--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My prison shall be my grave before I will…" description: "\"My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png" --- # My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for… ![“My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png) > “My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Refuse to be constrained by others; stay true to conscience. **In simple terms:** Never compromise conscience for others. Key Takeaway Stand firm in personal convictions. Themes integrity freedom conscience Mood defiant principled Type historical political When to use this quote - political activism - ethical decision making - self‑defense Key Concepts moral autonomy personal liberty Questions to Reflect On - When should you resist external pressure? - How do you balance conscience with societal rules? A Different Perspective May lead to conflict with authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Mortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-mortal-2276185/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graves/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) [Owe Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owe-conscience-2276184/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-shall-1212514/) [Shall Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-grave-2276186/) ## Related quotes > [“My prison will be my grave before I budge a jot, for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Retire me to my Milan, where Every third thought shall be my grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/retire-me-to-my-milan-where-every-third-thought-shall-be-my-grave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“If suddenly you do not exist, if suddenly you no longer live, I shall live on. I do not dare, I do not dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/if-suddenly-you-do-not-exist-if-suddenly-you-no-longer-live-i-shall/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [You may chain my hands, you may shackle my feet; you may even throw me into a dark prison; but you shall not enslave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-chain-my-hands-you-may-shackle-my-feet-you-may-even-throw-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Romeo: Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. 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They live, Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-larcom/these-blossoms-gathered-in-familiar-paths-with-dear-companions-now/) [Lucy Larcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-larcom/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. 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Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-will-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-will-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-wil_2641814.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.” — William Penn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My prison shall be my grave...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-will-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-will-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```