<P> Captain Jones became master of the Mayflower 11 years prior to the Pilgrims' voyage, sailing the ship cross-Channel taking English woolens to France and bringing French wine to London . In addition, he had also transported hats, hemp, Spanish salt, hops, and vinegar to Norway, and may have taken the Mayflower whaling in the North Atlantic in the Greenland area . She had traveled to Mediterranean ports, being then owned by Christopher Nichols, Robert Child, Thomas Short, and Christopher Jones, the ship's master . In 1620, Jones and Robert Child still owned their quarter shares in the ship, and it was from them that Thomas Weston chartered her in the summer of 1620 to undertake the Pilgrim voyage . Weston had a significant role in the Mayflower voyage, due to his membership in the Company of Merchant Adventurers, and he eventually traveled to the Plymouth Colony himself . </P> <P> There were 26 vessels bearing the same name as the Pilgrim ship in the Port Books of England in the reign of James I (1603--1625), and the reason for this popularity of the name has never been found . One particular Mayflower that has caused historical confusion is a Mayflower erroneously identified as one of the 1620 Pilgrims . This ship was partly owned by John Vassall and was outfitted for Queen Elizabeth in 1588, during the time of the Spanish Armada, a war for which Vassall outfitted several ships . However, there are no records of Vassall's Mayflower after 1594 . The identity of Captain Jones's Mayflower is based on records of the time of her home port, her tonnage (est. 180--200 tons), and the master's name in 1620 in order to avoid confusion with the many other Mayflower ships . </P> <P> Records dating from August 1609 first note Christopher Jones as master and part owner of the Mayflower when his ship was chartered for a voyage from London to Trondheim in Norway and back to London . The ship lost an anchor on her return, due to bad weather, and made short delivery of her cargo of herrings . Litigation resulted, and this was still proceeding in 1612 . </P> <P> Christopher Jones is described in a document of January 1611 as being "of Harwich", and his ship is called the Mayflower of Harwich (in the county of Essex). Records of Jones's ship Mayflower show that the ship was twice on the Thames at London in 1613, once in July and again in October and November . Records of 1616 again state that Jones's ship was on the Thames, carrying a cargo of wine, which suggests that the ship had recently been on a voyage to France, Spain, Portugal, the Canaries, or some other wine - producing land . </P>

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