The Ark and the Dove  finally leave England on 22 November 1633 so as to make landfall in the early Spring in the Chesapeake. However, shortly a storm splits the Ark’s main sail and forces her to return to the Isle of Wight for repairs, delaying things before being able to set out again on the usual south and west route for the West Indies to catch up with the Dove in Barbados. There (main scene) they buy supplies of Indian corn seed to plant in Virginia when they get settled. The white plantation owner is shown checking off the sacks which are being loaded on to Calvert’s ship by Negro slaves.

Among Governor Calvert’s fellow adventurers on this momentous voyage and named on this panel, is Jerome Hawley, important because he’s one of the Commissioners for the Colony. He comes from Boston, near Brentford in Middlesex. There’s also Edward Winter, aboard with his brother Frederick. They are travelling with one of their relatives Sir John Winter who has such faith in the enterprise that he has given up the very lucrative and important post of Secretary to Queen Henrietta Marie herself. Thomas Cromwell is a pioneer from Suffolk and yet another member of an important Catholic family. His great grandfather who lived at Brome Hall in Suffolk was Catholic Queen Mary’s Controller of the Household. Another Thomas, Thomas Dorrell, who Calvert has chosen to be one of the expedition’s leaders is related to the Dorrells of Scotney Castle in Kent (today owned by the National Trust) where Jesuit Richard Blount, returning from abroad, founded a centre for his missionary work and escaped capture by hiding in a secret chamber known as a Priest’s Hole. Finally and last named here is one who will not be staying long in Maryland but later return home. He’s Cavalier soldier Richard Gerard from Ince in Lancashire.

Thanking God the migrants eventually make it to Virginia where Leonard Calvert pays his respects to Governor Harvey at Jamestown and delivers the Royal mail. He then heeds Harvey’s advice and that of other seasoned colonists who show them on a map the best place up the coast for the would-be colonists to plant England’s new Maryland settlement.