In the sixth month, the assizes were held again at Lancaster, and the same judges, Twisden and Turner, came that circuit again; but Judge Turner then sat on the crown bench, and so I was brought before him. Before I was called to the bar, I was put among the murderers and felons for about two hours, the people, the justices, and the judge, also gazing upon me. After they had tried several others, they called me to the bar, and empannelled a jury. Then the judge asked the justices, “whether they had tendered me the oath at the sessions.” They said, “they had.” Then he bid, “give them the book, that they might swear they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment.” Some of the justices refused to be sworn; but the judge said, he would have it done, to take away all occasion of exception. When the jury were sworn, and the justices had sworn that “they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment,” the judge asked me, “whether I had not refused the oath at the last assizes?” I said, “I never took an oath in my life, and Christ, the Saviour and Judge of the world, said, ‘Swear not at all.’” The judge seemed not to take notice of my answer, but asked me, “whether or not I had refused to take the oath at the last assizes?” I said, “the words that I then spoke to them were, that if they could prove, either judge, justices, priest, or teacher, that after Christ and the apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded that Christians should swear, I would swear.” The judge said he was not at that time to dispute, whether it was lawful to swear, but to inquire whether I had refused to take the oath or not, I told him, “those things mentioned in the oath, as plotting against the king, and owning the Pope’s, or any other foreign power, I utterly deny.” “Well,” said he, “you say well in that, but did you deny to take the oath? what say you?” “What wouldst thou have me to say?” said I; “for I have told thee before what I did say.” Then he asked me, “if I would have these men to swear, that I had taken the oath?” I asked him, “If he would have those men to swear, that I had refused the oath?” at which the court burst out into laughter. I was grieved to see so much lightness in a court, where such solemn matters are handled, and thereupon asked them, “if this court was a play-house? where is gravity and sobriety? for this behaviour doth not become you.”