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Thomas Morton Essay (1). What was the cause of the enmity that developed between Thomas Morton and his group and the Pilgrams at Plymouth? What was his major offense? The harsh reaction of the Pilgrims to Morton was explained only in part by their abhorrence of the Maypole incident. They also were offended by his open ridicule of their society and his practice of conducting Anglican services at Merry Mount. Perhaps of even greater concern was the fact that Morton traded firearms for furs with the local Indians — a practice that the Pilgrims believed was their exclusive preserve. In 1628, Plymouth authorities dispatched Miles Standish to deal with their troublesome neighbor. Morton and his associates were too drunk to resist; he was taken into custody and exiled to a small nearby island to await transportation back to England. There he was supplied with provisions by sympathetic Indians and managed to escape on his own and return to England. He reappeared in Plymouth the following year and promptly ran into difficulties with the officials. His property was confiscated and he was again sent home. Demonstrating life-long persistence, Morton returned to Massachusetts in 1643 and was promptly imprisoned in Boston. Following his release, he was exiled to Maine, where he remained for the rest of his life. (2) Morton was sent back to England to be punished, but each time he escaped punishment. Why? Thomas Morton values, and relations to the more familiar swashbuckling Cavaliers of Europe need to be carefully explained. According to his own self-description, Morton was the university-educated son of a soldier, devoted to the British crown and old English ways, and a staunch supporter of the Church of England, its liturgy, and its holy days. His portrait of the Indians and attempt to show how, despite their uncivilized state, share many values with the traditional Englishmen whom he had taken to be his audience. The Indians personal modesty, hospitality to strangers, respect for authority, and even religious views mirror those of England, and their contentment surpasses that of the English because of their greater closeness to nature. This was the reason behind escape from punishment of Morton in England. Resources: http://www.u-s-history.com