New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-23

Mifn & Co.
practically" writes Mr.. Adams. in closing his
preface to these volumes, this book is history
of the town of the town Of Quincy, Massachu-
sets in reality, it is what it's title page SAYS, Three
Episodes of Massachusetts, History" Look
ing at the theme and its treatment. he might
also have described the greater part Of II as
study in the ecclesiastical history Of the settle
ments around Boston Bay. The very circum-
stances Of the case have forced upon the author
method not altogether unlike that Of the
earliest English history. that of the Venerable
Bede, frankly and perhaps proudly described by
the words Historic Ecclesiastical" Mr.. Adams
is more kindly TO the memory of the Plymouth
Separatsts than 10 the Purtans. as indeed most
people of the present day probably are, II they
keen enough TO make distinction. The ri
grims had lorgcr and better training in the
matter of Christian charity than the men VINO
had been violently expelled within compare
lively recent time from the English 'hurch'
Their dissent reached back either in their own
organization or in others not unlike IT to time
Of which there was no record Mr. Adams cans
attention to some cases where the same indi-
viduals experienced the difference OF treatment
that perhaps unconsciously characterized the TWO
classes of settlers. 49,
One Of the most picturesque figures IN 'lis
grave yet entertaining history is that OF Morton
of Merry Mount, born sportsman oreo Il"
lawyer. ingraned humorist and an adventurer'
who, "by some odd freak of destiny, was hung
up as waif in the wilderness on the shores OF
BOSTON BAY" Though Churchmans according 10
his own account. with somewhat rhe'orlcai
reverence for the Booa of Common Prayer Ills
character was hardly ote for any communion 10
pride itself upon. Yet in Old England his IKE
lad easily found place beside more respectable
1oN-a far flo
could have found place without disturbing
Others. Doubtless he would have been in his
element among the early population OF virginia
But he was determined to live in New-England.
There lie found the game in the slaughter OF when
lie delighted. He was the only man proOaoN
who ever INDUCED in the ancient and noble sport
of hawking within the limits Of Massachusetts.
lie found there falcons and goshawks ana lannerets
and described with all the satisfaction OF an
antique sportsman how when he first came 10 thls
country he caught a lanneret which he reclaimed
trained and made flying in fortnight, the same
being PASSENGER at Michaelmas.' 10 such a
man conpanionsllip with the Indians on their
own level was easy. But the trouble was tha'
NE had no money, and the patron on whom ne
Defended Sir Ferdinando Gorges, was hardly
better OIL With tie skill Of a sportsman he
combined the moral obtuscness OF shifty London
LAWYER His acquaintance with the Indians led
first TO the scandal Of a Maypole, not tie harm
less and colorless juvenile celebration of the
present but the real licentious, bocchanalian
revel which Lad survived in England from pagan
times The savages, men and women. were his
companions in 4 ceremony which was unlike their
own merely in the fact that In this case they
had all they could drink of the potent frewater
SO new and 50 attractive TO them. The
house in which he lived, and the Maypole which
he set I'D were within the bounds Of the present
Town OF Quincy, but if they had been anywhere
else Oh the New-Engand coast they would have
been too near Plymouth for the safety of that
infant colony. Yet even these things might have
been overlooked IL he had not recklessly traded
firearms for furs. and had not taught the savaees
the use Of guns. His course was one that threat
ened not merely the morals of the community. but
the lives Of all the civilized people in the region
In capturing him and sending him prisoner TO
England the Plymouth people were acting in self
defence and with greater moderation than would
now be shown by their descendants on a frontier.
But somehow, when be returned after the advent
of the Purtans. the proceedings against him at
their hands took the aspect of persecution.
The Pilgrims had taken him in the midst of his
crimes; the Puritans. warned OF his character,
made use Of him as an example to others of his
sort and in so doing were guilty of blunder from
by chain Of accidents not under their control
that is, by what they would have called and did
call, Providence. The amusing part of the story
is that, while they Were keen enough TO detect
the Providence. they never saw the bunier. The
latter is thus pointed out by Mr.. Adams;
Their position was wholly different from that
of the struggling settlers the SeparatissJ of three
years earlier. AS Endicott had already shown.
the magistrates Of the company now per-
fecty able to enforce every regulation whether
AM
suppress summarily every disorder Under these
circumstances they had much better have left
At Mt. Wollaston lit is the locality and not
the connection in the chain of human evolution
by which. Mr., Adams attaches Morton to the
history Of Quincy he was. at worst, nothing
more than a nuisance; They shipped him of
to England, and at Whitehall he rose to the
large proportions Of formidable enemy In
New-England he was under Winthrop's eye and
within reach Of Endicotts hand in London he
became the ready tool Of Gorges and inspired
the malignity of Laud
One can easily see how this was Laud, mainly
for the reason that he possessed the most method
cal intellect of his generation among English
men: had risen to the See Of Canterbury, and
from that vantage point trying to do what
other great men, Louis XIV for example, also
eseayed to mplish-namey, to reduce the
Nation under his control to dead level OF
conformity in religion The slightest eccentricity
Of belief aroused his deadly animosity For ex
ample, he pruned Prynnes ears something which
the Puritans managed to show in the case OF
Ratclif in New, England. was absolute necessary
to the gospel of goodwill to men, as well from then
point Of view as from that Of the English
Primate. Now Laud had heard about
the goings-on across the Atlantic ano
he was determined to bring the people
In the New World to the same happy condi'lon
In which he flattered himself he had placed the
No
able to him than an hereditary Church
man like Sir Ferdinande Gorges, and person
with manageable grievance like Thomas
Morton Gorges. with an ambition worthy OF the
age of Elizabeth and Raleigh and Drake hoped
"a fund An emnire in the region which, as II