"But," said the Recorder, "will you take the oath if you be set
free?"--"Thou shalt see that," said I, "when I am set free.
Therefore set me free first, and then ask the question."

"But," said he again, "you know your own mind sure, and can tell now
what you would do if you were at liberty."--"Yes," replied I, "that
I can; but I do not hold myself obliged to tell it until I am at
liberty. Therefore set me at liberty, and ye shall soon hear it."

Thus we fenced a good while, till I was both weary of such trifling
and doubted also lest some of the standers-by should suspect I would
take it if I was set at liberty. Wherefore when the Recorder put it
upon me again, I told him plainly, No; though I thought they ought
not to tender it me till I had been set at liberty; yet if I was set
at liberty I could not take that nor any other oath, because my Lord
and Master Christ Jesus had expressly commanded his disciples NOT TO
SWEAR AT ALL.

As his command was enough to me, so this confession of mine was
enough to them. "Take him away, said they; and away I was taken,
and thrust into the bail-dock to my other friends, who had been
called before me. And as soon as the rest of our company were
called, and had refused to swear, we were all committed to Newgate,
and thrust into the common side.

When we came there we found that side of the prison very full of
Friends, who were prisoners there before (as indeed were at that
time all the other parts of that prison, and most of the other
prisons about the town), and our addition caused a great throng on
that side. Notwithstanding which we were kindly welcomed by our