Meredith Rutter

Tavern's Keeper

**Meredith Rutter** is the drunken owner of the tavern of Jamestown. He’s always the life and soul of the part but of late his drinking has begun to take its toll. As his mood darkens, his mental health worsens. He eventually comes to see the repercussions of his self-destruction and strives to make things better before it’s all too late.

## Personality

Meredith is a man who hides himself underneath a cheery and satirical, even goofy, appearance. Beneath the surface, he’s a man haunted by his past, and drinks in order to find oblivion towards his traumas. Even though he’s straightforward and humorous at most times, he keeps his inner conflicts to himself. He has two different natures: when he’s drunk he displays himself as jolly and witty, but when he’s sober he becomes a serious and brooding man.

## Physical Appearance

Meredith is a middle-aged man who doesn’t takes care in neither his appearance nor his hygiene. He has medium blonde hair and a long beard. Sometimes, he wears a hat.

## Throughout *Jamestown*

* Background
* Season One
* Season Two
* Season Three

Instead of being by his family's side, Meredith was at the alehouse drinking and singing. His son was three years old when he died. It’s implied his drinking problem begun afterwards because he feels guilty and responsible for the death of his family. He worked as a sailor before his arrival to Jamestown.

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Thomas Redwick sentences Meredith for drunkenness, blasphemy and lewdness. Meredith gets his ear nailed to the pillory. Meredith finally catches up Verity Bridges - his wife-to-be - as she’s trying to board a ship back to England. He recalls her that prison awaits for her back home. That night at the tavern, Meredith pretends to gamble with Benedict Strawless for a night of pleasure with Verity. The tavern’s keeper wins but Verity is not thrilled. Verity and Alice Kett return to Jamestown and Meredith reveals that he cheated the previous night and promises he would never wage her. Meredith tells Verity not to steal because it will land her the gallows. Meredith reveals the piece of gold he has been hiding to Verity and admits he gave two barrels of ale to the Natives for it.

One night at the tavern, Verity mocks Meredith's drunkenness by describing him as a babe after the tit. The next day, Meredith exits the bathroom to witness his wife, Verity, being taken by guards. Verity is brought before the court and forced to defend herself from Redwick’s accusations of her ridiculing and disrespecting her husband. Her jesting only makes her situation worse and Redwick orders her to be shackled in the pillory. Meredith remains by her side the entire day. That night, she’s released from the stocks and curses the Marshal vile soul. Meanwhile, Reverend Whitaker believes Verity to be a witch. Meredith defends his wife against the reverend’s accusations, claiming that no man could wish for a better wife. Whitaker says there will be a mark on Verity that will appoint her as a witch. The next day, they have their house and tavern searched by guards, who look for witchcraft and ritualistic objects. Meredith confronts Verity with the mark. She explains it’s a birthmark equal to that of his father and brother and promises she’s no witch. Meredith believes her. Later, she is proven innocent with Jocelyn Castell’s help.

Meredith heads outside the settlement to urinate. The Pamunkey storm the camp while Verity searches for her husband. Meanwhile, one warrior takes an interest in Verity while Meredith cries for help and cuts himself while trying to grab his dagger. The other warriors run away while one is taken down by James Read, who takes him into town. The next day, Meredith’s hand is healed by Christopher Priestley. The tavern’s keeper shares his belief that the Pamunkey came to steal their women. The doctor, however, doesn’t share his opinion. One night, Verity strikes a deal with Meredith: she challenges him to be sober for a month. Meanwhile, Meredith begins to suffer from his sobriety. After just two days without drinking, Meredith already wants to give up Verity’s challenge. Meredith goes for a walk at night and Verity spies on him. In the morning, Verity finds Meredith by the river and learns that he had a wife and child back in England but they died while he was drunk at a tavern. Later, Meredith returns home drunk and Verity attacks him. She tells him she will be a good wife to him but he needs to be a good husband.

Nathan Bailey is presented before the assembly of Jamestown. He accuses Verity and blames her flirtatious ways for his accidental murder of Fletcher. Redwick sets him free. Meredith and Verity are stunned and enraged by Bailey’s accusations. Bailey and the other militia men storm the tavern and ransack it. Bailey tells Verity is due to Fletcher’s death. Later, Verity visits Bailey’s grave at the cemetery and says to her husband, Meredith, that she’s angry because of the boy’s death. Meredith urges her to leave it be since his murderers are in charge of Jamestown. After being shamed by Nicholas Farlow, Verity decides to steal items from his house. At the tavern, Verity shows her husband the things she stole from Farlow. Meredith forces her to promise to never steal again. Later, Meredith returns home and discovers that Verity has robbed Redwick. Meredith takes Verity to the gallows and recalls her that, when she arrived, he warned would report her to the Marshal if she stole anything from him. Verity apologizes but Meredith takes her to Christopher, fearing his wife might have some affliction that causes her to steal. He is unable to diagnose her condition, however. nce Meredith escorts Verity home, she reveals she has stolen bottles from the apothecary. Sir George Yeardley confronts Meredith about if Henry Sharrow had or not information about the gold. He denies everything. Redwick asks Meredith about the map but the tavern keeper insists he knows nothing of it.

