.

“ Noctor is a tbing assigned

"Much rejoicing was made that they had By the Deity's own mind,

gotten their capital enemy, as they considered To cure the heart oppressed with grief, bim, whom they proposed to hamper in such And of good liquors is the chief.

sort that he should not be able to uphold bis " Then drink, etc.,

plantation at Ma-re Mount. lo, to Hymen, etc.

“The conspirators sported themselves at

mine honest biost that meant tbem no barm, “Give to the melancholy man

and were so jocund that they feasted their A cup or two of 't now and then,

bodies, and fell to tippling as if they had ob. This physic will soon revive his blood,

tained a great prize ; like the Trojans when And inake him of a merrier mood.

they had the custody of Hippeas's pine tree • Then drink, etc.,

borse. Mine bost feigned grief, and would not Io, to Hymen, etc.

be persuaded either to eat or drink, because

he knew einptiness would be a means to make “Give to the nymph that's free from scorn, No Irish stuff, nor Scotch overworn ;

him as watchful as the geese kept in the Ro. Lassies in beaver coats, como away,

man capitol, whereupon the contrary part the Ye shall be welconie to us night and day.

conepirators would be so drowsy, that he might

have an opportunity to give them a slip in• Then drink, and to be merry, etc.,

stead of a tester. Sis persons of the conspiralo, to Hymen, etc."

cy were set to watch bim at Wissaguseet,

but he kept waking, and, in the dead of night, “Thir harmless mirth,” continues Morton, one lying on the bed, for further surety, up made by young men* that lived in hopes to gets mine bost and got to the secopd door that bave wives brought over to them, that would he was to pass, which, notwithstanding the have them a labor to make a voyage to fetch lock, bo got open, and 'shut it after him with any over, was much distrusted of tho preciso such violence that it affrighted some of the Separatists that kept much ado about the conspirators. The word, which was given with tythe of mint and cumin, troubling their an alarm, was, 0, he's gone! be's gone! what brains more than reason would require, about shall we do? he's gone!' The rest, half asleep, things that are indifferent, and from that timo start up in & maze, and, like rams, run their nought occasion against mine honest host of bends une at another full butt in the dark. 18-re Mount, to overthrow his undertakings, " Their grand leader, Captain Shrimp, and to destroy his plantation quite clean. took on most furiously, and tore his clothes

“The setting up of his May pole was a la- for anger to see the empty nest and the bird inentable spectacle to the precise Separatists gone. The rest were oager to have torn that lived at New Plymouth. They termed it their bair from their heads ; but it was 80 an idol ; yea, they called it the Calf of Horeb, short that it would give them no hold. Now and stood at defiance with the place, naming it Captuin Shrimp thought, in the loss of this Mount Dagon, threatening to make it a woeful prize (which he accounted his master-piece), mount, and not a merry mount."

all his power would be lost forever.

"In the mean time mine bost was got home Morton proceeds, in his next chapter, to Ma-re Mount through the woods, eight to relate what the Plymouth historians

miles round about the river Monatoquit, that do not mention—a capture previous to

parted the two plantations, finding his way by

the help of the lightning (for it thundered, as the final one, and his escape from it: be went, terribly), and there be prepared pow.

der, three pounds, driod for his present em. Many threatening spoeches were given ployment, and four good guns for him and the out, both against bis person and bis habitation, two assistants left at his bouse, with bullets which they divulged should be consumed with of several sizes, three hundred or thereabouts, fre. And taking advantage of the time when to be used if the conspirators should pursuo his company, which seemed little to regard bim thither; and these two persons promised their threats, were gone up into the inlands to their aid in the quarrel, and confirmed that trade with the eavages for bearer, they set promise with a health in good rosa salis. upon mine host at a place called Wissagus. "Now Captain Shrimp (the first captain in cus, where, by accident, they found him. the land, as bo supposed) must do some act The inbabitants theret were in good bope to repair this loss, and to vindicate his reputaof the subversion of the plantation at Ma-re tion, which had sustained blemish by this Mount, which they principally, aimed at; oversight. and tho rather because mine host was a .“ He takes eight persons more to him, and man that endeavored to advance the dignity (like the pine worthies of New Canaan) they of the Church of England, which they, on the embark with preparations against Ma-re contrary part, would labor to vilify with un- Mount, where this monster of a man, as their civil terms, envying against the sacred book phrase was, had his den. The whole number, of Common Prayer, and mine host, that read had the rest not been from home, being but it in a laudable manner among his family, as Beven, would have givep Captain Shrimp a a practice of pioty.

quondam drumimerg) such a welcome as would

Among these wild companions was one Edward Gibbons, destined to become one of the pillars of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, and of whom, in his character of Major General of Ibat colony, we may hereafter bave occasion to speak. 1 Since the breaking up of Weston's colony, other adventurers bad settled in Wissagusset.

