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New English Canaan; Or New Canaan: Containing an Abstract of New England
Excerpt from New English Canaan; Or New Canaan: Containing an Abstract of New England
Right honorable,
The zeale which I beare to the advancement of the glory of God, the honor of his Majesty, and the good of the weale publike, hath incouraged mee to compose this abstract, being the modell of a Rich hopefull and very beautifull Country, worthy the Title of Natures Masterpeece, and may be lost by too much sufferance. It is but a widowes mite, yet all that wrong and rapine hath left mee to bring from thence, where I have indeavoured my best, bound by my allegeance, to doe his Majesty service. This in all humility I present as an offering wherewith I prostrate my selfe at your honorable footstoole.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Right honorable,
The zeale which I beare to the advancement of the glory of God, the honor of his Majesty, and the good of the weale publike, hath incouraged mee to compose this abstract, being the modell of a Rich hopefull and very beautifull Country, worthy the Title of Natures Masterpeece, and may be lost by too much sufferance. It is but a widowes mite, yet all that wrong and rapine hath left mee to bring from thence, where I have indeavoured my best, bound by my allegeance, to doe his Majesty service. This in all humility I present as an offering wherewith I prostrate my selfe at your honorable footstoole.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
132 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 4, 2018
If you have ever wondered if there was a suppressed alternative narrative to the puritans in New England, this is it.
Thomas Morton founded the New England colony Merrymount in 1623, which was eventually attacked and destroyed by Puritan elements. This book relates his fascinating experiences and adventures. He is strongly supportive of the native population. He speculates that the Native American population may have come from Tartary, which is a brilliant observation.
He brings this same sense of observation to all he does. He admires the native population because they're honest in word and deed. He obviously dislikes the Puritans at Plymouth and holds them responsible for the destruction of the colony he started, Merrymount. If the facsimile edition was a bit hard to read because of the typesetting--an f could also be an s--it also was a pleasure. More than anything, New English Canaan shows another direction that could have been taken if the Puritans, zealots that they were, weren't so determined to destroy the other, competing visions of what the New World could be.
Thomas Morton founded the New England colony Merrymount in 1623, which was eventually attacked and destroyed by Puritan elements. This book relates his fascinating experiences and adventures. He is strongly supportive of the native population. He speculates that the Native American population may have come from Tartary, which is a brilliant observation.
He brings this same sense of observation to all he does. He admires the native population because they're honest in word and deed. He obviously dislikes the Puritans at Plymouth and holds them responsible for the destruction of the colony he started, Merrymount. If the facsimile edition was a bit hard to read because of the typesetting--an f could also be an s--it also was a pleasure. More than anything, New English Canaan shows another direction that could have been taken if the Puritans, zealots that they were, weren't so determined to destroy the other, competing visions of what the New World could be.
November 10, 2011
The story behind the story is probably what is the most interesting here. Thomas Morton was the original American rebel, butting heads with the Puritans of Plymouth during the 1600s because of his embrace of Indians and the unfettered life. Unfortunately, this book of his is very hard going, given its old language, its time-lost references and the fact that the original typesetter may not have even spoken English.
October 31, 2017
I enjoyed the perspective he gave without feeling like he was taking away from the main idea.
December 27, 2023
A curious artifact from the early Puritan era in New England, it is a rambling description of Morton's trials and tribulations in what he portrays as a chaotic and dangerous world dominated by a community of colonists who could be considered traitors to the government of their homeland. The setting is the reign of Charles I before the start of the English Civil War, and the Puritans (or "Separtists") in Plymouth & Massachusetts Bay are smack dab in the political middle of things. New England might be thought of as having gotten a head start on the whole civil war thing. Morton's meandering writing is suffused with satire, fabrication and confusion of historical events, and was intended to be politically persuasive back to home at Court toward achieving his own personal goals. Fake News with a 6-month time lag. The interesting historical intro and footnotes by editor Charles Francis Adams Jr (of the Massachusetts Adamses) provide the bulk of the merit of this publication. Morton's own 17th c. writing, although quite grammatical, was typeset in Holland by someone who either couldn't spell in English or was a strict adherent to school of Spelling is a Matter of Personal Preference - it's, in a word, a mess.
June 20, 2011
Hilarious other-side-of-the-story view of an infamous early American
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August 18, 2021Not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. I am sure it is good, just not for me.
May 2, 2025
3/5 Stars (%55/100)
New English Canaan by Thomas Morton is a fascinating, irreverent, and often satirical critique of Puritan authority in early colonial America. Morton's prose is a wild blend of classical allusion, biting wit, and ethnographic observation. He offers a rare counter-narrative to the dominant Puritan histories, painting himself as a kind of pagan libertine resisting theocratic rigidity. While the text can be dense and stylistically erratic, it rewards patient readers with insights into early American cultural clashes and colonial power dynamics. The critical apparatus in this edition adds valuable context, helping modern readers make sense of Morton's flamboyant voice and the controversial world he inhabited.
New English Canaan by Thomas Morton is a fascinating, irreverent, and often satirical critique of Puritan authority in early colonial America. Morton's prose is a wild blend of classical allusion, biting wit, and ethnographic observation. He offers a rare counter-narrative to the dominant Puritan histories, painting himself as a kind of pagan libertine resisting theocratic rigidity. While the text can be dense and stylistically erratic, it rewards patient readers with insights into early American cultural clashes and colonial power dynamics. The critical apparatus in this edition adds valuable context, helping modern readers make sense of Morton's flamboyant voice and the controversial world he inhabited.
November 26, 2016
Love the contrast between the indigenous people and the puritans. However, I absolutely hated the writing style. Not my cup of tea but his point of view really does matter! So, it wasn't a total waste of my time :)
December 13, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews