Meet Thomas Morton of Merrymount

First of all, I am enthralled by your account of Thomas Morton. I am, however, a bit confused, what do you mean by the term  “Brawling Bristol”? Is that a slang term for a boisterous and merry location? Thanks for your insightful and well-researched work.

[Dr. Jack Dempsey]

Thank you for writing and I'm very glad you enjoy the Morton work! I believe the phrase "Brawling Bristol" came from somewhere in my readings of Renaissance historian Christopher Hill, and that he cited the phrase as a familiar English nickname for that West Country port, from which many of the first transatlantic fishermen set sail and came back (shall we say) "salty" for a rowdy shore leave---in a city said also to share the general West Country reputation for being "wilder" than the more eastern English counties and cities, no doubt including Revels and other social forms conducive to free ("boisterous and merry") self-expression. Again I'm very glad you wrote and have found these works worthwhile! Merrily yours, JD

[Dr. Jack Dempsey]

PS---Don't know if you have seen this 1992 film I produced about Thomas Morton, but here is a link to it at YouTube. Peace!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2laBeBpt2Q&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2DA1OayW11_CJpV4UbJANCPjKlPzbgtYXxSb4zws2LGiIWA1BdyioVi1k