CHAPTER VIII.

A. 1672-returns to England-marries-settles at Rickmansworth-travels as a preacher-writes "The Spirit of Truth vindicated"" The new Witnesses proved old Heretics"-" Plain Dealing with a traducing) Anabaptist"-" A Winding Sheet for the Controversy ended"-" Quakerism a new Nick-name for old Christianity"-Letter to Dr. Hasbert.

WILLIAM PENN, after his return from the Continent, entered into the married state. He was then in the twenty-eighth year of his age. He took for his wife Gulielma Maria Springett, daughter of Sir William Springett of Darling in Sussex, who had fallen at the siege of Bamber, during the civil wars, in the service of the Parliament. She was esteemed an extraordinary woman, and not more lovely on account of the beauty of her person than of the sweetness of her disposition. After their marriage they took up their residence at Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire.

It must be obvious that William Penn, now married and settled, and in the possession of an abundant fortune, might have led the life of a gentleman of leisure. But he had entered upon the important office of a minister

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minister of the Gospel. This therefore kept him in no inconsiderable employ; for meetings for worship were then held at one place or another (many ministers travelling) almost every day in the week. The disputes too in the religious world, which obtained in these times, and in which the Quakers were engaged, called him frequently forth as an author. Of these disputes the following were conjoint and fruitful causes. the preceding year Charles the Second had issued a declaration of indulgence to tender consciences in matters of religion, in consequence of which not less than five hundred Quakers had been released from prison. This indulgence was extended also to Dissenters at large. Now one would have thought that the leaders of the different religious sects, all of which had felt the iron hand of persecution, would have enjoyed this respite in solacing each other, and enlarging the boundaries of love between them. But far otherwise was the fact. Enjoying the sunshine of the King's indulgence, and feeling a liberty to which they had not been accustomed, many of them began to grow bold, and to have a longing to venture out into controversy

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versy. Thus, when man has been lorded over, he feels too generally a disposition to play the tyrant himself. In this situation, however, they did not dare to attack the Church. Now it happened at this time that the great body of the Dissenters were well affected towards the Quakers; for, first, the Quakers never sculking under persécution, but worshiping at regular times, and this openly in their own meeting-houses, and on the very ruins of the same when they were destroyed, were always to be found by the civil magistrate; and, secondly, the number to be so found was sufficient to glut the most insatiable executioners of the laws. From these two causes the Quakers helped to bear off the blow, or to keep the great force of the stroke, from the other Dissenters. Hence the latter, and particularly the Baptists, began to be attached to them; and this attachment became at length such, that many left their own particular societies and joined them. The leaders then of several of the religious sects, finding their congregations growing less by such defections, and feeling that the fetters were in some measure taken from their arms by

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the King's indulgence, thought they could not use their liberty better than by trying to crush the Quakers. Hence many publications appeared against the latter, which had been otherwise unknown. Placed then as William Penn was in one or other of the occupations which have been mentioned, that is, either in that of a public preacher or a controversial writer in behalf of his own society, he had but little time left him for repose during the present year.

The first instance of industry which we find in him as a minister of the Gospel after his marriage, was on the Midsummer following, when he traversed three counties in that capacity, Kent, Sussex, and Surry, and this with such rapidity, that he preached to no less than twenty-one different congregations of people, and some of these at considerable distances the one from the other, in twenty-one days. This must have been no easy performance, considering the comparative paucity and state of the roads at this period.

As an author we find him equally indefa tigable. An anonymous writer had published "The Spirit of the Quakers tried." This

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This was one of the works alluded to which first roused him, and he answered it by "The Spirit of Truth vindicated."

John Morse, a preacher at Watford, having written against him in particular, and the Quakers in general, he repelled the attack by "Plain Dealing with a traducing Anabaptist."

"Controversy Ended" soon followed, which was the production of Henry Hedworth, another preacher, and which was of a similar stamp with the former. His answer to this paper was contained in "A Winding Sheet for Controversy Ended."

John Faldo, an Independent preacher near Barnet, finding that some of his hearers had gone over to the Quakers, was greatly incensed, and gave vent to his anger by writing a book, which he called " Quakerism no Christianity." This very soon attracted the notice of William Penn, and, as a reply to it, "Quakerism a new Nickname for old Christianity" followed.

About this time Reeve and Muggleton made a great noise in the religious world by pretending to wonderful revelations received immediately from Heaven. Reeve,

who