maypole

The maypole has a part of the history of Quincy, although it is not as famous as the history of the Adams family.

In 1624, Thomas Morton and Captain Wollaston, as well as 30 indentured servants, settled in Quincy and started a trading post. Things went pretty well until Morton discovered that Wollaston was selling the servants into slavery. Morton heavily suggested that the servants rebelled, and the rebellion caused Captain Wollaston to flee. Morton now became head of the colony (or "host" as he liked to call it) and decided to rename the area "Ma-re Mount". The name was a play on words, because it sounded like "merry" and it was near the sea. Some later converted the name to "Merrymount". Morton then freed all the servants, and started a colony where people (native, former servant or Englishman) were all treated equally. He started selling rum and arms to the natives (which was illegal).

Around now, the nearby Pilgrims claimed that Morton was having wild parties, "going native" and worshipping Greek and Roman gods. When they heard he put up a Maypole, they though the very worst of things.

Thomas Morton wrote the following about the maypole going up:

"The Inhabitants of . . . Mare Mount . . . did devise amongst themselves . . . Revels and merriment after the old English custome; (they) prepared to sett up a Maypole upon the festivall day . . . and therefore brewed a barrell of excellent beare . . . to be spent, with other good cheare, for all commers of that day. And . . . they had prepared a song fitting to the time and present occasion. And upon May day they brought the Maypole to the place appointed, with drumes, gunnes, pistols and other fitting instruments, for the purpose; and there erected it with the help of Salvages, that came thether to see the manner of our Revels. A goodly pine tree of 80 foot longe was reared up, with a peare of buckshorns nayled one somewhat neare unto the top of it: where it stood, as a faire sea mark for directions how to finde out the way to mine Hoste of Mare Mount."
(Morton, The New England Cannan, Book III, Chapter 14.)

The Maypole event was too much for the nearby Pilgrims, so Morton was kicked out of New England, and the maypole cut down.

This maypole was put up on Saturday May 10th, 2008 in remembrance of Thomas Morton's event. A local historian Jack Dempsey read the poem that Thomas Morton put on the maypole and then people could dance. (Unlike the first maypole event, there was no beer :) ) Here you see the Morris dancers handing out the various ribbons for people to hold.

Here is the poem that Thomas Morton put on the first maypole:

Rise Oedipus, and, if thou canst, unfould

What meanes Caribdis underneath the mould,

When Scilla sollitary on the ground

(Sitting in forme of Niobe) was found,

Till Amphitrites Darling did acquaint

Grim Neptune with the Tenor of her plaint,

And caused him send forth Triton

with the sound of Trumpet loud,

at which the Seas were found

So full of Protean formes that the bold shore

Presented Scilla a new parramore

So stronge as Sampson and so patientAs Job himselfe,

directed thus, by fate,

To comfort Scilla so unfortunate.

I doe professe, by Cupid's beautious mother,

Here's Scogans cholse for Scilla, and none other;

Though Scilla's sick with grief, because no signe

Can there be found of vertue masculine.

Esculapius come; I know right well

His laboure's lost when you may ring her Knell.

The fatal sisters doome none can withstand,

Nor Citherea's powre, who poynts to land

With proclamation that the first of May

At Ma-re Mount shall be kept hollyday.