he had been awakened or called upon to a holy life. But whatever was the particular occasion, it is certain, that while he was at Chigwell school, his mind was seriously impressed on the subject of religion, and that the effects of that impression did not pass away.

He left Chigwell at twelve years of age, and went to a private school on Tower Hill, which was near his father's London residence. Here he had greater advantages than before; for his father, to promote his scholarship, kept a private tutor for him in his own house.

At the age of fifteen he had made such progress in his studies, that it was thought fit to send him to college. He was accordingly entered a gentleman commoner at Christ's Church, Oxford. He is said to have paid great attention to his college exercises, and yet to have allowed himself all reasonable recreation. His recreations consisted partly of manly sports, in which he took great delight, and partly of the society of those young men in the university who were distinguished by their talents or their worth. Among those were Robert Spencer, afterwards Earl of Sunderland, and the venerable John Locke.

It happened, while here, that the Duke of Gloucester, the second brother of Charles the second, died. He was taken off suddenly by the small-pox in the twenty-first year of his age. The King, who loved him tenderly, appeared to be more concerned for his loss than for any misfortune which had ever befallen him. Indeed all historians agree in giving this young prince an amiable character, so that there was great sorrow in the nation on account of his death. Many belonging to the university of Oxford partaking of this sorrow, gave to the world the poetic effusions of their condolence. William Penn was not behind in this matter, if we may judge from the following specimen, taken from the Epicedia Acadamiœ Oxoniensis in Obitum celsissimi Principis Henrici, Ducis Glocestriensis. 4to. 1660.

"Publica te, Dux magne, dabant jejunia genti,
Sed facta est, nato principe, festa dies.

Te moriente, licèt celebraret læta triumphos
Anglia, solennes solvitur in lachrymas.
Solus ad arbitrium moderaris pectora; solus
Tu dolor accedis, deliciæque tuis."

Though 'twas a fast-day when thou cam'st, thy birth
Turn'd it at once to one of festive mirth.
Though England, at thy death, still made her show
Of public joy*, she pass'd to public woe.
Thou dost, alone, the public breast control,
Alone, give joy and sorrow to the soul.

But though William Penn was a youth of a lively genius, and though he indulged himself at times in manly sports and exercises, yet he never forgot the religious impressions which he had received at Chigwell school. They had, on the contrary, been considerably strengthened, especially by the preaching of one Thomas Loe. This person had belonged to the university of Oxford, but had then become a Quaker. The doctrines which he promulgated had a great effect on the mind of William Penn. On discovering that some of his fellowstudents entertained religious sentiments which were in unison with his own, he began, in conjunction with them, to withdraw himself from the established worship, and to hold meetings among themselves, where they indulged their devotional feelings in their own way. This conduct gave offence to the heads of the college, who fined them all for nonconformity. This happened in the year 1660.

This fine had not the desired effect. It neither deterred the parties from their old practices, nor from proceeding even further where they thought themselves justified in so doing. An opportunity for this presented itself soon afterward; for an order came down to Oxford from Charles the second, that the surplice should be worn, according to the custom of ancient times. William Penn, who conceived that the simplicity and spirituality of the Christian religion would be destroyed by the introduction of such outward ceremonies and forms, was so disgusted with the sight of the surpliced parties,

* On account of the Restoration.

that he could not bear it. Engaging therefore his friend Robert Spencer, and some other young gentlemen to join him, they fell upon those students who appeared in surplices, and tore them every where over their heads. This outrage was of so flagrant and public a nature, that the College immediately took it up; and the result was, that Penn and several of his associates were expelled. After his expulsion from college, Penn returned home. His father received him coldly. He was both very much displeased with him on account of the public disgrace which he had thus incurred, and vexed at the change which he saw in his habits; for he had begun to abandon the fashionable world, and to mix only with people who were serious and religious. The Admiral was fearful that all the great hopes in life which he had formed for his son would come to nought. Anxious therefore to recover him, he had recourse to argument. This failing, he proceeded to blows; and that also failing, he turned him out of doors.

The Admiral after a procedure so violent, began at length to relent. Though hasty, he was a man of an affectionate disposition, so that his own good feelings frequently opposed themselves to his anger on this occasion. His wife too, an amiable woman, lost no opportunity of pleading for her child's return. His own affectionate nature, and his wife's entreaties, overcame at length, and he forgave his son. Indulging a hope that the change of scene might wean him from his old connexions, and that the gaiety of French manners might correct the growing gravity of his mind, he sent him to France, in company with certain persons of rank who were then going out on their travels.

While at Paris, he was attacked one evening in the street, by a person who drew his sword upon him in consequence of a supposed affront. A conflict immediately followed, in which Penn disarmed his antagonist, but proceeded no further, sparing his life, when by the confession of all who relate the fact he could have taken it;

thus proving not only his courage, but his forbearance also.

How long he remained at Paris is not known, but it is probable that his stay there was very short; and that the gaiety and dissipation of that city was far from pleasing to him; for we find him afterwards, with his companions, a resident for some months, in the years 1662 and 1663, at Saumur, whither he had gone to avail himself of the conversation and instruction of the learned Moses Amyrault, who was a protestant minister of the Calvinistic persuasion, professor of divinity at Saumur, and at this time in the highest estimation of any divine in France. Under this man William Penn renewed his studies. He read the Fathers: he turned over the pages of theology and he applied himself to the French language, so as to become a proficient in it.

:

When he left Saumur, he directed his course towards Italy, and had got to Turin, when a letter reached him from his father, desiring his return home. His father had received notice that he was to command the fleet against the Dutch, and wished his son to take care of the family in his absence. William in consequence returned. This was in 1664. During the few interviews he had with his father, he is said to have given satisfaction; for though he had not perhaps gone back in his regard and concern for religion, he was yet more lively in his manners than before. He had also contracted a sort of polished or courtly demeanour, which he had insensibly taken from the customs of the people among whom he had lately lived.

It was now thought advisable that he should know something of law; and accordingly, on the suggestion of his father, he became a student of Lincoln's Inn. He remained there for about year, when the great plague making its appearance in London, he returned to his father's house. This took place in the year 1665, in which year he became of age.

CHAPTER II.

A. 1666-1667.

IT IS hardly possible, when men have embraced the truth from conviction, that any ordinary measures should turn them from it. The fire kindled in their minds may be smothered for a time, but it will break forth again at length. It was so with William Penn. He had come from the continent with an air of gaiety, and the show of polite manners, which his father had mistaken for a great change in his mind. But now, in 1666, all these things had passed away again. The grave and sedate habits of his countrymen, the religious controversies then afloat, and other circumstances of a similar tendency, had caused the smothered spark within him to revive in its wonted strength. He became a serious person again. He again mixed only with grave and religious people. His father, when he returned from sea, could not but notice this change. It was the more visible on account of the length of his absence. He saw it with all his former feelings; with the same fear for the consequences, and the same determination to oppose it. He resolved a second time to endeavour to break up his son's connections; and to effect this end, he sent him to Ireland.

One reason which induced him to make choice of Ireland for this purpose, was his acquaintance with the Duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant of that country, as well as his acquaintance with several others who attended his court. The Duke himself was a man of a graceful appearance, lively wit, and cheerful temper; and his court had the reputation of great gaiety and splendour. The Admiral therefore conceived, that if his son were properly introduced among his friends there, he might even yet receive a new bias, and acquire a new taste. But this scheme of the Admiral did not answer. Nothing which Penn saw there could alter his religious notions, or shake