Henry Sharrow returns to Jamestown and claims to have found silver up into the mountains. Meredith immediately aligns himself with Henry. Verity, however, is well aware that Henry raped her friend, Alice. She spits on Henry’s face and claims he doesn’t deserve the blood that runs through his veins. Meredith quickly apologizes for his wife’s behavior. Henry and Meredith visit Christopher’s apothecary. The doctor informs them how they can purify the silver. Meredith suggests they involve James Read in their endeavor. Henry and Meredith visit James Read’s shop and ask for his help. The blacksmith agrees to build him an oven of bricks and clay and filter the silver as long as he leaves Alice alone. Meanwhile, Verity bashes her husband, Meredith, for keeping company with Henry and the two argue on the streets. In the morning, Meredith discovers that Verity has left him.

Days later, Verity becomes distressed while observing more women arriving to Jamestown. She eventually tells Meredith they are not married. Meredith tracks down Reverend Whitaker at the church and tries to confirm if he and Verity are married or not. The Reverend doesn’t mind him and is overjoyed for receiving news he’s to return to England. He eventually lets it slip that Rutter is not married. Verity confesses to Meredith that she never felt like home anywhere but, oddly, she feels comfortable in the mud pit that is Jamestown. Meanwhile, Jocelyn and Mercy head to the tavern and drink fiercely with Meredith while Verity watches the door. Later, Verity speaks with Meredith and confesses he loved him when he told her about her late wife and child. She also confesses her wish to become a mother.

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Samuel Castell is found dead by the Sharrows. Meredith tells James Read that he saw Samuel hours before his death, by the river. He claimed to be doing the governor’s business. Read urges him to remain quiet for a man can hang for what he knows. Meredith wakes up nude outside the tavern while Verity observes him with contempt. Mercy witnesses it and goes back inside. Verity asks Meredith how long until she gives up on him. At the wharf, Verity admires the clothing and complains about the high prices. Farlow explains to Verity the ways of trade and exhibits the new clothes that he bought. Verity mocks the clothes and the secretary and Meredith pushes her away and insists he’ll show his wife what kind of man he is. Later, erity cradles Alice's babe with devotion and mocks her husband for not being able to get her pregnant. Meredith promises he’ll not fail her.

That night at the tavern, Verity witnesses her husband partying with sailors and becomes suspicious. Meredith tells her he intends to rob the Virginia Company cargo with the help of two mariners, He’s to meet with them at dawn at Dancing Point. At the woods, Meredith watches as two mariners remove a chest of stolen cargo from a boat. Meredith meets with Carrow and Morrow and is allowed to take the chest. However, he gets beaten and is threaten to remain quiet about their business. Meanwhile, Meredith returns to Verity and lies to her that he was forced to fight off the mariners. He shows her the stolen cargo. Redwick visits the tavern and asks Verity and Meredith if they know anything about the stolen cargo. They deny having any knowledge of it and the marshal leaves empty handed. Meanwhile, Verity sells some stolen goods while Meredith advices her to be careful. That night, Carrow and Morrow force Meredith to buy more stolen cargo. The next morning, however, he’s passed out and Verity goes in his place. At night at the tavern, Meredith and Verity discuss their options regarding the stolen cargo left in the woods. Meredith tells they must not go near it ever again.

Christopher treats Meredith for gout and blackmails him into telling what Samuel Castell was going at the river on the day of his murder. Rutter eventually informs him that Samuel was doing the governor’s business.

Verity runs to James Read' shop and informs him that a ship is to arrive within an hour. Meredith recalls that James’ betrothal, Corinna, is to arrive. James is feeling insecure and Verity helps him getting ready by washing the dirt of his face. Meredith gives him flowers to gift his wife-to-be. Verity also dresses him with a red silk doublet. Meredith remarks they promised they wouldn’t return to the stolen cargo and Verity urges him to stay quiet about it. At the wharf, Verity, Meredith and Alice await to meet Corinna. However, James arrives with a corpse on a stretcher alongside Silas Sharrow. They take Corinna’s body into church and James opens the shroud to see her face and remarks she’s beautiful, and kisses her on the forehead. Meanwhile, Meredith tries to persuade James to take the doublet but he refuses. Verity asks him to be careful and she means more than the garment. Edgar Massinger arrives and asks Read how he came by the doublet. Meredith and Verity try to conceal the doublet’s origins but Massinger is not convinced. That night at the tavern, Verity persuades Meredith to go back into the woods and retrieve the chest with stolen cargo. Meredith eventually agrees. When they do, they are stopped by Massinger who decides to take chest for himself and threatens the Rutters.

