514 P E 
lie preached in many places, at meetings convened for 
the occafion. He was heard, this year, before a commit¬ 
tee of parliament, in fupportof a petition from the Qua¬ 
kers, who were opprefied by profecutions in the exche¬ 
quer, under ftatutes enafted againft thePapifts, but con¬ 
verted by fome magistrates into engines of annoyance to 
Proteftant difl'enters. In 1679, and during two years 
following, he publilhed feveral things ; as, “ An Addrefs 
to Proteftants“ England’s great Intereft in the Choice 
of this new Parliament,” a piece dedicated to the eleftors; 
and “ One Projedt for the Good of England,” which he 
prefented to the parliament itfelf. He likewife exerted 
himfelf to procure the return of Algernon Sidney as a 
member of the houfe, firft at Guildford, and afterwards 
at Bramber. About this time he was eledted a fellow of 
the Royal Society. 
We come now to the mod confiderable of Penn’s ac¬ 
tions, the fettlement of a colony in North America, on li¬ 
beral and pacific principles. A tradt of country on the 
weft fide of the Delaware (formerly belonging to the 
Dutch, and called the New Netherlands) was granted, 
on petition, by Charles II. to William Penn, and his 
heirs, in consideration of admiral Penn’s fervices, and of 
debts due to him from the crown at his deceafe. To this 
the duke of York added, by ceftion, a further contiguous 
portion of territory feated lower on the Delaware. The 
king’s patent bore date the 4th of March, 1680-1. Penn 
originally intended, that the country Should have been 
called New Wales; but the under fecretary offtate, being 
a Welshman, thought, it feems, that this was ufing too 
much liberty with the ancient principality, and objedled 
to it. He then fuggefted Sylvania ; but the king himfelf 
infilled upon adding Penn to it, and after fome ftruggles 
of modefty, it was found necefiary to fubmit to his gra¬ 
cious defires, and Pennsylvania was the name adopted. 
Penn, being thus conftituted abfolute proprietor and 
governor, publilhed “A brief Account of the Province 
of Pennfylvania,” in which he propofed terms of fettle¬ 
ment to fuch as might incline to remove thither, offering 
land at forty Ihillings purchafe, and one Ihilling per an¬ 
num quit-rent, for one hundred acres. A great number 
of buyers came forward, feveral of whom formed a com¬ 
pany, calling themfelves “The free Society of Traders in 
Pennfylvania.” Three Ihips prefently departed, with ad¬ 
venturers from England and Wales, chiefly induftrious 
and reputable perfons of Penn’s own communion. Two 
of thefe Ihips arrived on the coaft in time to winter ; the 
third was detained till fpring in the Weft-India illands. 
Thus was the fettlement begun, the proprietor being oc¬ 
cupied meantime in providing a government for the co¬ 
lony, and in concerting meafures for its Security. 
The native Americans, or Indians, having experienced, 
in fome provinces on that continent, much injullice, had 
madethemoft terrible reprifals; found policy, therefore, 
confpiring with his own temper and principles, made it 
Penn’s care to have them treated with candour, jullice, 
and humanity; and his relation, W. Markham, failing 
with the firft fettlers, he joined him with others in a 
commiflion to open a friendly intercourfe with the natives, 
to whom he fent out confiderable prefents, and a letter 
couched in plain conciliatory terms. In the beginning 
of j 68a he publilhed “ The Frame of the Government of 
the Province of Pennfylvania in America, together with 
certain Laws agreed upon in England, by the Governor 
and divers Freemen of the aforefaid Province, to be fur¬ 
ther explained and confirmed there by the firft provincial 
council that lhall be held, if they feein meet.” In the 
preface to this work we have a Iketch of his fentiments 
on the forms and fubftance of civil government. “That,” 
he obferves, “ which makes a good government, mult 
keep it fuch : to wit, men of wifdorn and virtue ; quali¬ 
ties that, becaufe they defcend not with worldly inheri¬ 
tances, mu/l be carefully propagated by a virtuous education 
of youth." And, in order to give effect, where he had 
power, to that great principleof good government, liberty 
N N. 
