11. 



John Morton, the subject of this memoir, was born at Milborne 

 about the year 1420, he was the son of Richard Morton, of Mil. 

 borne St. Andrew's, and Elizabeth, daughter of Richard 

 Turburville and Cecilia Beauchamp. He was educated at the 

 Abbey of Cerne, and subsequently at Baliol College, Oxford. 

 In 1446 he was nominated one of the Commissioners of the 

 University, and soon after was appointed Moderator of the Civil 

 Law School. In 1453 he was made principal of Peckwater Inn. 

 About this time he held several preferments the sub -deanery of 

 Lincoln, and the incumbency of Bloxworth in this county, among 

 the number. He appears to have devoted his time at this period 

 of his life not so much to ecclesiastical matters as to law and 

 politics. 



Although the cause of Henry the Sixth was a failing one, 

 Morton took office under that Prince. He was present with the 

 king at the battle of Towton, where he had to fight for his life ; 

 and after an exile of nine years, he landed with Warwick from 

 Angers, and in the following year, 1471, after the battle of 

 Barnet, he met the Queen-mother at Weymouth, where she dis- 

 embarked from Prance, and conveyed her to Cerne Abbey. The 

 death of the young prince at the battle of Tewkesbury, and that 

 of Henry, in the Tower, shortly after, placed Edward IY. firmly 

 on the throne, and Morton took a favourable opportunity to sue 

 for pardon. Edward was much struck with his submission, and 

 without requiring from him any unbecoming concessions, he 

 continued him a Privy Councillor, appointed him Master of the 

 Rolls, conferred on him great ecclesiastical preferment, crowned 

 with the Bishopric of Ely, and by his last will made him one of 

 Ms executors. Dr. Hook, speaking of him at this part of 

 Ms career, says " by Ms business habits, and engaging manners, 

 he soon obtained the confidence of Ms sovereign, and as Master 

 of the Rolls he diligently laboured to bring the documents into 

 form and regularity, after having been thrown into confusion 

 during the civil wars ; the Privy Council during this period 

 having left no records of any value to the historian." At the 

 death of Edward, Morton was still a Privy Councillor, and 



