The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of ConnecticutBolles, John R. (John Rogers)
History
The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of Connecticut
Bolles, John R. (John Rogers)
Rogerenes -- History
John Rogers, Jr., is now twenty-three years of age, a young man of
brilliant parts and daring courage. Since he is the printer and
circulator of this book, he is probably also its author. In this
same month of May, “John Rogers, Jr.,” is “bound in a bond of £40”
“to appear at court” (Superior) “to answer what may be objected
against him for bringing a printed book or pamphlet into this colony
which was not licensed by authority, and for selling the same up and
down the colony, as also for other misdemeanors”—the nature of the
latter not indicated. No complaint being presented against him, he
is dismissed.
[Could a copy of this pamphlet be found, great light might be thrown
upon this stormy period, by revelation of the full circumstances
leading up to the desperate entry of John Rogers into the
meeting-house in 1694, the plot of Mr. Saltonstall and the
“Remonstrance in Behalf of Peaceable Dissenters.”
That this book, sold “up and down the colony” by John Rogers, Jr.,
was for the enlightenment of the people at large regarding the
cause, and lack of cause, for the long imprisonment and cruel
treatment of his father, with representation of the case for the
nonconformists, can scarcely be doubted. We can picture this
talented and manly youth going from place to place, eagerly seeking
and finding those who will listen to his eloquent appeal to buy and
read this tale of wrong and woe, in the almost single-handed
struggle for religious liberty in Connecticut.]
Does the little book create so much sympathy “up and down the
colony,” that it is no longer wise to keep John Rogers incarcerated,
or are his ecclesiastical enemies at last sated by his nearly four
years of close imprisonment in Hartford jail? However this may be,
at the October session of the Superior Court, 1697, John Rogers is
brought from prison and “set at liberty in open court,” “in
expectation that he will behave himself civilly and peaceably in the
future.” The promise of good behavior is not required of him, as
formerly, but in its place the “in expectation,” etc., which is not
their expectation at all, unless with the proviso that they
themselves observe due caution in the handling of him and his
followers. They are apparently mindful of public opinion and of the
little book.
William Wright is also brought from prison to this court. He stands
here, in the presence of this master, who has just been set at
liberty, awaiting his own turn to be freed. For more than three
years, these men have been comrades in Hartford prison. They dwelt
together at the home of James Rogers, Sr., the Indian a servant of
the latter, and, since his death, servant of the executor, John
Rogers. The master has been kind and trustful, the servant faithful
to a remarkable extent. But for signal proof of heroic allegiance to
this nonconformist, he had not been in prison at all.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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