CHAPTER XXVI.

A. 1690-LETTER OF THANKS TO A FRIEND-IS ARRESTED AGAIN ON A CHARGE OF CORRESPONDING WITH JAMES THE SECOND-HIS OPEN AND MANLY DEFENCE BEFORE KING WILLIAM-IS MADE TO FIND BAIL-APPEARS IN COURT AND IS DISCHARGED-PREPARES FOR RETURNING TO PENNSYLVANIA-IS AGAIN ARRESTED-TRIED -AND ACQUITTED-WRITES TO THE WIDOW OF GEORGE FOX ON THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND-IS ON THE POINT OF SAILING FOR PENNSYLVANIA, BUT ACCUSED BY FULLER - CONSTABLES SENT TO TAKE HIM-THE VOYAGE STOPPED — GOES INTO RETIREMENT -AFFAIRS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WILLIAM PENN, though he saw no disposition either in the King or in the Parliament to amend the Toleration-act, so as to bring it nearer to his own wishes, had yet the pleasure to find that it had at least become so popular, except among some of the clergy, that it was likely to maintain its ground. Finding, therefore, that he must be satisfied with it as it then stood, and being, at the same time, thankful to Divine Providence for what had been so far obtained, he resolved to embark for Pennsylvania in the course of the present year.

About this time he wrote to a friend on the following occasion. He himself had been in the habit of writing letters to the Duke of Buckingham, who was then deceased. His friend had fallen in with some of these, and was then collecting them, with a view of preventing them from passing into improper hands; for he supposed, probably, that they might contain political matter; and, as William Penn was then daily watched by the new government, as a person suspected to be hostile to it, there might be expressions in them, which might be so twisted and misinterpreted, if his enemies should see them, as to afford a handle for putting him to trouble. The letter then, written by William Penn, was a letter of thanks to his friend, for the service intended him, and ran thus :

Though nothing of an interest of my own was the reason of the ancient esteem I have had for thee, yet that only is the motive at this time to this freedom; for, being informed by Jer. Grimshaw, that some of my letters to the late Duke of Buckingham are in thy hands, and that thy wonted kindness to all of our communion had shown itself in my regard by collecting them apart, to prevent their falling under any improper notice, I thought myself obliged both to return my acknowledgments for that friendly caution, and to desire thee to let them follow him they were written to, who can be no more known to the living. Poor gentleman! I need not trust another hand than that, which was unwilling any other should be trusted with them but my own. I know not what the circumstances of that time might draw from me; but my only business with him ever was to make his superior quality and sense useful to this kingdom, that he might not die under

the guilt of misspending the greatest talents that were among the nobility of any country. However, in the rubbish of those times, and the late extraordinary revolution, let them lie, and let us all think of this only way to the peace and happiness we pretend to seek, namely, to give God his due out of us, and then we shall have our dues out of one another; and without it let us not wonder at the nimble turns of the world, nor reflect upon the mischiefs that attend them. They are the natural effects of our breach of duty to God, and will ever follow it. We, like the Jews, are full of jealousy, humour, and complaint, and seek for our deliverance in the wrong place. When we grow a better people, we shall know better days; and when we have cast off Satan's yoke, no other can hold longer upon us. Things do not change. Causes and effects are ever the same; and they that seek to over-rule the eternal order, fight with the winds, and overthrow themselves. But what is this to my subject? I close with a true sense of all thy tenderness to our poor folks, and regards to myself, beseeching God, that more than the reward of him that gives a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, may be thy portion, when this very trifling world may be no more. I am thy affectionate, true Friend, “WILLIAM PENN.”