Such is the nom de guerre under which Morton designates our Standish, probably in dorisive allusion to his small size, and whom it thus appears was the leader of the Plymouth party. This

eertainly a calumpy.

have made him wish for a drum as big as Din. their herrld returns it was agreed upon, and gencs' tub, that he might have crept into it should be performed. out of sight.

" But mine host had no sooner opened tho “Now, the nine wortbies are approached door and issued out, but instantly Captain and mine bost prepared, baving intelligence Shrimp and the rest of the worthics stepped to by a savage that hastened in love from Wig. him, laid hold of his arms, and had him down ; sagubsct to give him notice of their intent. and so eagerly was every man bent against him One of mine bost's men proved & craven, (not regarding any agreement made with such the other had proved his wits to purchase a à carnal man), that they fell upon biin as if little valor before mine bost bad observed his they would have eaten bim. Sone of them posture.

were so violent, that they would have a slice “The nine worthies coming before this sup- with scabbard, and all for baste; until an old pobed monster (the seven-headed bydra, as soldier (of the queen's, as the proverb is), that ibey termed him), began, like Don Quixoto was there by accident, clapt his gun under the against the wind-mill, to beat a parley and to of. weapons, and sharply rebuked these wortbies fer quarter (if mine host would yield); for they for their unworthy practices ; the matter resolved to send him to England, and bade was taken into more deliberale consideration. bim lay by his arms. But he, who was the Captain Sbrimp and the rest of the nine fou of a soldier, baving taken up arins in his worthies made themselves, by this outrageous just defense, replied that he would not lay by riot, masters of mine host of Ma-re Mount, and ihose arms, because they were so needful at disposed of what he had at his plantation. Bea, if he should be sent over. Yet, to save This they knew, in the eyes of the savages, the effusion of so much worthy blood as would add to their glory, and dininish the would bave issued out of the veins of those reputation of mine honest host, whom they nine worthies of New Canaan, if mine host practiced to be rid of upon any terms, as will

. abould have played upon them out of his port. ingly as if he had been the very bydra of the holes (for they were within danger like a

times." flock of wild geese, as if they had been tailed one to another as colts to be sold at a fair), mine host was content to yield upon, quarter; amounting to £12 7s. 3d., were paid by

The expenses of this enterprise, and did capitulate with them, in what manner it should be, with more certainty because he an assessment on eight plantations scatknew wbat Captain Shrimp was. He cxprees- tered along the coast, froin Piscataqua cd that no violence should be offered to his

to Plymouth, but several of which apperson, pone to his goods nor any of bis houseSold; but that he should have his arms and

pear to have been little more than sin. what else was requisite for the voyage, which, gle families.

!

* Morton was sent to England under charge of Oldham, with whom the people of New Ply. nouth seem, by this time, to bave become reconciled.

Soon after his departure, Endicott, who had, meanwhile, arrived at Salem, " visiting those parts," as Bradford informs us, causcd the May.pole to be cut down, and rebuked them for beir profaneness, and admonished them to look there shuuld be better walking ; so thoy, now, or otbers, changed the name again, and called it Mount Dagon."

Morton, however, returned next year, having obtained passage with Allerton, one of the prin. cipal men of New Plymouth, in the trading line, but who, by this and other proceedings, 800n iell into disgrace with his follow-colonists and removed to Manhattan, which began thus early to be a city of refuge to New Englanders, who got into trouble at home. “He gave," says Bradford, “ great and just offense in bringing over, for his gain, that unworthy man and instrument of mischief. Morton, who was sent home but the year before for his misdemeanors." He not only brought him over," but to the town," i. e., Plymouth, " as it were, to nose them, and lodged him at his house for a time, using him as a scribe to do his business, till he was caused to pack him away. So he went to his old nest in the Massachusetts, where it was not loog but, by his miscarriage, he gave them just occasion