At the tavern, Verity Rutter mocks Nicholas Farlow and Simeon Peck. Meredith tells her to quiet her scorn for there are many men in there who had sweethearts and companions of their own before the women arrive. That night at the tavern, Verity asks Meredith if he had a male sweetheart and he refuses to answer. In the morning, Verity and Meredith visit Edgar Massinger’s farm. Verity confronts him about the stolen goods and tells him she will not allow Pedro to take the blame. He has a fit of rage and grabs Verity by the neck, nearly choking her to death. Meredith tries to stop it and then takes his wife away from there.

Meanwhile, the governor says a Spanish invasion is imminent. Meredith confesses to Pedro that he’s a coward and asks where he can find the same courage as the Congo warrior. Redwick asks which men would like to take the first watch. Pedro volunteers himself and Meredith. Farlow urges Rutter to remain sober and hits him with his cane while the other men laugh. At night fall, Pedro and Meredith are watching the wharf. Farlow asks Rutter why he’s looking at the woods when he should be looking at the river. Rutter says the Spanish are devious and Farlow hits him with his cane again. While they are surveillance over the cemetery in the middle of the night, Meredith and Pedro believe they saw Samuel Castell’s corpse walking between the graves. The next morning, Meredith is telling the townsmen what he and Pedro saw and elaborates the tale. Redwick calls on his lies. Farlow, however, believes the story to be true and shares his own experiences with ghosts. Pedro volunteers himself and Meredith for the night watch once again. After Massinger is executed for murdering Samuel Castell, everyone leaves, but Verity and Meredith stay behind. She tells her husband that even Massinger deserves a bit of pity. Meredith goes back to town.

A cross is erected outside Jamestown. Meredith is mesmerized and when he stares at the cross, he hears a voice saying “know thyself”. Later, Meredith speaks to Temperance Yeardley at church. He wishes to know what “know thyself” means and reveals he doesn’t wish to know himself. Temperance also reveal she doesn’t want to know herself and tells Rutter he should look for answers on the Bible. Meanwhile, Meredith continues his search through the Bible, despite being unable to read. That night, Meredith asks Farlow questions about the Bible. Meredith, however, doesn’t understand his words. Temperance tries to kill Pedro with a pillow but Meredith arrives and prevents her. He asks her about the meaning of Farlow’s words. Temperance thanks him for coming to speak with her and explains the words mean that people should not set their course by their own terrible wishes. When Temperance and Meredith leave, Pedro manages to escape.

Meredith mocks Redwick and is sentenced to wear the Shrew's Fiddle. At the tavern, Marshal Redwick gets drunk and passes out on the floor. Both Verity and Meredith urinate on him as revenge. Redwick wakes the next morning and the Rutters mock him, pretending he urinate himself. The marshal threatens them not to say a word about it to anyone. Verity and Meredith blackmail Redwick into allow them to trade with the mariners. Farlow is puzzled with Redwick’s decision.

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Meredith talks confused sentences and Verity Rutter says he’s been talking like that lately. At Jamestown, Meredith is drinking while staring at Nicholas Farlow’s severed head on a spike. Sir George Yeardley asks what he’s doing. Meredith claims he’s waiting for Farlow to blink. Yeardley laughs but tells Rutter to go away. The next day, it is noticed that Farlow’s head is missing. Yeardley asks who would dare to challenge his authority and promises he will not be defied. Redwick recalls Meredith was giving the head too much attention the night before. Meredith denies the accusations. That night at the tavern, Tamlin Appleday is playing and dancing with Meredith Rutter. Meredith calls him a miracle. Tamlin steals James Read drink. James asks if he doesn’t know respect but is pushed by the boy and falls. James gets back on his feet and pushes the boy against the wall and tells him to pick fights he can win. Tamlin throws a clay pot to his head. James says he’ll die a coward’s death and tells Verity to keep the boy away from him. Later, Tamlin finds Meredith by the river. Rutter asks if it was Verity who sent him because she worries about him. He believes the boy to be his lost son.They return to Jamestown and Meredith tells everyone that Tamlin is his child who has crossed the ocean to find him. At the tavern, Meredith explains to Tamlin how to brew ale. Meanwhile, Meredith introduces Tamlin as his son to everyone in Jamestown. Henry Sharrow walks away but is stopped by Meredith with Tam, who presents the boy as his son. Henry tells him that his true son was three years old when he died while Rutter was getting drunk at the alehouse. Verity implies that Henry is lying but Meredith sees Tam’s deception. He gets drunk and tells Tam to get out of his tavern.