Soon after the writing of this letter, and while he was turning his thoughts towards the things to be done preparatory to his voyage, he was arrested by a body of military, and brought again before the Lords of the Council. The charge then against him was, that he was holding a traitorous correspondence with the late King, who was then in France. Upon this he desired to appeal to King William in person. His request was granted. The King and Council appeared together. A letter was then produced, which had been written to him by James, and which had been intercepted by government on its way, in which he (James) "desired him (Penn) to come to his assistance, and to express to him the resentments of his favour and benevolence." The question first put to William Penn was, why King James wrote to him? He answered, that it was impossible for him to prevent the King from writing to him, if he, the King, chose it. He was then questioned as to what resentments these were, which James seemed to desire of him. He answered, he knew not; but he supposed the King meant that he should endeavour his restoration. Though, however, he could not avoid the suspicion of such an attempt, he could avoid the guilt of it. He confessed he had loved King James, and, as he had loved him in his prosperity, he could not hate him in his adversity; yes, he loved him yet for the many favours he had conferred on him, though he could not join with him in what concerned the state of the kingdom. He owned again, that he had been much obliged to the King, and that he was willing to repay his kindness by any private service in his power; but that he must, observe, inviolably and entirely, that duty to the state, which belonged to all the subjects of it; and, therefore, that he had never had the wickedness. even to think of endeavouring to restore him that crown, which had fallen

1

from his head; so that nothing in that letter could, in any wise, fix guilt upon him." This defence, which was at once manly, open, and explicit, had its weight with the King, so that he felt himself inclined to dismiss him as an innocent person; but some of the Council interfering, he, to please them, ordered him to give bail to appear at the next Trinity Term. After this he was permitted to withdraw, and go at large, as before.

There can be no doubt but that, in a sitting which occupied two hours, many more questions were put to, and of course answers given by, William Penn, than those which we have now communicated; but these are all that have come down to us, and, but for Gerard Croese, they might have remained as if they had never been. That his account, as now given, is generally true, is highly credible; for the editors of that splendid work, generally termed "Picart's Religious Customs and Ceremonies of all Nations," speaking of William Penn, allude to the defence which he made on this occasion. This," say they, "was confirmed by a letter King James wrote to Penn, from France, after the Revolution had been brought about by King William the Third. Penn was strictly examined concerning this correspondence. His answer was noble, generous, and wise: but party animosity made it be looked upon, in the hurry of spirits at that time, as a barefaced espousing King James's cause. And most Protestants, chiefly news and libel-writers, thought it no less a crime than high treason to profess a friendship for that Prince.

William Penn, being now at large for a time, was so conscious of his own innocence, and, therefore, so fearless of the consequences of his approaching trial, that he actually employed himself in preparing for his voyage to Pennsylvania. At the time appointed he appeared in court: but here, as before, no one coming forward as evidence against him, he was hononrably discharged.

Being once more at liberty, he returned to his home, when his voyage occupied his attention again. At this time the country was in great consternation on account of an expected invasion by the French. The French fleet had already beaten the English in conjunction with the Dutch, and was then hovering off the coast. King William, too, was in Ireland. The Queen, therefore, was obliged to exert herself in defence of the nation. This she did by calling out the militia, and in other ways: but, in order to strike terror, at this moment, into the supposed conspirators with France, she issued a proclamation for apprehending Edward Henry, Earl of Lichfield; Thomas, Earl of Aylesbury; William, Lord Montgomery; Roger, Earl of Castlemain; Richard, Viscount Preston; Henry, Lord Bellasis; Sir Edward Hales; Sir Robert Thorold; Sir Robert Hamilton; Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe; Colonel Edward Sackvile; Lieutenant Colonel William

* Picart's book was a Roman Catholic publication, printed at Paris, and afterwards translated into the English language.

Richardson; Major Thomas Soaper; Captain David Lloyd; Edmond Elliott; Marmaduke Langdale; Edward Rutland; and William Penn. Here, then, we see William Penn brought into trouble again; for the above proclamation was not out long, before he was again apprehended and sent to prison. He was obliged to lie there till the last day of Michaelmas Term, when he was brought up before the King's Bench Court, Westminster, for trial. The result was equally honourable as in the former cases; for, though evidence appeared, it failed to prove anything against him.

William Penn began now to think that there was no security for his person in England. No sooner had he been honourably and legally acquitted of one charge than he was arrested upon another. Under these circumstances, he looked to his departure from England both with anxiety and delight. Having accomplished, in a great degree, the principal object for which he had crossed the Atlantic, he longed now, with a most earnest longing, for a quiet retreat in Pennsylvania. He used, accordingly, double diligence, for that purpose. He was already far advanced in his preparation for the voyage. The vessel had been taken up which was to carry him over. Numbers of persons also, in consequence of certain proposals, which he had published this summer, for a new settlement in Pennsylvania, had been preparing to accompany him, some in his own, and others in other vessels. The Secretary of State, also, had gone so far as to appoint him a convoy, which was to be ready on a given day.

