1623-1628
One year later, Morton’s
enemies find an excuse to destroy him. He has taught his Massachusett hunters
how to use firearms and supplied some Indians with weapons. Bradford uses this
as pretext to accuse Morton of gunrunning, expressly forbidden by the Council’s
charter. When Long Tom contemptuously dismisses the charges, Plymouth orders
Myles Standish to march against Mar-re-Mount.
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| Matchlock musket |
Standish and his force
chance upon Morton at Wessagusset and take him prisoner. Morton watches soberly
as “Captain Shrimp” and his stalwarts celebrate their easy victory. When his
captors lie drunk and snoring, Long Tom escapes and races back to his
plantation.
Adam is one of two men at
Mar-re-Mount. The other man is a craven who flees on hearing that the Plymouth
band is marching against them. Adam and Morton load four falconets and prepare
enough powder and shot to pepper Captain Shrimp’s men like geese on the wing.
Waiting for the attack,
Adam fortifies himself with sips of Amontillado. When the moment comes, he
reels out of a doorway, running into the sword of a Separatist and slicing open
his nose. It’s the only blood spilled in the Battle of Mar-re-Mount. Morton
sees the futility of trying to blast his way out of a hopeless situation and
asks quarter. – Transported to England to face charges of arming the Indians,
nothing is proven against Long Tom. He soon returns to Nature’s Masterpiece,
ever a thorn in the side of the righteous.
In September 1628, Adam
witnesses the final blow against “Merry-Mount.” John Endicott, magistrate of
Naumkeag (Salem), orders that the Maypole be hurled to the ground. Endicott
re-christens the polluted spot, Mt. Dagon. – It was after the riotous
celebrations to this idol of the Philistines that Samson pulled down their
temple.
Endicott delivers a sermon
on the meaning of Mt. Dagon, but Adam sees the whole affair differently.
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| Samson in Dagon Temple - Gustave Dore |
“You can throw down a Maypole, magistrate. It’s dead
wood fit for a bonfire, nothing more. You can stop a merry man dancing a jig.
You can’t kill the joy in his heart.”
Magistrate Endicott gives
the Philistine a look so black it’s enough to blight the spirit of the merriest lad.
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| John Endicott |
****
One evening in fall 1628,
the lone occupant of Shawmut watches a group of people head across the Neck
toward his habitation. It’s eighteen months since William Blaxton settled on
the lower slopes of the hill overlooking the Back Bay, his house built with
help from Chickataubut’s people, his apple orchard beginning to flourish.
Through the cold and ice of the previous winter, he barely noticed a strapping
young fellow dash through the snow to bring him sustenance. – Jacques Petit was
ordered not to disturb the recluse but leave food for him and run back home.
Now he sees Jacques
approaching with a group of nine men and women and five children. William
recognizes Chitanawoo, walking proudly at the head of the small band. She
orders a halt next to a pond filled with frogs, until now William’s only
companions. Leaving others to set up the wigwams, Chitanawoo heads up the hill
to Blaxton’s house.
“No man should live alone,”
Strong-and-Bold says simply.
Chitanawoo, last sachem of
Shawmut, has come home.
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| Map of Boston 1775, showing Boston Neck (lower left) |
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