1630. The two ships, the Mary and John and the Gift lie moored in Sutton harbour in Plymouth’s Barbican. The cargo has been loaded and stowed away and the vessels lie low in the water. All that remains is for the passengers to embark but that will be tomorrow. Early this morning John White, with Captain Squib has been to HQ of the Council for the Governing of New England to run over again their plans for their Massachusetts settlement with Sir Ferdinando Gorges. White is not going himself but he has ordered Squib not to put the settlers ashore at Endicott’s  Salem. He must choose somewhere up the Charles River instead.

Discussions over, White hurries alone up to the Hospital of the Poors Portion which is adjacent to the Prysten House and St. Andrew’s Church (scene 4, 1620 panel). There he joins the leaders of the enterprise Roger Ludlow of Wiltshire, Edward Rossiter from Somerset and the two ministers (scene 2) Maverick and Warham. Roger Clapp is there, as too is William Hanham from Dorchester, a kinsman of Captain Thomas Hanham (1605 panel, the first man to survey the coast of Maine). Also present are George Dyer of Somerset, Richard Southcote and Thomas Stoughton, all with their womenfolk, servants and children. Many have been lodging in the Hospital, which is a Puritan institution for destitute children and a rest home for the aged. It is here then that White and his flock spend the rest of the day in prayer, led by the Puriton vicar of St. Andrew’s, the Rev. Matthias Nicholls. Amazingly, it is history repeating itself, for it was in Plymouth ten years ago that the Mayflower Separatists were welcomed by the then Vicar of St. Andrew’s and held services before setting out to the New World.

Leaving Plymouth on 30 March, the two ships reach New England on 30 May where Captain Squib, fearing the unknown waters of what is to become known as Boston Harbour, dumps his passengers at Nantasket Point. Here they have to make their way across the Bay in smaller craft to land at Mattapan, then later move on to found and name the town of Dorchester in Massachusetts, in John White’s honour.