“and many long imprisonments, of which I shall mention one woman, when she was condemned by a judge in a case of conscience; because she stopped her ears and would not hearken to his sentence, as not belonging to him to judge in such cases, but with a cheerful spirit sang praises to God, and then turned to the judge and said that if he went on persecuting God’s people God’s judgments would come upon him and his.”
There are among the Rogerenes many sweet singers, who sing hymns and psalms in certain meetings of their Society. It appears (by aid of above statement) that Sarah, wife of John Bolles, is one of these; for, by a Superior Court record of September 22, 1719, it is shown that Sarah Bolles is summoned from prison before that court
“to answer for reflecting upon the proceedings of a court held in New London,[[127]] in saying to one of the judges thereof, viz.: Rich. Christophers, Esq.: Now look to yourself for God’s judgments will surely come upon you, for your unjust judgments for persecuting God’s people—Said Sarah, being asked whether she was guilty or not guilty of the crime for which she was committed, refused to make any plea. Whereupon said Sarah Bolles shall suffer two month’s imprisonment” (in addition to the four already endured) “and pay the charges of her prosecution and stand committed till the said charge be paid, viz.: £1 19s.”
So this heroic woman, who has ten children at home, five of whom are under ten years of age, is returned to prison, not only for the two months, but until she pay the charges of her prosecution, which the court, as well as her own people, have good reason to believe she will never pay, thus to encourage the authorities in their unchristian persecution of the Rogerenes. John Bolles goes on to say, regarding this woman, whose name he does not reveal:—
Whereupon said judge condemned her to prison, where after further determination, [viz.: above Superior Court sentence] she was required to remain till she should pay the charge of her prosecution, so called, and there continued six months, till God made way by moving the hearts of the people with compassion for her deliverence, by seeing her affliction; she being not only locked up in prison but also a high boarded fence round the prison, locked also,[[128]] and the prison keeper living near half a mile from the prison, it being an extreme cold winter, and in the height of it she miscarried, being without any help nor could call for any, her husband living about a mile and a half from the prison and was not suffered to come to her; as if God suffered such things to be done to lay conviction before all faces. But after her release she was carried home on her bed in a cart and after some time she was, thro’ God’s goodness, restored to health again.
About two weeks previous to this appearance of Sarah Bolles before the Superior Court, there occurred a Rogerene countermove which is directly traceable to her imprisonment. This countermove took place September 6, after Sarah had been nearly four months in prison. It must have been known to the Rogerenes, and to the authorities as well, that she was with child, which, together with the fact that the youngest of the ten children needing her at home is but two years of age,[[129]] made this long imprisonment in “a matter of conscience,” with the impending appearance before the Superior Court on charge of contempt, especially aggravating. The circumstances called for some imperative action on the part of her friends, the more so, because no mercy could be expected from the judge of the Superior Court.
The persons accused of entering the meeting-house on this 6th of September, are John Rogers and his wife, Sarah, wife of John Culver, John Bolles, John Rogers, Jr., Andrew Davis and Esther Culver. The records relative to this countermove are in the minutes of the November session of the County Court in New London. First, that on September 6, while Mr. Adams was at public prayer, John Rogers, Sr., entered the meeting-house and interrupted the service in a loud voice.[[130]] (No slightest clew is given to the words spoken.) He pleads “not guilty” and is fined £20 and charges, £3. The record states that, upon this (November) trial, he “behaved himself contemptuously, coming into court in a violent manner and raving voice, saying, ‘What have you to say to me, etc.’ (would we might have the words in place of the ‘etc.’) and when the indictment (not revealed) was read, he cried out That’s a ly, and upon that part of the indictment (part not revealed) when read he again cried out, ‘That’s a devilish ly,’ and by abusing one of the members of the court in saying to him, upon said justice’s affirmation, several times that’s a ly, and for several other abusive demeanors” in the court-room (unfortunately not described), he is sentenced to pay 20s.—he who so often for no more contempt than this has been fined £20. (Moreover, as late as May 25, of the following year, it is on record that “execution” for this 20s. was “returned with nothing acted upon it.” In this insignificant fine is visible the sympathy of a jury, and in the lack of “execution” the fact that no collector is willing to collect this fine, although he may be himself fined for the omission.) The record continues:—“John Rogers demands a present appeal to the King’s bench.” “Court consider that no such appeal lies.”
Sarah, wife of John Rogers, is also presented at this November court for having come into the meeting-house, on the same occasion (September 6), and “interrupted Mr. Adams by speaking several words in a loud voice.” The court having considered the evidence in this case and that said Sarah has “behaved herself competently well before the court and also pleading ignorance of the laws and methods of this government, and considering her also under covert and that she has been committed to prison until this court,” sentence her to pay a fine of 10s. and prison fees, £3. Sarah, wife of John Culver, for same offense on same occasion, same fine and fee. John Bolles “for breach of Sabbath” on same day (form of breach not stated), same fine and charge as the women. Andrew Davis, Esther Culver and John Rogers, Jr., same charge and fines as John Bolles.
For the two months previous to this November court, John Rogers and his wife, Sarah Culver, John Bolles and the others have been confined in prison. All these people know, at the date of this November court, that Sarah Bolles has not only lost her child, but is lying at the point of death in the “inner prison.” Well might the leader of the Society in whose cause she has so suffered and endured, when he at length escaped from prison and had an opportunity to speak in public, employ such scathing words as befitted the occasion.
(From this court scene as described by Peter Pratt,—see Chapter XIV.,—are derived the statements that John Rogers and his followers were accustomed to accuse dignitaries of lying.)