of confcience, in behalf of which he and his friends at 
home fo deeply fuffered, he recognized it in the firft article 
of his “ Constitutions,” and proceeded toeftablifh it by 
the following “Law.” “ All perfons living in the pro¬ 
vince who lhall confefs and acknowledge the one Al¬ 
mighty and Eternal God, to be the creator, upholder, 
and ruler, of the world, and that hold themfelves obliged 
in confcience to live peaceably and juftly in civil fociety, 
lhall in no ways be molefted or prejudiced for their reli¬ 
gious perfuafion, or practice in matters of faith and wor- 
Ihip; nor lhall they be compelled, at any time, to fre¬ 
quent or maintain any religious worfliip, place, or minif- 
try, whatfoever.” 
In order to enforce thefe excellent laws and conftitu- 
tions, Penn now prepared for his voyage to North Ame¬ 
rica. As he intended to leave his family behind, he took 
leave of them in a mod pathetic and inftrudtive letter, 
from which, as it Ihows evidently the ftrength of his un- 
derftanding and the benevolence of his mind, and con¬ 
tains matter of importance to every family, we lhall make 
fome extracts. 
“ My dear Wife and Children; My love, which nei¬ 
ther fea, norland, nor death itfelf, can extinguilh or lef- 
fen toward you, molt endearedly vifits you with eternal 
embraces, and will abide with you forever; and may the 
God of my life watch over you, and blefs you, and do 
you good in this world and for ever! Some things are 
upon my fpirit to leave with you in your refpedlive capa¬ 
cities, as I am to one a hulband, and to the reft a father, 
if I Should never fee you more in this world. 
“ My dear Wife ! Remember thou waft the love of my 
youth, and much the joy of my life ; the molt beloved, 
as well as molt worthy, of all my earthly comforts: and 
the reafon of that love was more thy inward than thy 
outward excellencies, which yet were many. Now I am 
to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I lhall 
ever fee thee more in this world, take my counfei into 
thy bofom, and let it dwell with thee in my Head while 
thou liveft. 
“ Call up thy income, and fee what it daily amounts 
to ; by which thou mayeft be fure to have it in thy fight, 
and power to keep within compafs ; and I befeech thee 
to live low and fparingly till my debts are paid, and then 
enlarge as thou feeft it convenient. 
“ And now, my deareft, let me recommend to thy care 
my dear children ; abundantly beloved of me, as the 
Lord’s blellings, and the fweet pledges of our mutual and 
endeared affedtion. Above all things endeavour to bring 
them up in the love of virtue, and that holy plain way of 
it which we have lived in, that the world in no part of it 
get into my family. I had rather they were homely than 
finely bred as to outward behaviour; yet I love fweet- 
nefs mixed with gravity, and cheerfulnefs tempered with 
fobriety. Next bring them up in a love one of another ; 
tell them it is the charge I left behind me, and that it is 
the way to have the love and blefiing of God upon them. 
Sometimes feparate them, but not long ; and allow them 
to fend and give each other fmall things to endear one 
another with. Once more I fay, tell them it was my 
counfei they Should be tender and affedtionate one to 
another. For their learning be liberal. Spare no coll; 
for by fuch parfimony all is loft that is faved : but let it 
be ufeful knowledge, fuch as is confident with truth and. 
godlinefs, not cherishing a vain converfation or idle mind; 
but ingenuity mixed with induftry is good for the body 
and the mind too. I recommend the ufeful parts of ma¬ 
thematics, as building houfes or Ihips, meafuring, fur- 
veying, dialling, navigation; but agriculture is efpe- 
cially in my eye : let my children be lnilbandmen and 
houfewives; it is induftrious, healthy, honeft, and of good 
example. Be fure to oblerve their genius, and do not 
crofs it as to learning: let them not dwell too long on 
one thing; but let their change be agreeable, and all 
their diverfions have fome little bodily labour in them.” 
He next addrelfes himfelf to his children. “ Be obe¬ 
dient 
