diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/answers_test.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/answers_test.go
index be28d5c0e..025eba1c4 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/answers_test.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/answers_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -71,6 +73,13 @@ func (m *memAsks) UpdateAsk(k string, r AskRecord, rev uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	m.asks[k], m.revs[k] = clone(r), m.rev
 	return m.rev, nil
 }
+func (m *memAsks) DeleteAsk(k string) error {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	delete(m.asks, k)
+	delete(m.revs, k)
+	return nil
+}
 func (m *memAsks) AskKeys() ([]string, error) {
 	m.mu.Lock()
 	defer m.mu.Unlock()
@@ -601,8 +610,17 @@ func TestAnAskIsRefusedInWordsToItsAsker(t *testing.T) {
 	if strings.Contains(all, "d-6") || store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-6"].State != StateOpen || store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-3"].State != StateHeldBack {
 		t.Errorf("the fourth ask was refused or the oldest not held back: d-6 %s, d-3 %s", store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-6"].State, store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-3"].State)
 	}
-	if _, kept := store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-1"]; kept {
-		t.Error("a refused ask was recorded")
+	// A refused ask is kept as a closed record with its outcome and words (design 47 G §570), and `asks` lists it refused.
+	if rec, kept := store.asks["mesh-delivery.d-1"]; !kept || rec.State != string(occ.OutcomeRefused) || rec.Warrant == nil ||
+		!strings.Contains(rec.Warrant.Words, "an ask that destroys lasts at most") || liveState(rec.State) {
+		t.Errorf("a refused ask was not kept as a closed record: %+v", rec)
+	}
+	listed := false
+	for _, v := range h.AsksNow() {
+		listed = listed || (v.Key == "mesh-delivery.d-1" && v.State == "refused" && strings.HasPrefix(v.Answer, "refused: "))
+	}
+	if !listed {
+		t.Error("asks does not list the refused ask")
 	}
 	// A node's engine is an asker under node-engine-<node> (novox/hq ADR 0563 §3, changing ADR 0259 §2): its ask is
 	// recorded under that name, with its own bound of open asks; a name that is no asker's is dropped.
@@ -1073,3 +1091,38 @@ func TestAnAsksMessageWithOneAnswerIsNotFoldedIntoADigest(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("the ask's message was folded with another: %q", asked.Body)
 	}
 }
+
+// Design 47 G §570: a refusal is written by a create only, so an open ask of the same id keeps its record; the twenty-first
+// refusal of one asker removes its oldest, as the setting refused-kept says, each removal written in the journal.
+func TestRefusedAsksAreKeptByACreateOnlyAndTheOldestGoesPastTheSetting(t *testing.T) {
+	h, _, _, c, store, _ := newRouter(t)
+	h.RefusedKept = func() int { return 3 }
+	open := heldAsk(c, "open-1")
+	submit(t, h, "mesh-delivery", open)
+	before := store.asks["mesh-delivery.open-1"]
+	same := heldAsk(c, "open-1")
+	same.Options[0].Level = occ.Destroy
+	submit(t, h, "mesh-delivery", same)
+	if got := store.asks["mesh-delivery.open-1"]; got.State != before.State || got.Warrant != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("a refusal of an open ask's id overwrote it: %+v", got)
+	}
+	for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
+		bad := heldAsk(c, fmt.Sprintf("bad-%d", i))
+		bad.Options[0].Level = occ.Destroy
+		submit(t, h, "mesh-delivery", bad)
+		c.pass(time.Minute)
+	}
+	var kept []string
+	for k, r := range store.asks {
+		if r.State == string(occ.OutcomeRefused) {
+			kept = append(kept, k)
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Strings(kept)
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(kept, []string{"mesh-delivery.bad-3", "mesh-delivery.bad-4", "mesh-delivery.bad-5"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("kept %v: the three newest refused asks of the asker", kept)
+	}
+	if h.askOf("mesh-delivery.bad-1") != nil {
+		t.Error("the router's own view still holds the removed refusal")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/asks.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/asks.go
index 0cba1d7b7..74a94cbf1 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/asks.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/asks.go
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ type Identity struct {
 type AskStore interface {
 	GetAsk(key string) (*AskRecord, uint64, error)
 	CreateAsk(key string, r AskRecord) (uint64, error)
+	// DeleteAsk removes one ask's record: the oldest refused one past the setting refused-kept (design 47 G §570).
+	DeleteAsk(key string) error
 	UpdateAsk(key string, r AskRecord, revision uint64) (uint64, error)
 	AskKeys() ([]string, error)
 	GetIdentity(key string) (*Identity, error)
@@ -864,10 +866,70 @@ func (h *Holder) offerAsk(r *Record) {
 	h.flush(now, false)
 }
 
-// refuseAsk says to its asker that an ask was not taken, and why.
