Note 121 — Chapter VIII
Reading edition
This entrance is thus described on the court records:—
“John Rogers coming into her Majesty’s Superior Court and behaving himself in a furious, raving manner with mighty crying and tumultuous noise, and it being certified to this court that ye said Rogers had gotten some and was endeavoring to gather a greater number of idle, vagrant persons by a like raving management of himself, and designed and engaged to dip them in ye water and said that he would baptise one of them.”
When we remember that the “idle, vagrant persons” accompanying him were no less substantial citizens than John Rogers, Jr., John Bolles and men of that stamp, this record assumes the character of a misrepresentation throughout. Also the contradiction in the record that John Rogers “designed to dip” an indefinite number “in the water,” with statement that he said he would baptise “one,” is significant. No court record regarding John Rogers but must have been penned with careful reference to the appearance of his offense before the public, by precaution of those in charge, who were his enemies.