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prejudices of the times, that in following the path which his own conscience dictated to him, he had a bitter cup to drink ; for being at one of these meetings on the third of Sep, ber 1667, he was apprehended on the plea of a proclamation issued in 1660 against tumultuous assemblies, and carried before the mayor. The latter, looking at him and observing that he was not clothed as others of the society were, offered him his liberty if he would give bond for his good beha viour. But William not choosing to da this, he was committed with eighteen others to prison,

He had not been long there when he wrote to Lord Orrery, then president of the council of Munster, to request his release. We find in this letter nothing either servile or degrading. It was written, on the other hand, in a manly and yet decorous manner. "Religion," says he, "which is at once my crime and mine innocence, makes me a prisoner to a mayor's malice, but mine own free man." He then informed the Earl of the reason of his imprisonment: he showed him, that the proclamation did not reach his case; and concluded by an appeal to his

own

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own good sense, and to his better knowledge of theology, and by reminding him of his own conduct, when he himself was a solici tor in behalf of liberty of conscience as one of the greatest blessings which could be bestowed upon the land. This request, as far as William was concerned, was quickly granted; for the Earl immediately ordered his discharge.

William Penn had now for the first time tasted persecution for having gratified his religious predilections, and had received an earnest of what he might expect if he continued publicly to indulge them in his own way. This experience, however, had not the effect of making him desert his new Christian connections. On the other hand, it strengthened him in the resolution of a closer union with them. He had begun to suffer with them, He had begun too to suffer for their cause. Mixing therefore more intimately with them than ever, from this period, he began to be considered by many, and even to be called by some, a Quaker.

The rumour that he had become a Quaker soon reached his father. It was conveyed to

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him by a nobleman then resident in Ireland, who addressed him purposely on the subject. The Admiral on the receipt of this letter sent for his son. William immediately obeyed and returned home. At the first interview all appeared to be well. There was nothing discoverable, either in his dress or his manners, by which the information sent concerning him could be judged to be true.

In

process of time, however, the concern of mind under which he occasionally laboured, his dereliction of the customs of the world, and particularly of the ceremony of the Hat, and his communion with those only of the same peculiar cast, left no doubt of the fact. The Admiral, pow more uneasy than ever, (for he had tried his last expedient,) could no longer contain himself, but came to a direct expla nation with his son on the subject. The scene which passed between them is described as having been peculiarly affecting. "And here," says Joseph Besse, (the first collector. of the works of William Penn with a Journal of his Life prefixed,) "my pen is diffident of her abilities to describe that most pathetic and moving contest which was between his father and him: his father actuated

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by natural love, principally aiming at his son's temporal honour; he, guided by a divine impulse, having chiefly in view his own eternal welfare: his father grieved to see the well accomplished son of his hopes, now ripe for worldly promotion, voluntarily turning his back upon it; he, no less afflicted to think a compliance with his earthly father's pleasures was inconsistent with his obedience to his heavenly one: his father pressing his conformity to the customs and fashions of the times; he, modestly craving leave to refrain from what would hurt his conscience: his father earnestly entreating him, and almost on his knees beseeching him, to yield to his desire; he, of a loving and tender disposition, in an extreme agony of spirit to behold his father's concern and trouble; his father threatening to disinherit him; he, humbly submitting to his father's will therein: his father turning his back on him in anger; he, lifting up his heart to God for strength to support him in that time of trial."

This interview, though some of the best feelings of the human mind were called forth in the course of it on the part of William,

had

had not the desired effect: for the die was

his son.

then cast; he had actually become a Quaker. The Admiral, after this, gave up all thought of altering the general views of He hoped only to be able to prevail upon him to give up certain peculiarities which appeared to have little to do with conscience, and to be used merely as the distinguishing marks of a sect. He therefore told his son, that he would trouble him no more on the subject of his conversion, if he would only consent to sit with his hat off in his own presence, and in that of the King and the Duke of York. William, on receiving the proposition, desired time to consider of it. This agitated his father. He had no conception that the subject of his solicitation required thought. He became immediately suspicious, and told his son, that he had only asked for time, that he might consult his friends, the Quakers. William assured his father that he would do no such thing; and having pledged his word to this effect, he left him, and retired to his own chamber.

It will be asked by some, what necessity there could be, in a matter apparently so trivial, to retire either for serious meditation

of

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