to lay

hands upon him ; and he was by them again sent prisoner into England, where be lay a good while in Exeter jail. For, besides his miscarriage here, be was vehemently suspected for tho murder of a man that had adventured moneys with him when he first camo to New England; and a warrant was sent from the Lord Chief Justice to apprebend him, by virtue whereof he was, by the Governor of Massachusetts, Rent into England." With regard to this arrest, the following entries appear in the records of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, which, since Morton's former shipinent to England, had superseded Plymouth in the headship of New England affairs : "Aug. 23, 1630. It was ordered thåt Morton, of Mount Wollaston be sent for by process." “ Sept. 7, 1630. It is ordered by this present court that Thomas Morton, of Mount Wollaston, shall presently be set into the bilboes, and after sent prisoner into England by the ship called The Gift, now return. ing thither; that all his goods shall be seized upon to defray the charge of his transportation, payment of his debts, and to give satisfaction to the Indians for a canoe he unjustly took

away from them; and that his house, after his goods are taken out, shall be burnt down to the ground in the sight of the Indians, for their satisfaction for many wrongs he bad done them, from time to time.

The charge against Morton, of murder, soems to bave been unfounded ; and there may be some doubts, too, as to his alleged wrongs to the Indians. He was soon released, and, along with other “old planters" whom the Massachusetts colonists bad sent home, became their violent enemy, and, by representations to the privy council, caused tho Massachusetts people duch appoyance, and even put their charter in danger. It was at this period that he published his book, entitled " New English Canaan : or, New Canaan, containing an abstract of New Eogland, written by Thomas Morton, of Clifford's Inn, Gent., upon ten years' knowledge and

:

Subsequently to this expedition, rious charges made against the colony Captain Standish was annually cho- of Massachussetts Bay, by the council sen one of the governor's assistants, of New England-of which mention is till 1634, when he was employed on a made in the former article above alluded mission of some delicacy, both on per- to-and the alarm excited by which, sonal and public considerations, to Mas. might, perhaps, have been one reason of sachusetts. The Plymouth people had the sensitiveness of Massachusetts upon & post near the mouth of the Kenne- this affair, lest they might in some way beck river, of which, and the territory be held responsible for it. The object on both sides for fifteen miles on that of Standish's mission was, to procure river, they had obtained a grant, and the release of Mr. Alden, and to obtain where they carried on a lucrative trade from the Massachusetts magistrates an with the neighboring Indians. An in- acknowledgment of the jurisdiction of terloping vessel from Piscataqua having Plymouth over the river Kennebeckattempted to participate in this trade, a business which, at length, after some and refusing to leave the river, a collis. delays, was satisfactorily concluded. ion ensued, in which both sides had It was either just after this embassy to each a man killed. The Lord Say and Boston, or the year before—for BradSoale and Lord Brook, both largely con- ford gives one date, and Winthrop the cerned in the colonization of New Eng- other, and both are very high authoriland, were interested in this vessel ; and ties, though, as to this matter, Winthrop the colony of Massachusetts Bay, partly would seem to be right—that Standout of regard, to those noblemen, but ish was sent to Boston on another pubstill more, perhaps, from the call which lio errand—the prosecution for piracy the magistrates of that colony seemed of one Captain Stone, who, after liv. to think they had to meddle with and ing in St. Kitts in the West Indies, had superintend the affairs of their neigh- removed to Virginia, whence he had bors, undertook to arrest, at Boston, come on a trading voyage to Boston, Mr. Alden of Plymouth-the very man with a cargo of cows and salt. On his who, in the matter of Miss Mullins, had way thither, he had touched at Manhatcut out Standish—who happened to have tan, where at the same time lay a tradbeen present at the affray, though he ing_bark from Plymouth. According had taken no part in it, and who after- to Bradford's account, Stone, who was wards bad gone on business to Boston. å great roysterer, having got Governor This was in 1634, at the time of the se- Van Twiller drunk-for they had drunk

experiments of the country:" Most of the copies purport to be “Printed by Charles Green, 1632; but a single copy, with the imprint, “ Printed at Amsterdam by J. F. Stam, 1637,” has led to the conclusion that this was the true date of publication, ard that the other title-page is a falso one. The title is not intended, as might be supposed, as a sneer; on the other hand, it expresses Morton's opinion of the country as a most inviting place for settlement He possessed good powers of observation, considerable humor, and, as his abundant classical allusions show, was an educated person. The work is divided into three books, of which the first relates to the Indians, and the second to the “ internal endowments" or produotions of the country. Both these parts are curious and valuable, especially the first. In the third book, Morton gives an account of the settlements and settlers, not so'much by way of continuous narrative, as in a series of satirical sketches, in which he speaks of the leading, personages, not by their own names, but by nicknames of his own imposing. Thus, Standish, as we have soen, is called Captain Shrimp: Endicott is called Littleworth; Winthrop, Temperwell; and so of others. The book is dedicated to the Lords of the Privy Council, Commissioners for the Govern. ment of all His Majesty's Foreign Provinces-the same commission of which Land was the head, and which inspired so much dread in Massachusetts. “It is," he says, in his dedication, but a widow's mite; but all that rapine and wrong have left me to bring from thence."

