The Tale of the Marigold

The Tale of the Marigold

It is generally accepted that between May 5 & May 20, 1619 John Comes (Jamestown John) arrived at Jamestown, Virginia on the Marigold & his ship had set anchor. John immigrated to Jamestown on the Marigold from England. He came to America as an indentured servant to help set up the colonies for two to six years in exchange for free passage on the Marigold. It has been said he was the son of John & Margaret Archdale Combe. There is conflicting documentation relative to the relationship which contradicts the lineage associated with John of Jamestown and tale of the Marigold trip. Here is part of the tale:

It’uz a long 8 ta 12 weeks. Travel from England was reals hard in dem days! Most dem guys a-travlin’ ta Jamestown jus didn’t have da stamina and lotso ‘em jus died. Dem sailors didn’t know shi’ noways; navigation’uz real pathetic, mights e’en say primitive. Da ship’s captain and crew didn’t e’en know how fast they/uz a goin’. Hell, they eid’t e’en know where ‘ems wuz mo’t eida time. ‘Ey didn’t e’en knowed nuttun bout the Gulf Stream! No idea where they wuz most a da time… or more i’portant, where they’ould ends up.

Conditions on dat ship wuz jus unbearable. Dem motley passengers traveled alow deck ins da “hold”, jus a big room at a-bottom of da ship it wuz… maybe lessen five feet of headroom. ‘Ceptin fer realz short folk, allz ‘em had ta stoop a’most da entire time they’uz afoot. There wutten’t but a few lanterns ‘n da room’uz a’most always pret-much dark. Da hold floor was covered wit a bunch a deep sand a-givin’ stability ta da ship. A fire’uz always a-burning on da sand ‘n a chimney’uz a-runnin’ rights through da deck. Dat hold’uz always fillt wit’ smoke. There’uz no privacy neiter. Dem shi’buckets wuz jus a-sittin’ ‘round fer a-pissin’ ‘n shitin’. Dem passengers had ta take da shi’ buckets up ta da deck a specific times ta dump ‘em ov’r da side a da ship. There’uz dirty utensils and cookin’ pots around da fireplace fer ‘em ta makes ‘eir own meals. Food’uz really bad. Nuttin’ fresh a-course. Bread’uz always a-moldy n’ infested wit wha’ e’er. Dar’uz salted meat a-had maggots and most always wuz a-rotten. Haha, they’uz a callin’ it “survival a da fittest!” Only da folk God a-wanted ta make it ‘ould be a-survivin’. Those who completed the voyage w’uz definite da strongest and most fit a’ da bunch. Half a ‘em maybe or e’en less ‘ould a-make it off da ship but a half a dem ‘ould pass away realz soon after they’us a getting’ here. Dem survivors dough, they’uz a providin da good stock fer a makin the next folk haha. America came from da toughest folk aroun’ fer sure!

Conditions’uz only a-slight bit better for ‘em officers and crew who’uz also a- livin in dem crowded deckhouses.

Captain Lane’s Marigold had set out from an English port in about March, 1619 and during a May high tide she cast anchor and tied up on the lower James River. The passenger list included respectable citizens, officials of the Virginia Company, indentured servants, and convicts. John Comes was immediately turned over to Governor Sir George Yeardley who had just come over himself…

Dr. Josiah H Combs