+// DefaultRefusedKept is how many refused asks of one asker the router keeps when the setting refused-kept gives none.
+const DefaultRefusedKept = 20
+
+// refuseAsk says to its asker that an ask was not taken, and why, and keeps it under `<asker>.<id>` as a closed record with the
+// outcome refused (design 47 G §570), by a create only: an id that holds a record already, an open ask with its tickets, is
+// left as it is and the refusal is said on `decided` alone.
 func (h *Holder) refuseAsk(asker string, a oc.Ask, why string) {
 	h.Logf("[messenger] refused an ask from %s (%s): %s", asker, a.ID, why)
-	h.tell(oc.Warrant{Ask: a.ID, Asker: asker, About: a.About, Outcome: occ.OutcomeRefused, Words: why, At: occ.FormatTime(h.Now())})
+	now := h.Now()
+	w := oc.Warrant{Ask: a.ID, Asker: asker, About: a.About, Outcome: occ.OutcomeRefused, Words: why, At: occ.FormatTime(now)}
+	told := h.tell(w) == nil
+	if h.Asks == nil || !occ.UsableID(a.ID) {
+		return
+	}
+	key := askKey(asker, a.ID)
+	if h.askOf(key) != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	// Only its id and subject are kept: a refused ask's words may carry what may not leave the mesh (a secret's shape), so
+	// none of them is written to the record; its warrant says why in the router's words.
+	rec := AskRecord{Asker: asker, Ask: oc.Ask{ID: a.ID, About: a.About}, State: string(occ.OutcomeRefused), Opened: now, Closed: now, Warrant: &w, Told: told}
+	rev, err := h.Asks.CreateAsk(key, rec)
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, ErrChanged):
+		return
+	case err != nil:
+		h.Logf("[messenger] the refusal of %s could not be kept: %v", key, err)
+		return
+	}
+	h.keepAsk(key, rec, rev)
+	h.pruneRefused(asker)
+}
+
+// pruneRefused removes the oldest refused records of an asker past the setting refused-kept, each removal written in the
+// journal (design 47 G §570).
+func (h *Holder) pruneRefused(asker string) {
+	most := DefaultRefusedKept
+	if h.RefusedKept != nil {
+		most = h.RefusedKept()
+	}
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	var keys []string
+	for k, e := range h.asks {
+		if e.rec.Asker == asker && e.rec.State == string(occ.OutcomeRefused) {
+			keys = append(keys, k)
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Slice(keys, func(i, j int) bool {
+		a, b := h.asks[keys[i]].rec.Closed, h.asks[keys[j]].rec.Closed
+		return a.Before(b) || (a.Equal(b) && keys[i] < keys[j])
+	})
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	for len(keys) > most {
+		oldest := keys[0]
+		keys = keys[1:]
+		if err := h.Asks.DeleteAsk(oldest); err != nil {
+			h.Logf("[messenger] the refused ask %s could not be removed: %v", oldest, err)
+			continue
+		}
+		h.mu.Lock()
+		delete(h.asks, oldest)
+		h.mu.Unlock()
+		h.Logf("[messenger] removed the oldest refused ask of %s, %s: %d are kept at most (refused-kept)", asker, oldest, most)
+	}
 }
 
 // tell publishes a warrant, or an ask's end, to its asker alone, deduplicated by the ask.
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/holder.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/holder.go
index 30fe6dbdc..d87b60e68 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/holder.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/holder.go
@@ -330,6 +330,9 @@ type Holder struct {
 	// CapPerHour is the most messages one channel gets an hour (the setting messages-per-hour, issue 1476);
 	// nil, or a value below zero, is DefaultCapPerHour; 0 is no cap at all. TellCapPerHour is its own and stays fixed.
 	CapPerHour func() int
+	// RefusedKept is how many refused asks of one asker are kept (the setting refused-kept, design 47 G §570); nil is
+	// DefaultRefusedKept.
+	RefusedKept func() int
 	// Settle is how long a delivered walk holds what it touched after its end (the setting settle-seconds, novox/hq
 	// ADR 0505 §3); nil is DefaultSettle.
 	Settle func() time.Duration
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/main.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/main.go
index e115da0f1..e74264b9f 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/main.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ type Settings struct {
 	// SettleSeconds is how long a delivered walk still holds what it touched after its end (novox/hq ADR 0505 §3):
 	// nil, not given, is DefaultSettle; 0 holds nothing after the end.
 	SettleSeconds *int `json:"settle-seconds"`
+	// RefusedKept is how many refused asks of one asker the router keeps (design 47 G §570): nil, not given, is DefaultRefusedKept.