Its publication did him po good in New England, where, after the breaking out of the civil war between Charles and the parliament, he ventured to return. Winthrop, under date of Doc. 3, 1643, thus notices his arrival : "At this time came over Thomas Morton, our professed old adversary, who bad set forth a book against us, and written reproachful and menacing letters to some of us." He was called before the court of assistants, “presently after the lecture," and bis various offenses against the colony charged upon him, and some of his own letters produced. “Having been kept,” adds Winthrop, * in prison about a year, in expecta. tion of further evidence out of England, he was again called before the court, and, after some debate what to do with him, bo was fined £100, and set at liberty. He was a charge to the country, for he had nothing; and we thought not fit to inflict corporal punishment upon him, being old and crazy, but thought better to fine him and give him his liberty, as if it had been to procure bis fine, but, indeed, to leave him opportunity to go out of tho jarisdiction, as he did soon after, went to Agomenticus, and, living there poor and despised, died within two years after."

.

was

en governors in those days as well as precise manner of his death, none very Dow—bad persuaded him, though there authentic; but the Pequods insisted

no occasion at all or any color of that he had been the aggressor, a thing ground for such a thing," to allow him in itself, from what we know of the man, (Stone) to seize the Plymouth vessel. exceedingly probable. As Stone be. “So he got on board,” says Bradford, longed to Virginia, the magistrates of " the chief of their (i. e., the Plymouth) Massachusetts wrote to Governor Harship’s-men and mercbant being ashore, vey of that colony" to move bim to stir and with some of his own men made thé in the matter;" but in the disturbed state rest of theirs weigh anchor, set sail, and of Virginia affairs-Harvey being in carry ber away towards Virginia. But the midst of a violent quarrel with divers of the Dutch seamen, who had his subjects-no notice

appears to been often at Plymouth and kindly en- have been taken of their letter, and the tertained there, said one to another: dubious death of this drunkard and pi. "Shall we suffer our friends to be thus rate was made the occasion, two years abused and bave their goods carried after, for the famous Pequod war. away before our faces, w'silst our gov- Meanwhile, in 1635, Standish was ernor is drunk ?". They vowed they employed in another important enternover would suffer it; and so got a ves- prise. In addition to their trading-post sel or two and pursued bim, and brought on the Kennebeck, the Plymouth men him in again and delivered them (i. e., had established two others; one at Pethe Plymouth men) their bark' and nobscot, the other still further east, al. goods again.". After this escapade, most at the entrance of the Bay of Stono proceeded to Boston, whither Fundy. This latter post, however, Standish was sent to prosecute him was hardly established, when it was for piracy. This prosecution, however, attacked by the French, who killed two was not proceeded with, the difficulty, of the men, and took all the goods at according to Bradford, being made up their own valuation. Not long after, " by the mediation of friends,” though the Penobscot house was rified by an. Winthrop gives as the reason, the opio- other French party, piloted by a “ false ion of the Massachusetts magistrates, Scot"-probably one of Alexander's that the charge of piracy could not be Nova Scotia settlers—and goods to sustained, inasmuch as the master of the value of £500 were carried off. the Plymouth pinnace had, after she In 1635, Rasillai, governor of Acadie, was restored to him, agreed with Stone for the company of Now France, sent and the Dutch governor, by a solemn an armed ship to Penobscot, which took instrument under bis hand, to pass the possession of the Plymouth tradingmatter by. “In company,” says Brad- house. Bills on France were given for ford, “ with some other gentlemen, Stone the goods, at a valuation, however, fixed came afterwards to Plymouth, and had by the captors. The men were sent friendly and civil entertainment with the home with a message that the company rest; but revenge boiled within his of New France claimed the coast as far breast, though concealed ; for some con- south and west as Pemaquid Point oeived he had a purpose at one time to (about half way between Penobscot and bave stabbed the governor, and put bis Rennebeck), and intended to " displant" hand to his dagger for that end, but by all the English who might settle eastGod's providence, and the vigilance of ward of that point. some, was prevented.”

