Thomas Morton

“ Dame. Ah! here they are, coming to sell I suppose—
Ash. Lettun—lettun zeize and zell; we ha gotten here [Striking his breast.] what we won't zell, and they can't zell. [Knocking again.] Come in—dang it, don't ye be shy.
Enter Morrington and Gerald.
Henry. Ah! the strangers I saw this morning. These are not officers of law.
Ash. Noa!—Walk in, gemmen. Glad to zee ye wi' all my heart and zoul. Come, dame, spread a cloth, bring out cold meat, and a mug of beer.
Gerald. [To Morrington.] That is the boy. [Morrington nods.]
Ash. Take a chair, zur. ”

“ I made what amends I could for my slight of the Mortons in the Temple Church, by crossing presently to Clifford's Inn, Strand, where the very founder of Merrymount, the redoubtable Thomas Morton himself was sometime student of the law and a dweller in these precincts. It is now the hall of the Art Workers' Guild, and anywhere but in London would be incredibly quiet and quaint in that noisy, commonplace, modern neighborhood. ”

“ MORTON, THOMAS (1564–1659) , English bishop, was born at York, and was educated at York and Halifax grammar-schools and St John’s College, Cambridge, where he became fellow on taking his degree. He was ordained in 1592, and held the office of university lecturer in logic till in 1598 he was presented to the living of Long Marston, Yorkshire. He gained a considerable reputation as a Protestant controversialist, and published numerous works against Roman Catholicism, chief among them being the Apologia catholica (1605) and A Catholicke Appeale (1609) . ”

“ MORTON, Sir ALBERTUS (1584?–1625) , secretary of state, born about 1584, was youngest of the three sons of George Morton of Eshere in Chilham, Kent, by Mary, daughter of Robert Honywood of Charing in the same county. He was descended from the family of Morton of Mildred St. Andrew, Dorset, of which John Morton [q. v.] , archbishop of Canterbury, was a member. His grandmother, when left a widow, remarried Sir Thomas Wotton, and became the mother of Sir Henry Wotton [q. v.] , who always called himself Albertus Morton's uncle. ”

“ Morton was the Gamaliel at whose feet young More was brought up, drinking in his wisdom, storing up in memory his rich historic knowledge, learning the world’s ways and even something of the ways of kings, till a naturally sharp wit became unnaturally sharpened, and Morton recognised in the youth the promise of the future greatness of the man. ”

“ Compared with this castle, the Cretan labyrinth was intelligible; and unless some kind Ariadne gives me a clue, I shan't have the pleasure of seeing you above once a-week.
Sir Philip. I beg your pardon, I have been an inattentive host.
Handy, jun. Oh, no; but when a house is so devilish large, and the party so very small, they ought to keep together; for, to say the truth, though no one on earth feels a warmer regard for Robert Handy than I do—I soon get heartily sick of his company—whatever he may be to others, he's a cursed bore to me.
Sir Philip. Where's your worthy father? ”

“ While, therefore, it would seem that grave charges were in general circulation against Morton, connecting him with some deed of violence, it is necessary to bear in mind that considerable allowance must be made before any accusation against him can be accepted on the word of either the Massachusetts or the Plymouth authorities, or those in sympathy with them. Yet Morton was a reckless man, and he lived in a time when no great degree of sanctity attached to human life ”

“ Ash. No, but thee shat'un—thee shat'un—I tell thee. Thee have givun me thy hand on't, and dom'me if thee sha't budge one step out of this house. Drabbit it! what can he do? he can't send us to jail. Why, I have corn will zell for half the money I do owe'un—and han't I cattle and sheep? deadly lean to be zure—and han't I a thumping zilver watch, almost as big as thy head? and Dame here a got——How many silk gowns have thee got, dame!
Dame. Three, Tummas—and sell them all—and I'll go to church in a stuff one—and let Mrs. Grundy turn up her nose as much as she pleases.
Henry. ”

“ Ecod, I believe now, as thy feyther zays, thee canst do every thing!
Handy, jun. No; for there is one thing I cannot do—injure the innocence of woman.
Ash. Drabbit it! I shall walk in the road all day to zee Sue ride by in her own coach.
Susan. You must ride with me, father.
Dame. I say, Tummas, what will Mrs. Grundy say then?
Ash. I do hope thee will not be asham'd of thy feyther in laa, wool ye?
Handy, jun. No; for then I must also be ashamed of myself, which I am resolved not to be again.
Enter Sir Abel Handy.
Sir Abel. Heyday, Bob! why an't you gallanting your intended bride? ”

