The second trip of the Mary and John to colonial America began shortly after March 24, 1633/4, in London. The master was Robert Sayres (or Sayers).
It is not possible to construct a fully accurate passenger ship roster for the Mary and John, as no contemporaneous records have been found. Subsequent lists have been reconstructions and have been found to be full of inaccuracies.
Charles Edward Banks, wrote in The Planters of The Commonwealth in Massachusetts, 1620-1640, Boston, 1930 (p. 87), (excerpted below) wrote: "Mary and John, Thomas Chubb, Master. She sailed from Plymouth, England, March 20 [1630], with one hundred and forty passengers from the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon under the patronage of the Reverend John White."
For the voyage that took place in March 1633/4, the Mary and John Clearinghouse has constructed its best estimate of a passenger list. They confess it is only about 60-70% accurate.
In Ship Passenger Lists National and New England (1600-1825) edited and indexed by Carl Boyer, 3rd. Published by the Compiler Newhall, California 1977 p 142, it states:
John Farmer. A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England; Containing an Alphabetical List of the Governours, Deputy-Governours, Assistants or Counsellors, and ministers of the Gospel an the Several Colonies, from 1620 to 1692; Representatives of the General Court of Massachusetts, from 1634 to 1692; Graduates of Harvard College to 1662; Freemen Admitted to the Massachusetts Colony from 1630 to 1662; with Many Other of the Early inhabitants of Nee-England and Long-island, N. Y., from 1620 to the Year 1675.... (additions and corrections by Samuel G. Drake). Baltimore, 1969. 355 [Lancour No. 43].
This fine work has been superseded by larger works of James Savage and others. Samuel G. Drake in Result of Some Reseachers among the British Archives for information Relative to The Founders of New England: Made in the Years 1858, 1859, and 1860. Originally Collected for and published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and Now Corrected and Enlarged. Baltimore, 1969. 131 [Lancour No. 44].
This material has been treated subsequently by Charles Edward Banks in Lancour No. 35. Passengers of the Mary and John, 1634, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 9 (1855), 265-268 [Lanour No. 45].
Samuel Gardner Drake, Esq. Boston, May 31st, 1855
Dear Sir:—I communicate to you the following highly interesting documents for the Register, received through Mr. Cleveland of Salem. They will supply a gap, long bewailed, in early history of Newbury, by giving us the name of the vessel, in which her first settlers came to this county: in 1634.... It will be seen by the Order in Council, that the emigrants were at first "made staye of, untill further order from their Lordshipps;" who eventually let them go, under certain conditions, some of which seemed harder to them, perhaps, than they would now be considered. I understand the certificate of Mr. Whitehouse, at the end, to include the whole,-- the Order in Council, the interesting abstract of the charter of Charles I, and the list of passengers.
The name of the master of the Mary and John, is not very clear in my copy. It might be Swyers or Sawyers, -- and this latter might be corrupt way of spelling the French name Savory or Savary. This rendered less likely, however, by the fact, that this name is found in the list of passengers, spelled in a manner not departing very far from the modern mode. .[I]t has seemed to me most likely that Sayres was right.... Especially I am inclined to this opinion, since there occur evident mistakes in one or two other being amongst these, Hibbens is converted into Fribbens, the first being then of one of our "Assistants," and whose widow, as I regret to learn, by a note from one of of most eminent and excellent citizens and antiquarians, "was hanged for having more wit than benignity."
Respectfully, your obedient servant, G. L.
New England-At Whitehall the last of February 1633. Present.
Lop. Arch Bp. of Cant- | Lo. Cottington |
Lo. Keepr | Mr V. Chambrline |
Lo. Privie Seal | Mr Comptr |
Lo. high Chambrline | Mr Secretary Wyndibank |
Earl of Kelly |
Certificate of March 24, 1633/4, London
Robert Sayres (or Sayers), Master
(1)
Originally on the certificate for the Mary & John of London, but remained behind "to oversee the Chattle to pass in the Hercules."
See the Mary and John 1634, 1633/4.