Roused by this aggression, the people This same worthless Stone, having of Plymouth attempted to recover their been sent away from Massachusetts, trading-bouse by force. They hired for under pain of death if he returned with the expedition an English vessel" a out permission,* on his way homeward fair sbíp of about 300 tons and well fillentered the Connecticut river, where he od with ordinance"- upon an advantawas cut off with his whole company, geous agreement with Gurling, the mas. eloven in number, by a band of Pequods. ter, in case of success, to pay him seven There were various stories as to the hundred pounds of beaver, worth then

å

He had been found, Winthrop tells us, " drunk upon a bed in the night, with one Bearcroft's wife ; and

when he was arrested 0.1 a warrant, just as he was about to sail, bad used brawling and threatening speeches to Mr. Ludlow, one of the magistrates, for which be bad been put in irons."

£20 a year.

£350 sterling; but, in case of failure, he ing out of this war, Standish and Holmes was to lose his labor and have nothing. had been appointed jointly to instruct

Standish sailed in company with Gur- the people of the territory in the use ling, in the colony's bark, with twenty of arms, for which they were to be paid men, to act as pilot, and to occupy the post when it should be conquered, hav- In 1637, the town of Duxbury, situato ing, also, the beaver on board to pay on the north shore of Plymouth bay, Gurling if he succeeded. According to and by water three miles distant from Bradford, Gurling greatly mismanaged Plymouth. was incorporated. There the business, refusing to listen to Stand- bad been a settlement there for six years ish's advice, and the expedition was previously, and Standish was one of the abandoned for want of powder, of which first settlers. He lived on a farm of he had a very insufficient supply. 170 acres on a “neck of land," in the

Upon this repulse, application was southeast part of the town, but for made to Massachusetts Bay for as- several years resided, during the winter, sistance to recover Penobscot, and up- in Plymouth, for convenience of attend. on request of the Massachusetts magis- ing to public affairs, and the oversight trates that "some men of trust" might of the fort which he commanded. The be sent to Boston, to treat upon the name Duxbury was, doubtless, selected matter, Captain Standish and Mr. for the town in reference to one of the Prince, another of the leading Ply- English residences of the family of mouth colonists, were dispatched thither which our gallant captain was an offto arrange the terms of the alliance. shoot.

The Massachusetts magistrates offer. Another opportunity soon occurred ed to furnish men and munition, if Ply- for Standish to give a new display of mouth would pay the expense. The his spirit. The eight colonists, of whom Plymouth commissioners insisted, on Standish was one, who had taken it the other hand, that this was “a com- upon themselves to pay off the London mon cause of the whole country"-both adventurers, had entered, in order to colonies having an equal interest in carry on the Indian trade, of which they maintaining the right of the English to had secured a temporary monopoly, into trade with the Eastern Indians. But as a partnership with four London merthe Massachusetts magistrates still de- chants. This partnership having esclined to give aid, except at the expense pired; the London partners, with whom of Plymouth, the negotiation fell there had been many disagreements, through, and from that time forward, sent word that they could not make up for the next hundred years or more, the accounts without the help of somePenobscot bay remained in possession body from Plymouth, designating in of the French.

particular Edward Winslow. But they In the Pequod war, waged during the had formerly written such bitter and years 1636 and 1637, upon so little threatening letters that Winslow was ground, and prosecuted with such ex- afraid to go.' Two years before; on a terminativg fury, Standish took no visit to England on the Colony's affairs, active part. The people of Plymouth, he had been thrown into the Fleet privotwithstanding the shabby behavior of son, and detained there four months Massachusetts Bay, in the Penobscot af- through the agency of Archbishop Laud, fair, raised sixty men for the second and on a charge brought against him by decisive campaign, that of 1637 ; but Morton of Merry Mount, that, though these men were placed

under the com- a layman, he had presumed to teach in mand of Lieutenant William Holmes, the church of Plymouth, and to perform who was better acquainted with the the marriage ceremony.

With this geography of those parts, and a man experience, he was afraid that, if he of tried bravery, too, having, in 1633, went now, he might be arrested by his in spite of the Dutch and their display partners on a claim of so large an of military forco to resist him, succeeded amount that he could not give bail, or in establishing, just above the Dutch otherwise "might be brought into House of Good Hope, on the present trouble by the archbishop's means." site of Hartford, a Plymouth trading- Thereupon the gallant Standish volunbouse, the first English settlement with- teered to face the Fleet prison, the Lanin the limits of the present state of Con- don partners, and the archbishop; but, necticut. Immediately upon the break- on consultation with Governor Wintbrop