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VIII.—Observations upon William Penn's Imprisonment in the Tower of London, a.d. 1668: by John Bruce, Esq., Treas. S.A. With some new Documents connected therewith, communicated by Robert Lemon, Esq., F.S.A.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
Extract
Mr. Hepworth Dixon's very able and interesting biography of the great Quaker philanthropist, William Penn, contains the best account which has yet been published of the circumstances under which he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in the year 1668. That imprisonment was an event which exercised a most important influence upon the whole of Penn's after life. It attached him to the faith of Quakerism by the strong link of a public persecution suffered on its behalf, and the leisure which it afforded him sobered and matured his mind, and led to the production of a valuable addition to the library of practical Christianity. Up to the period of this imprisonment it seemed not impossible that under judicious treatment William Penn might have been won back to the church from which he had strayed. He had, indeed, openly avowed himself a Quaker, and had published his controversial pamphlets, entitled “Truth Exalted” and “The Guide Mistaken,” but nothing had rendered his adoption of the tenets of “The Friends” too decided to be retreated from with honour. To cut off this retreat was the effect of his imprisonment as a state criminal in the Tower. It pointed him out to the world as one of the heads and leaders of a sect then generally contemned. It nailed his colours to his mast, to borrow a metaphor from the profession of his father, and bound him either to discredit himself by a public recantation under the influence of persecution, or to fight out the battle which was thus openly thrust upon him. Nor was the effect upon his co-religionists more injudicious than that upon himself. The followers of George Fox, disgraced by the wild profanities of such persons as Solomon Eccles, were popularly regarded with scorn. To single out the first man of education and station in the world who had joined their ranks, and to send him to the Tower as a state prisoner, for publishing an ill-considered and abstruse controversial pamphlet, gave importance to what had been previously in the general estimation merely contemptible; and involved the government in a dispute, in which, if it failed to produce recantation, the attempt was sure to recoil with great advantage to the public reputation of both the prisoner and his sect. Viewing this imprisonment as a turning point, both in the personal history of William Penn and in the larger history of the religious community to which he attached himself, I lately received with much thankfulness from my friend and co-fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, Robert Lemon, Esq., of the State Paper Office, some valuable additional information respecting this imprisonment, and I trust it will not be displeasing to the Society of Antiquaries to listen to such an account of these new particulars as I am able to give.
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References
page 71 note a Athenæ, iv. 645, ed. Bliss.
page 71 note b Ibid.
page 72 note a Diary, August 26th and 30th, 1664.
page 72 note b Ibid. 25th April, 1665.
page 72 note c Piety Promoted, Part I. p. 85, edit. 1759.
page 73 note a Piety Promoted, Part I. p. 86, edit. 1759.
page 73 note b Diary, 29th December, 1667.
page 73 note c Dixon's Life of Penn, p. 42.
page 73 note d He assumes in this publication, which was greatly enlarged by him when in Newgate in 1671, the attitude of a prophet, and likens himself to Moses. He styles himself on the title-page “William Penn; whom divine love constrains in a holy contempt to trample on Egypt's glory, not fearing the king's wrath, having beheld the majesty of him who is invisible;” an allusion to Heb. xi. 27.
page 74 note a Surtees, iii. 32. His appointment to Sedgefield was by the authority of the Parliament, and bore date 29th November, 1644.
page 76 note a Calamy, ii. 32.
page 76 note b God's Terrible Voice, p. 29.
page 77 note a The full title is “The Sandy Foundation Shaken; or, those so generally Believed and Applauded 
. From the authority of Scripture Testimonies and Right Reason. By W. P. j. a Builder on that Foundation which cannot be moved. But to us there is but one God the Father of all things, 1 Cor. viii. 6. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. Mic. vii. 18. For I will not justify the wicked, &c. Exod. xxiii. 7. London, printed in the year 1668.”
page 77 note b Diary, 12th Feb. 1668–9.
page 77 note c 14 Car. II. cap. 33.
page 77 note d 14 Car. II. c. 33, sec. 14.
page 79 note a James first Duke of Ormond, 1682—1688, Lord Great Steward of the Household.
page 79 note b Edward second Earl of Manchester, 1642—1671, Lord Chamberlain.
page 79 note c Edward first Earl of Sandwich, 1660—1672.
page 79 note d Richard Earl of Carbery, Lord President of Wales.
page 79 note e Anthony first Lord Ashley, 1661—1672, afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
page 79 note f John first Lord Berkeley of Stratton, 1658—1669.
page 79 note g Sir John Trevor succeeded Sir William Morice as Secretary of State on the 29th September, 1668.
page 81 note a “The foundation of God standeth Sure. Or, a Defence of those Fundamental and so generally believed 
Against the cavils of W. P. J. a Quaker, in his pamphlet, entituled, “The Sandy Foundation shaken, &c.” wherein his and the Quaker's hideous blasphemies, Socinian and damnably-heretical opinions, are discovered and refuted; W. P.'s ignorance, weakness, falsehoods, absurd arguings, and folly, is made manifest unto all; with a call unto all such who, in the simplicity of their hearts, have been deluded by the Quakers, to come out from amongst them.
“And an Exhortation to all Christians, as they desire their salvation, to beware of their damnable doctrines, and not to come near the tents of these enemies of Jesus Christ, lest they be swallowed up in their ruin.
“By Thomas Vincent, some time minister of Maudlins, Milk Street, London.
“1 John, v. 7.—For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are One.
“Matt. xx. 28.—The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many.
“Rom. iv. 5.—To him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
‘London: Printed in the year 1668.'
page 84 note a Works, i 266.
page 85 note a The title of the first edition was “No Cross no Crown; or, several sober Reasons against Hat-honour, Titular Respects, You to a single Person, with the Apparel and Recreations of the Times: Being inconsistant with Scripture, Reason, and the Practice, as well of the best Heathens as the Holy Men and Women of all Generations; and consequently fantastick, impertinent, and sinfull. With Sixty-eight Testimonies of the most famous Persons of both former and latter Ages, for further confirmation. In Defence of the poor despised Quakers, against the Practice and objections of their Adversaries. By W. Penn, j. an humble Disciple, and patient Bearer of the Cross of Jesus.
“But Mordecai bowed not. Esth. iii. 2. Adam, where art thou? Gen. iii. 9. In like manner the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, not with brodered hair, &c. 1 Tim. ii. 9. Thy law is my meditation all the day. Psal. cxix. 97.
“Printed in the year 1669.”
The ultimate title was very different, and shows the altered character of the book:—“No Cross, no Crown. A Discourse, showing the Nature and Discipline of the Holy Cross of Christ: and that the Denyal of Self, and Daily Bearing of Christ's Cross, is the alone way to the Rest and Kingdom of God. To which are added, the Living and Dying Testimonies of many Persons of Fame and Learning, both of Ancient and Modern Times, in favour of this Treatise. In Two Parts. By William Penn, Jun.
“And Jesus said unto his disciples; If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily, and follow me. Luke ix. 23.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, &c. 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8.”
The first edition of “No Cross no Crown” is not a very uncommon book. I was allowed, with great good will, to examine a copy of it in the admirable library at the Friends' meeting-house at Houndsditch.
page 88 note a Trans. Hist. Soc. Pennsylv. iii. p. 239.