licate faire large plaines, sweete cristall fountaines,
and cleare running streames that twine in fine meanders
through the meads, making so sweete a murmering noise to
heare as would even lull the sences with delight a sleepe,
so pleasantly doe they glide upon the pebble stones, jetting
most jocundly where they doe meete and hand in hand runne
downe to Neptunes Court, to pay the yearely tribute which
they owe to him as soveraigne Lord of all the springs.
Contained within the volume of the Land, Fowles in
abundance, Fish in multitude; and discovered, besides,
Millions of Turtledoves on the greene boughes, which sate
pecking of the full ripe pleasant grapes that were supported
by the lusty trees, whose fruitful loade did cause the armes
to bend: while here and there dispersed, you might see
Lillies and the Daphnean-tree: which made the Land to mee
seeme paradice: for in mine eie t'was Natures Masterpeece;
Her cheifest Magazine of all where lives her store: if this
Land be not rich, then is the whole world poore."

This is the Morton who, a few years later, settled at Merrymount. Let
me condense the story of his settlement, from the narrative of the
stout-hearted Governor William Bradford's _History of Plymouth
Plantation_:--

"And Morton became lord of misrule, and maintained (as it
were) a schoole of Athisme. And after they had gott some good
into their hands, and gott much by trading with the Indeans,
they spent it as vainly, in quaffing & drinking both wine &
strong waters in great exsess, and, as some reported 10L.
worth in a morning. They allso set up a May-pole, drinking
and dancing aboute it many days togeather, inviting the
Indean women, for their consorts, dancing and frisking
togither, (like so many fairies, or furies rather,) and worse
practises. As if they had anew revived & celebrated the
feasts of the Roman Goddes Flora, or the beasly practieses of
the madd Bacchinalians. Morton likewise (to shew his poetrie)
composed sundry rimes & verses, some tending to
lasciviousnes, and others to the detraction & scandall of
some persons, which he affixed to this idle or idoll
May-polle. They chainged allso the name of their place, and
in stead of calling it Mounte Wollaston, they call it
Merie-mounte, as if this joylity would have lasted ever."

But it did n