their heads, and said, "It was dangerous to write letters to appoint
meetings in such troublesome times."

They added, that by appointing a meeting, and endeavouring to gather
a concourse of people together, in such a juncture especially as
this was, I had rendered myself a dangerous person. And therefore
they could do no less than tender me the oaths of allegiance and
supremacy, which therefore they required me to take.

I told them if I could take any oath at all, I would take the oath
of allegiance, for I owed allegiance to the King; but I durst not
take any oath, because my Lord and Master Jesus Christ had commanded
me not to swear at all; and if I brake His command I should thereby
both dishonour and displease Him.

Hereupon they undertook to reason with me, and used many words to
persuade me that that command of Christ related only to common and
profane swearing, not to swearing before a magistrate. I heard
them, and saw the weakness of their arguing, but did not return them
any answer; for I found my present business was not to dispute, but
to suffer; and that it was not safe for me, in this my weak and
childish state especially, to enter into reasonings with sharp,
quick, witty, and learned men, lest I might thereby hurt both the
cause of truth, which I was to bear witness to, and myself;
therefore I chose rather to be a fool, and let them triumph over me,
than by my weakness give them advantage to triumph over the truth.
And my spirit being closely exercised in a deep travail towards the
Lord, I earnestly begged of Him that He would be pleased to keep me
faithful to the testimony He had committed to me, and not suffer me
to be taken in any of the snares which the enemy laid for me. And,