Letters on England [7]
gained over some of his intimates. He carried matters so far,
that he formed by insensible degrees a society of young Quakers, who
met at his house; so that he was at the head of a sect when a little
above twenty.
Being returned, after his leaving Cork, to the Vice-Admiral his
father, instead of falling upon his knees to ask his blessing, he
went up to him with his hat on, and said, "Friend, I am very glad to
see thee in good health." The Vice-Admiral imagined his son to be
crazy, but soon finding he was turned Quaker, he employed all the
methods that prudence could suggest to engage him to behave and act
like other people. The youth made no other answer to his father,
than by exhorting him to turn Quaker also. At last his father
confined himself to this single request, viz., "that he should wait
upon the King and the Duke of York with his hat under his arm, and
should not 'thee' and 'thou' them." William answered, "that he
could not do these things, for conscience' sake," which exasperated
his father to such a degree, that he turned him out of doors. Young
Pen gave God thanks for permitting him to suffer so early in His
cause, after which he went into the city, where he held forth, and
made a great number of converts.
The Church of England clergy found their congregations dwindle away
daily; and Penn being young, handsome, and of a graceful stature,
the court as well as the city ladies flocked very devoutly to his
meeting. The patriarch, George Fox, hearing of his great
reputation, came to London (though the journey was very long) purely
to see and converse with him. Both resolved to go upon missions
into foreign countries, and accordingly they embarked for Holland,
after having left labourers sufficient to take care of the London
vineyard.
Their labours were crowned with success in Amsterdam, but a
circumstance which reflected the greatest honour on them, and at the
same time put their humility to the greatest trial, was the
reception they met with from Elizabeth, the Princess Palatine, aunt
to George I. of Great Britain, a lady conspicuous for her genius and
knowledge, and to whom Descartes had dedicated his Philosophical
Romance.
She was then retired to the Hague, where she received these Friends,
for so the Quakers were at that time called in Holland. This
princess had several conferences with them in her palace, and she at
last entertained so favourable an opinion of Quakerism, that they
confessed she was not far from the kingdom of heaven. The Friends
sowed likewise the good seed in Germany, but reaped very little
fruit; for the mode of "theeing" and "thouing" was not approved of
in a country where a man is perpetually obliged to employ the titles
of "highness" and "excellency." William Penn returned soon to
England upon hearing of his father's sickness, in order to see him
before he died. The Vice-Admiral was reconciled to his son, and
though of a different persuasion, embraced him tenderly. William
made a fruitless exhortation to his father not to receive the
sacrament, but to die a Quaker, and the good old man entreated his
son William to wear buttons on his sleeves, and a crape hatband in
his beaver, but all to no purpose.
William Penn inherited very large possessions, part of which
consisted in Crown debts due to the Vice-Admiral for sums he had
advanced for the sea service. No moneys were at that time more
insecure than those owing from the king. Penn was obliged to go
more than once, and "thee" and "thou" King Charles and his
Ministers, in order to recover the debt; and at last, instead of
specie, the Government invested him with the right and sovereignty
of a province of America, to the south of Maryland. Thus was a
Quaker raised to sovereign power. Penn set sail for his new
dominions with two ships freighted with Quakers, who followed his
fortune. The country was then called Pennsylvania
that he formed by insensible degrees a society of young Quakers, who
met at his house; so that he was at the head of a sect when a little
above twenty.
Being returned, after his leaving Cork, to the Vice-Admiral his
father, instead of falling upon his knees to ask his blessing, he
went up to him with his hat on, and said, "Friend, I am very glad to
see thee in good health." The Vice-Admiral imagined his son to be
crazy, but soon finding he was turned Quaker, he employed all the
methods that prudence could suggest to engage him to behave and act
like other people. The youth made no other answer to his father,
than by exhorting him to turn Quaker also. At last his father
confined himself to this single request, viz., "that he should wait
upon the King and the Duke of York with his hat under his arm, and
should not 'thee' and 'thou' them." William answered, "that he
could not do these things, for conscience' sake," which exasperated
his father to such a degree, that he turned him out of doors. Young
Pen gave God thanks for permitting him to suffer so early in His
cause, after which he went into the city, where he held forth, and
made a great number of converts.
The Church of England clergy found their congregations dwindle away
daily; and Penn being young, handsome, and of a graceful stature,
the court as well as the city ladies flocked very devoutly to his
meeting. The patriarch, George Fox, hearing of his great
reputation, came to London (though the journey was very long) purely
to see and converse with him. Both resolved to go upon missions
into foreign countries, and accordingly they embarked for Holland,
after having left labourers sufficient to take care of the London
vineyard.
Their labours were crowned with success in Amsterdam, but a
circumstance which reflected the greatest honour on them, and at the
same time put their humility to the greatest trial, was the
reception they met with from Elizabeth, the Princess Palatine, aunt
to George I. of Great Britain, a lady conspicuous for her genius and
knowledge, and to whom Descartes had dedicated his Philosophical
Romance.
She was then retired to the Hague, where she received these Friends,
for so the Quakers were at that time called in Holland. This
princess had several conferences with them in her palace, and she at
last entertained so favourable an opinion of Quakerism, that they
confessed she was not far from the kingdom of heaven. The Friends
sowed likewise the good seed in Germany, but reaped very little
fruit; for the mode of "theeing" and "thouing" was not approved of
in a country where a man is perpetually obliged to employ the titles
of "highness" and "excellency." William Penn returned soon to
England upon hearing of his father's sickness, in order to see him
before he died. The Vice-Admiral was reconciled to his son, and
though of a different persuasion, embraced him tenderly. William
made a fruitless exhortation to his father not to receive the
sacrament, but to die a Quaker, and the good old man entreated his
son William to wear buttons on his sleeves, and a crape hatband in
his beaver, but all to no purpose.
William Penn inherited very large possessions, part of which
consisted in Crown debts due to the Vice-Admiral for sums he had
advanced for the sea service. No moneys were at that time more
insecure than those owing from the king. Penn was obliged to go
more than once, and "thee" and "thou" King Charles and his
Ministers, in order to recover the debt; and at last, instead of
specie, the Government invested him with the right and sovereignty
of a province of America, to the south of Maryland. Thus was a
Quaker raised to sovereign power. Penn set sail for his new
dominions with two ships freighted with Quakers, who followed his
fortune. The country was then called Pennsylvania