“ Enter Farmer and Dame, with Sir Abel.
Ash. My dear Susan!
[They run to Susan.
Dame. My sweet child! give me a kiss.
Ash. Hald thee! Feyther first though—Well, I be as mortal glad to zee thee as never war—and how be'st thee? and how do thee like Lunnun town? it be a deadly lively place I be tuold.
Dame. Is not she a sweet girl?
Sir Abel. That she is.
Lady H. [With affected dignity.] Does it occur to any one present, that Lady Handy is in the room?
Sir Abel. Oh, Lud! I'm sure, my dear wife, I never forget, that you are in the room.
Ash. Drabbitit! I overlooked Lady Nelly, sure enow ”

“ Dame Ashfield discovered at work with her needle, Henry sitting by her.
Dame. Come, come, Henry, you'll fret yourself ill, child. If Sir Philip will not be kind to you, you are but where you were.
Henry. [Rising.] My peace of mind is gone for ever. Sir Philip may have cause for hate;—spite of his unkindness to me, my heart seeks to find excuses for him—oh! that heart doats on his lovely daughter.
Dame. [Looking out.] Here comes Tummas home at last. Heyday what's the matter with the man! He doesn't seem to know the way into his own house. ”

“ And he, with the consent of the said Rasdall, appointed one Fitcher to be his Lieutenant, and govern the remains of the plantation till he, or Rasdall, returned to take further order thereabout. But this Morton, abovesaid, having more craft than honesty, in the others’ absence watches an opportunity, (commons being but hard amongst them,) and got some strong drink and other junkets, and made them a feast; and after they were merry, he began to tell them he would give them good counsel. ‘You see,’ saith he, ‘that many of your fellows are carried to Virginia ”

“ No harm I do hope, zur.
Sir Abel. None at all.
Ash. But dash it, Lady Nelly, what do make thee paint thy vace all over we rud ochre zoo? Be it vor thy spouse to knaw thee?—that be the way I do knaw my sheep.
Sir Abel. The flocks of fashion are all marked so, Farmer.
Ash. Likely! Drabbit it! thee do make a tightish kind of a ladyship zure enow.
Dame. That you do, my lady! you remember the old house?
Ash. Aye; and all about it, doant ye? Nelly! my lady!
Lady H. Oh! I'm quite shock'd—Susan, child! prepare a room where I may dress before I proceed to the castle. ”

“ Lady Handy, some of your people were inquiring for you.
Lady H. Thank you, sir. Come, Sir Abel.
[Exit.
Sir Abel. Yes, my lady—I say [To Evergreen.] cou'dn't you give me a hint of the way he had—
Lady H. [Without.] Sir Abel!
Sir Abel. Coming, my soul!
[Exit.
Sir Philip. So! you have well obeyed my orders in keeping this Henry from my presence.
Everg. I was not to blame, master.
Sir Philip. Has Farmer Ashfield left the Castle?
Everg. No, sir.
Sir Philip. Send him hither. [Exit Evergreen.] That boy must be driven far, far from my sight—but where?—no matter! the world is large enough. ”

“ Handy, jun. And you shall have it, my dear girl!—Madam, I mean.
Lady H. I vow, I am agitated to that degree—Sir Abel! my fan.
Sir Abel. Yes, my dear—Bob, look here, a little contrivance of my own. While others carry swords and such like dreadful weapons in their canes, I more gallantly carry a fan. [Removes the head of his cane, and draws out a fan.] A pretty thought, isn't it? [Presents it to his lady.]
Ash. Some difference between thic stick and mine, beant there, zur?
[To Handy, jun.
Handy, jun. [Moving away.] Yes, there is.— [To Lady H.] Do you call that fanning yourself? ”

“ Ash. It were never held out to clinch a hard bargain, nor will it turn a good lad out into the wide wicked world, because he be poorish a bit. I be zorry you be offended, zur, quite—but come what wool, I'll never hit thic hand against here, but when I be zure that zumeit at inside will jump against it with pleasure. [Bowing.] I do hope you'll repent of all your zins—I do, indeed, zur; and if you shou'd, I'll come and zee you again as friendly as ever—I wool, indeed, zur.
Sir Philip. Your repentance will come too late. ”

“ It is impossible to venture a surmise even as to their meaning. It would seem clear that they have no historical value, but relate rather to some humorous incident—having the full seventeenth-century flavor of coarseness—which occurred in the settlement of Boston Bay. Apparently, judging by the expressions, “this goodly creature of incontinency” (Infra, *129) , “that had tried a camp royal in other parts” (*121) , some English prostitute found her way out to Mount Wollaston, in company with one of the adventurers there, and subsequently went on to Virginia. ”