+	RefusedKept *int `json:"refused-kept"`
 }
 
 // zoneOf is the location a time-zone setting names, or this machine's own when it names none or one
@@ -105,6 +107,17 @@ func readSettings(path string) (Settings, error) {
 	default:
 		return s, fmt.Errorf("settle-seconds is not a number")
 	}
+	switch v := loose["refused-kept"].(type) {
+	case nil:
+	case float64:
+		n := int(v)
+		if v < 1 || v != float64(n) {
+			return s, fmt.Errorf("refused-kept is not a whole number of one or more")
+		}
+		s.RefusedKept = &n
+	default:
+		return s, fmt.Errorf("refused-kept is not a number")
+	}
 	return s, nil
 }
 
@@ -242,6 +255,7 @@ func (askStore) UpdateAsk(key string, r AskRecord, revision uint64) (uint64, err
 	rev, err := stdio.State("asks").Update(key, r, revision)
 	return rev, changed(err)
 }
+func (askStore) DeleteAsk(key string) error { return stdio.State("asks").Delete(key) }
 func (askStore) AskKeys() ([]string, error) { return stdio.State("asks").Keys() }
 func (askStore) GetIdentity(key string) (*Identity, error) {
 	e, err := stdio.State("identities").Get(key)
@@ -366,6 +380,12 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			return DefaultCapPerHour
 		},
+		RefusedKept: func() int {
+			if n := settings().RefusedKept; n != nil {
+				return *n
+			}
+			return DefaultRefusedKept
+		},
 		Settle: func() time.Duration {
 			if n := settings().SettleSeconds; n != nil && *n >= 0 {
 				return time.Duration(*n) * time.Second
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/whole_test.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/whole_test.go
index 68b3801d3..e8cc5a6a0 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/whole_test.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/whole_test.go
@@ -149,8 +149,9 @@ func TestAnAskWhoseWholeWordsCarryASecretIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 		if len(tg.sends) != 0 || len(got) != 1 || got[0].Outcome != occ.OutcomeRefused || !strings.Contains(got[0].Words, "whole words carry secret") {
 			t.Errorf("%q: sent %d, told %+v", secret, len(tg.sends), got)
 		}
-		if _, kept := store.asks["mesh-controller.s-4"]; kept {
-			t.Errorf("%q: the refused ask was recorded", secret)
+		if rec, kept := store.asks["mesh-controller.s-4"]; !kept || rec.State != "refused" || rec.Ask.Whole != "" || rec.Ask.Headline != "" ||
+			strings.Contains(fmt.Sprint(rec), "ghp_") || strings.Contains(fmt.Sprint(rec), "hunter2") {
+			t.Errorf("%q: the refused ask was not kept as a closed record without its words: %+v", secret, rec)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ func TestEveryKeyAndItsWholeValueIsInTheNoteWhereTheSenderIsProven(t *testing.T)
 	b.WholeDetails = "+ token: ghp_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789"
 	submit(t, h, "mesh-controller", b)
 	settle(h, c)
-	if _, kept := store.asks["mesh-controller.s-10"]; kept || len(tg.sends) != 1 {
+	if rec, kept := store.asks["mesh-controller.s-10"]; (kept && rec.State != "refused") || rec.Ask.WholeDetails != "" || len(tg.sends) != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("an ask whose whole details carry a secret was taken")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/modules/messenger/files/settings.json b/modules/messenger/files/settings.json
index d628295dc..7eaa42a2d 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/files/settings.json
+++ b/modules/messenger/files/settings.json
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
   "only-what-needs-me": [],
   "messages-per-hour": 100,
   "settle-seconds": 120,
+  "refused-kept": 20,
   "readers": {"offered": ["mesh-knowledge"], "closed": ["mesh-knowledge"]}
 }
diff --git a/modules/messenger/module.json b/modules/messenger/module.json
index c6b1e56de..f3b66dd47 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/module.json
+++ b/modules/messenger/module.json
@@ -164,6 +164,14 @@
       "trusted": false,
       "default": 100
     },
+    "refused-kept": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "description": "how many refused asks of one asker the router keeps as closed records, a whole number from 1 to 1000: the twenty-first refusal of an asker removes its oldest (design 47 G section 570).",
+      "minimum": 1,
+      "maximum": 1000,
+      "trusted": false,
+      "default": 20
+    },
     "settle-seconds": {
       "type": "number",
       "description": "seconds a delivery that ended well still holds the messages about what it changed, so a problem that passes as the delivery settles is not sent (ADR 0505 §3); 0 holds nothing after the end.",
@@ -194,7 +202,7 @@
       "type": "file",
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
-      "takes-config": ["time-zone", "desktop-machines", "only-what-needs-me", "messages-per-hour", "settle-seconds", "readers"],
+      "takes-config": ["time-zone", "desktop-machines", "only-what-needs-me", "messages-per-hour", "settle-seconds", "refused-kept", "readers"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json",
       "owner": "messenger"