and that
I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the
occasion of all wars. Yet they courted me to accept their offer, and
thought I did but compliment them. But I told them I was come into
that covenant of peace which was before wars and strifes were. They
said they offered it in love and kindness to me, because for my
virtue, and such like flattering words they used. But I told them if
that was their love and kindness, I trampled it under my feet. Then
their rage got up, and they said, "Take him away, Gaoler, and put him
into the prison among the rogues and thieves."'

This prison was a much worse place than the House of Correction where
Fox had been confined hitherto. In it he was obliged to remain for a
weary half-year longer, knowing all the time that he might have been
at liberty, could he have consented to become an officer in the army.
His relations, distressed at his imprisonment, had already offered
L100 for his release, but Fox would not accept the pardon this sum
might have obtained for him as he said he had done nothing wrong. He
was occasionally allowed to leave the horrible, dirty gaol, with its
loathsome insects and wicked companions, and walk for a short time in
the garden by himself, because his keepers knew that when he had given
his word he would not try to escape from their custody.

As time went on, many dismal people (looking on the gloomy side of
things, as dismal people always do) began to shake their heads and
say, 'Poor young man, he will spend all his life in gaol. You will see
he will never be set free or get his liberty again.' But Fox refused
to be cast down. Narrow though his prison was, Hope shared it with
him. 'I had faith in God,' his Journal says, 'that I should be
delivered from that place in the Lord's time, but not yet, being set
there for a work He had for me to do!' Work there was for him in
prison truly. A young woman prisoner who had robbed her master was
sentenced to be hanged, according to the barbarous law then in force.
This shocked Fox so much that he wrote letters to her judges and to
the men who were to have been her executioners, expressing his horror
at what was going to happen in such strong language that he actually
softened their hearts. Although the girl had actually reached the foot
of the gallows, and her grave had already been dug, she was reprieved.
Then, when she was brought back into prison again after this wonderful
escape Fox was able t