“ He had come to New England to make money, as well as to enjoy the license of a frontier life. He was fully alive to the profits of the peltry trade, [Pg 20] and in carrying on that trade he was restrained by no scruples. The furs of course came from the interior, brought by Indians. In his dealings with the Indians Morton adopted a policy natural enough for one of his reckless nature, but which imperilled the existence of every European on the coast. The two things the savages most coveted were spirits and guns,—fire-water and fire-arms. ”

“ Archbishop Laud molested the colony no further. Doubtless Morton yet endeavored more than once to stir him up to action, and the next year he received from New England other and bitter complaints of the same character as those which had come to him before. This time it was the Rev. George Burdet—a disreputable clergyman, subsequently a thorn in Gorges’s side as now in that of Winthrop—who wrote to him. The harassed and anxious Primate could, however, only reply that “by reason of the much business now lay upon them, [the Lords Commissioners] could not at present ... ”

“ Hee pretended, out of [Pg 301] a zealous intent to doe the Salvages good, and to teach them. Hee brought a great Bundell of Horne books with him, and carefull hee was, (good man,) to blott out all the crosses of them, for feare least the people of the land should become Idolaters. Hee was in hope, with his gifts, to prepare a great auditory against greate Iosua should arive there.
{154} Hee applyed himselfe on the weeke dayes to the trade of Beaver, but it was, (as might seeme,) to purchase the principall benefite of the Lande, when the time should come ”

“ Frost, sitting quietly at her knitting, edged her chair a little nearer, that she, too, might listen to Mr. Morton's story. As this was of some length, we shall devote to it a separate chapter.
CHAPTER XIX. THE WONDERFUL TRANSFORMATION
“My story,” commenced Mr. Morton, “is rather a remarkable one in some respects; and I cannot vouch for its being true. I shall call it 'The Wonderful Transformation.'
“Thomas Tubbs was a prosperous little tailor, and for forty years had been a resident of the town of Webbington, where he had been born and brought up. ”

“ Hee thought, perhaps, mine Host, (that had the slight to escape from the nine Worthies, to chaine Argus eies, and by [Pg 304] inchauntment make the doores of the watch tower fly open at an instant,) would not be hampered, but with much a doe: and so hee was unwilling to be troubled with that taske.
The agent wondring to see that his gold would doe no good, did aske the cunning man if hee could give him no advise? who said, hee would: and what was that, thinke you? To let mine Host alone. Who, {157} being ship’d againe for the parts of New Canaan, was put Mine Host arrived againe in Plimmouth. ”

“ The brethren, (sharpe witted,) had it spread by and by amongst his freinds in England, that Report Mr. Weston was mad in New England. the man was mad. So thought his wife, so thought his other freindes that had it from a Planter of the Towne. So was it thought of those, that did not know the Brethren Honest men in particular. could dissemble: why, thus they are all of them honest men in their particular, and every man, beinge bound to seeke anothers good, shall in the generall doe the best hee can to effect it, and so they may be excused I thinke. ”

“ And he deserves to be loved—Why, he's as handsome as a peach tree in blossom; and his mind is as free from weeds as my favourite carnation bed. But, Thomas, run to the castle, and receive Sir Abel and his son.
Ash. I wool, I wool—Zo, good day. [Bowing.] Let every man make his bow, and behave pratty—that's what I say.—Missus, do'ye show un Sue's letter, woolye? Do ye letten see how pratty she do write feyther. ”

“ He came to New England with Winthrop, and was among the magistrates who were present at the trial of Morton in September, 1630. (Records, vol. i. pp. 73, 75.) He was the first ruling-elder of the Charlestown church. He is described as having been “a worthy pious man” (Eliot) ; and if he was the person intended by Morton,—which is not at all clear,—the propriety of calling him Ananias, if it rests on anything, is not apparent from the record. ”

“ These are the men that come prepared to ridd the Land of all pollution. These are more subtile then the Cunning, that did refuse a goodly heap of gold. [523] These men have brought a very snare indeed; and now mine Host must suffer. The book of Common Prayer, which hee used, to be despised: and hee must not be spared.
Now they are come, his doome before hand was concluded on: they have a warrant now: A cheife one too: and now mine Host must know hee is the subject of their hatred: the Snare must now be used; this instrument must not be brought by Iosua in vaine. ”