Maria goes to the tavern and asks for Verity's help in hiring sailors so she and Pedro might leave for England. Verity warns Maria’s plan won’t work because someone will catch her. Maria says the governor will send Pedro away and that Pedro will kill Yeardley because that happens. Verity still says no. Later, Meredith asks Verity if she doesn’t want Maria to go because she already lost Alice. Verity says it’s because Maria doesn’t have the means to pay the sailors. Meredith says he’ll talk to the captain of the Golden Lion about smuggling Pedro and Maria to England. Meanwhile Pedro saves Yeardleys from a bear trap. Pedro doesn’t know why he saved the governor. James Read says it was his good heart while Meredith proposes perhaps his spirit is broke in servitude to the governor. Pedro lashes out to Meredith but is stopped by James.

Meredith wakes in a field from a drunken stupor and sees a golden horse but no one but Tamline believes him. The boy says they both can search for the beast. However, Meredith insults Tam and Verity scolds him for it. Jocelyn runs into Meredith and persuades him to tell about the horse to the townsfolk. Meredith doubts what he saw but Jocelyn is certain the golden horse is real and reveals she wants it and will pay substantial money to whoever brings it to her. James Read goes to the tavern to ask Meredith where did he witness the horse but he’s lying on the floor, drunk. The next morning, Meredith is incredibly drunk. Tamlin says he saw the golden horse but Meredith calls him a liar. James Read interrupts and asks Tam if he’s the one who scarred the horse. Meredith relished that Tam also saw the animal and calls him a fine lad. Verity, Meredith and Tamlin go to the stables to see the golden horse. Tam says the whole town now sees that Meredith was right all along. Meredith scolds Tamlin and the b

Meredith sits outside his tavern for more drinking. Christopher Priestley says Verity is distressed. Meredith doesn’t recall what he did. The doctor says he told Tamlin that he was a rat that doesn’t deserve a mother and a father. Meredith says he would never say such a thing and he’ll talk to the boy. Christopher informs him that Tamlin has left Jamestown. oy leaves crying. Verity says her father was like Meredith and he’ll also pay for his sins. Tamlin runs away from Jamestown. Meredith meets with Verity at the wharf but she refuses to speak to him. Meredith approaches Pedro and Maria and begs them to call upon Verity to forgive him because he’s afflicted by injustice. They turn their back on him. Meanwhile, Meredith is drunk on the streets. Verity approaches Meredith and tells him Tamlin ain’t coming back and he probably won’t last long out there and on the days he has left he believes he isn’t worth of a mother’s love. Verity wants one moment of honesty from Meredith. He says his cruelty is responsible for driving Tamlin away. Later, Meredith is being tormented for driving Tamlin away with his cruelty and coward’s heart. Meredith jumps to his death but fails. Temperance runs to help Meredith and asks to raise the alarm. Meredith is in pain since he injured his back.

At the tavern, Meredith is tied-up to a table of sorts. Mercy comes in and says the doctor told her he must eat nothing but soup. Meredith asks how long must he remain like that. Mercy says until his back is mended and feeds him soup. She says Verity Rutter doesn’t want to see him. The next day, Mercy gives the timepiece to Meredith. The next morning, James Read asks Meredith where the mariners who stole his gold went to. He says they went to Gloaming Creek.

Meanwhile, one of the mariners arrives at Jamestown to meet with Yeardley. Meredith asks him if he has any news of Verity upriver but he dismisses him. Meredith is at the wharf, waiting for Verity’s return. Meredith witnesses as Verity retuns to Jamestown with Tamlin. Meredith approaches them and says the boy is looking fine. Verity and Tam, however, turn their backs on him. At the tavern, there is tension between Meredith and Tamlin. Verity tries to wash Tam’s bloodied face but the boy stops her and leaves, crying. Verity asks Tam what happened to him and Meredith leaves. Meredith goes to James Read and asks him for advice to deal with Tamlin. That night, Meredith apologizes to Tam and promises he’ll be a good father to him. The boy forgives him and they hug. Verity is filled with joy. They all survive the Pamunkey attack.
## Relationships

#### Verity Rutter

*Main article:* *Verity and Meredith Rutter*

## Gallery

 Appearances

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

## References

1. ↑ Episode 2.02
2. ↑ Episode 3.07
3. ↑ Episode 1.04
4. ↑ Episode 1.01
5. ↑ Episode 2.02
6. ↑ Episode 2.08