Career
- ??)
.
Morton, Thomas, (??
- ??)
1622 - 1647), was probably a lawyer and "of Clifford's Inn, Gent" as he designated himself He seems to have come first with Andrew Weston's party in 1622, remaining at Wessagusset during the summer, and returning to England in the autumn.
He was fond of hunting and outdoor life, and later came back to Massachusetts with the Wollaston company, settling within the limits of the present Quincy.
His manner of life, which was distinctly licentious and convivial, made him anathema to the Pilgrims of Plymouth, and it was hinted darkly that he had had a horrible past.
Wollaston had enough of New England in one winter and went to Virginia, but Morton remained and built his house at Merry Mount, where, in 1627, the Pilgrims came and cut down the Maypole he had erected.
He forestalled the trading activities of the Plymouth colonists on the Kennebec and, in 1628, was captured by a band under Capt. Standish and was sent to England, with charges.
In a year and a half he had returned, brought by Isaac Allerton.
By this time the Puritans had arrived at Boston and times had changed.
John Endecott [q. v. ] had visited Merry Mount and the Maypole had again been cut down, and most of Morton's old companions had been scattered.
Trouble soon began and in 1630 Morton was once more taken into custody, sentenced to have all his goods confiscated, his house burned, and himself shipped back again to England.
After some delay the sentence was carried out.
On reaching England, he was confined in Exeter jail but was soon set at liberty, probably through the influence of Gorges.
In London he was a useful witness against the Massachusetts colony.
He seems to have spent some years in England, ready to the hand of Gorges, who, however, claimed to have set him adrift in 1637.
In 1643 he turned up again in Plymouth.
He was ordered to leave and the next spring went to Maine.
He was next heard of in Rhode Island but ventured into Massachusetts and was promptly taken and placed in prison.
The only charge was that he had complained against the colony to the Privy Council, which as an English citizen he had a legal right to do.
He was kept in prison for a year when it was decided he was too expensive for the country to support and was fined and released.
He died within two years after.
[C. F. Adams, Jr. , edited The New English Canaan of Thos.
Contemporary references in Bradford, Winthrop, and others may be found noted there.
(1892), vol.
I. Charges against Morton in letters to the Council for New England appear in the Massachussets Hist.
Soc.
Colls. , 1 ser.
III (1794), 62-64. ]
