Brayton, George A. A Defence of Samuel Gorton and of the Settlers of Shawomet (Rhode Island Historical Tracts no. 17). Providence: Sidney S. Rider, 1883. First Edition. [11346]
Original printed blue wrappers, some edge-wear, name erased from the top of the front wrapper, 8 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches. 120 clean pages, pages darkly toned. Good. Paperback.
Limited edition of 250 copies.
Samuel Gorton (1593-1677), baptized at Manchester, England; d. Warwick, Colony of Rhode Island. Gorton was a dissenter among the Puritans who emigrated to New England in 1637. He was captured in Providence Plantations and taken to Massachusetts where he was put on trial for his beliefs. He narrowly escaped the punishment of execution and was instead jailed in Charlestown; at another time in his life he was publicly whipped. After his release he returned to England to secure protection for himself and his small settlement (Shawomet), which he renamed "Warwick" after securing protection from the Earl of Warwick.
Although Gorton was initially opposed to magistrates and almost all forms of civil government, including that of Providence Plantations, he later served in civil capacities in Warwick, was named in Rhode Island's Royal Charter of 1663, and was a deputy to the General Assembly of that colony for four years.
Today Morton is recognized as an important figure in the founding of Rhode Island and as an early proponent of religious liberty.
George Arnold Brayton (1803-1880), justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court (1843-1874), serving as Chief Justice from 1868 to 1874.
