--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My prison will be my grave before I budge…" description: "\"“My prison will be my grave before I budge a jot, for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.”\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png" --- # My prison will be my grave before I budge a jot, for I owe… ![“My prison will be my grave before I budge a jot, for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png) > ““My prison will be my grave before I 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. He declares he will not compromise his principles, even under death, because his conscience answers to no one but himself. **In simple terms:** He refuses to betray his morals, even at death. Key Takeaway Stand firm in personal integrity. Themes integrity principle conscience Mood defiant resolute Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political leadership - ethical dilemmas - personal sacrifice Key Concepts moral autonomy personal sovereignty Questions to Reflect On - What values are non‑negotiable for you? - When is flexibility justified? A Different Perspective May rigid adherence hinder pragmatic compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-shall-be-my-grave-before-i-will-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“history informs us that the passage of dethroned monarchs is short from prison to the grave.”18”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlow-giles-unger/history-informs-us-that-the-passage-of-dethroned-monarchs-is-short/) [Harlow Giles Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlow-giles-unger/) > [Body is a home, a prison and a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-runcie/body-is-a-home-a-prison-and-a-grave/) [James Runcie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-runcie/) > [That all persons living in this province, who confess and acknowledge the one Almighty and eternal God, to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/that-all-persons-living-in-this-province-who-confess-and-acknowledge/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Regardless of nationality, all men are brothers. God is "our Father who art in heaven." The commandment "Thou shalt not kill" is unconditional and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-salmon/regardless-of-nationality-all-men-are-brothers-god-is-our-father-who/) Ben Salmon > [We might make a public moan in the newspapers about the decay of conscience, but in private conversation, no matter what crimes a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/we-might-make-a-public-moan-in-the-newspapers-about-the-decay-of/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [One's conscience reproaches one much more stingingly for one's follies than one's crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-jewsbury/one-s-conscience-reproaches-one-much-more-stingingly-for-one-s/) [Geraldine Jewsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-jewsbury/) > [To live in prison is to live without mirrors. To live without mirrors is to live without the self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/to-live-in-prison-is-to-live-without-mirrors-to-live-without-mirrors/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/sometimes-the-law-defends-plunder-and-participates-in-it-sometimes/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [In the innermost recesses of humanism, as its very soul, there rages a frantic prisoner who, as a Fascist, turns the world into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-innermost-recesses-of-humanism-as-its-very-soul-there-rages-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In prison, the gloves were off, the comforting rhetoric and rationalization were absent. To use a phrase from Plato, I saw the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/in-prison-the-gloves-were-off-the-comforting-rhetoric-and/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [A children's author on a soapbox is not a pleasant sight but I have become drawn into issues, slightly unwillingly, relating to young people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/a-children-s-author-on-a-soapbox-is-not-a-pleasant-sight-but-i-have/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/) [Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/) ## 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. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... 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 > [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 will be my grave before I 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-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/william-penn-1104_conscience_my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budg_1841654.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My prison will be my grave before I 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 will be my grave...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-budge-a-jot-for-i-owe-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/my-prison-will-be-my-grave-before-i-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 } } ] } ```