Just at this time, George Fox, his beloved friend, and founder of the religious Society of the Quakers, died in London. It fell to his lot to communicate this event to his wife, who was then in Lancashire. His letter was very short. "I am to be," says he, "the teller to thee of sorrowful tidings, in some respect, which is this, that thy dear husband, and my beloved and dear friend, finished his glorious testimony this night, about half an hour after nine, being sensible to the last breath. O! he is gone, and has left us in the storm that is over our heads, surely in great mercy to him, but as an evidence to us of sorrows to come!" In alluding to his powers as a minister of the Gospel, he says, "a Prince, indeed, is fallen in · Israel to-day;" and to his irreproachable life, "he died, as he lived, a lamb, minding the things of God and his Church to the last, in an universal spirit." After this, when the time came, he attended his remains to the grave. Here he spoke publicly, and for a considerable time, to about two thousand persons, who attended the funeral; thus paying the last earthly respect in his power to his deceased friend, and thus endeavouring to make even his death useful to those present.

It appeared now as if he had little more to do than to take leave of his numerous Friends, and to embark. But, alas, how short-lived and transitory are sometimes our best hopes! In an instant all his happy dreams, all his expectations came to nothing; for, but a day or two before the funeral of George Fox, a wretch, of the name of Fuller, one whom Parliament

afterwards had occasion to declare a cheat and impostor,* had come forward with an accusation against him, upon oath, so that messsengers had been sent to the very funeral itself, with a warrant to apprehend him; but, mistaking the hour, they arrived too late for their purpose. Thus his voyage was entirely stopped for the present year.

Unable now to leave the kingdom with honour, the vessels proceded without him to Pennsylvania. He wrote by them, of course, to explain the causes which had hindered him from arriving at the same time, but no e of these letters have been preserved. One, bowever, is forthcoming, whi h he wrote by a subsequent conveyance, and which relates to the event in que tion. By this time," says he, “thou wilt have heard of my troubles, the only hinderance of my return, being in the midst of my preparations, with a great company of adventurers, when they came upon me.The jealousies of some, and unworthy dealings of others, have made way for them; but, under and over it all, the ancient Rock has been my shelter and comfort; and I hope yet to see your faces with our ancient satisfaction. The Lord grant it, if it be for his glory, whose I desire to be in all conditions; for this world passeth away, and the beauty of it fadeth: but there are eternal habitations for the faithful, among whom I pray that my lot may be, rather than among the Princes of the earth.

"I desire that my afflictions may cease, if not cure, your animosities or discontents among yourselves, if yet they have continued, and that thou wilt, both in government and to my Commissioners, yield thy assistance all thou canst.- -By all this, God may prepare me to be better for future service, even to you there. I ask the people forgiveness for my long stay; But when I consider how much it has been my own great loss, and for an ungrateful generation, it is punishment. It has been twenty thousand pounds damages in the country, and above ten thousand pounds here, and to the Province five hundred families. But the wise God, who can do what he pleases as well as see what is in man's heart, is able to requite all; and, I am persuaded, all yet shall work together for good, in this very thing, if we can overlook all that stands in the way of our views God-ward in public matters. See that all be done prudently and humbly, and keep down irre verence and looseness, and cherish industry and sobriety. God Almight be with you, and amongst you, to his praise and to your peace! "

William Penn, after this new accusation by Fuller, determined upon retirement. To have gone to Pennsylvania, merely with the view of making his escape, would have been useless, for he would have been equally amenable

* The House resolved, "That William Fuller was a notorious impostor, a cheat, and a false accuser, having scandalised the Magistrates and the Government, abused this House, and falsely accused several persons of honour and quality;" and they resolved on an address to His Majesty to command his Attorney General to prosecute the said impostor. He was accordingly prosecuted, and sentenced to the pillory, in which he is said to have stood without either modesty or remorse.