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the council, then fitting; and though nothing appeared against him, and himfelf affured them That he had 'done nothing, but what he could anfwer before God, ' and all the princes in the world; that he loved his country and the Proteftant religion above his life, and never acted againft either; that all he ever aimed at in his publick endeavours, was no other than what the prince himself had declared for; that king James was always his friend, and his father's friend, and in gratitude he was the king's, and did ever, as much as in him lay, influence him to his true intereft;' notwithstanding this, they obliged him to give fureties for his appearance the first day of the next term; which he did, and then was continued on the fame fecurity to Eafter term following; on the laft day of which, nothing having been laid to his charge, he was cleared in open court.

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In the year 1690, he was again brought before the lords of the council, upon an accufation of holding correspondence with the late king James; and they requiring fureties for his appearance, he appealed to king William himself, who, after a conference of near two hours, inclined to acquit him; but, to please some of the council, he was held upon bail for a while, and in Trinity term, the fame year, again discharged.

He was yet attacked a third time, and his name inferted in a proclamation, dated July the 18th this year, wherein he, with divers lords and others, to the number of eighteen, were charged with adhering to the kingdom's enemies; but proof failing respecting him, he was again cleared by order of the King's Bench court at Westminster, on the last day of Michaelmas term, 1690.

Being now again at liberty, he purposed to go over a fecond time to Pennsylvania, and publifhed propofals in print for another fettlement there: he had fo far prepared for his tranfportation, that an order for a convoy was granted him by the fecretary of state, when his voyage was prevented by a fresh accufation against him, backed by the oath of one William Ful

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ler, a WRETCH afterward by parliament declared a CHEAT and IMPOSTOR; and a warrant was thereupon granted for his apprehenfion, which he narrowly ef caped, at his return from G. Fox's burial, on the 16th of the month called January, 1690.

He had hitherto defended himself before the king and council; but now thought it rather advisable to retire for a time, than hazard the facrificing his innocence to the oaths of a profligate villain; and accordingly he appeared but little in publick for two or three years. During this recefs, he applied himself to writing; and firft, left his own friends, the Quakers, fhould entertain any finifter thought of him, he fent the following epiftle to their yearly-meeting in London, viz.

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The 30th of the third month, 1691.

C My beloved, dear, and honoured brethren,

M

Y unchangeable love falutes you; and though I am absent from you, yet I feel the sweet and lowly life of your heavenly fellowship, by which I am with you, and a partaker amongst you, whom I have loved above my chiefeft joy: receive no evil <furmifings, neither fuffer hard thoughts, through the • infinuations of any, to enter your minds against me, your afflicted, but not forfaken, friend and brother. My enemies are YOURS, and, in the ground, mine for your fakes; and that God feeth in fecret, and < will one day reward openly. My privacy is not be< cause men have fworn truly, but falfely against me; "For wicked men have laid in wait for me, and falfe "witnesses have laid to my charge things that I knew "not," "who have never fought myself, but the good of all, through great exercifes, and have done fome good, and would have done more, and hurt to no man; but always defired that truth and righteoufnefs, mercy and peace, might take place amongst us.

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< Feel me near you, and lay me near you, my dear and beloved brethren; and leave me not, neither

forfake, but wrestle with Him that is able to prevail against the cruel defires of fome, that we may yet 'meet in the congregations of his people, as in days paft, to our mutual comfort. The everlasting God of his chofen in all generations, be in the midst of you, and crown your most folemn affemblies with his bleffed prefence! that his tender, meek, lowly, and heavenly love and life may flow among you, ' and that he would please to make it a feasoning and 'fruitful opportunity to you! that edified and comfort⚫ed you may return home, to his glorious high praise, who is worthy for ever! To whom I commit you, defiring to be remembered of you before Him, in the nearest and fresheft acceffes, who cannot forget you in the nearest relation,

• Your faithful friend and brother,

< W. P.'

His excellent preface to Robert Barclay's works, and another to thofe of John Burnyeat, both printed this year, were farther fruits of his retirement; as were alfo,

I. A fmall treatife, entitled, "Juft Measures, in "an Epiftle of Peace and Love, to fuch Profeffors as "are under any Diffatisfaction about the present Or"der practised in the Church of Chrift."

2. A Key opening the Way to every Common "Understanding, how to difcern the Difference be"tween the Religion_profeffed by the People called "Quakers, and the Perverfions, Mifreprefentations, "and Calumnies of their Adverfaries, both upon their Principles and Practices; wherein several Doctrines "of that People are fet in a clear Light:" a book fo generally accepted, that it has been re-printed even to the fifteenth edition.

3. "Reflections and Maxims, relating to the Con"duct of Human Life:" an useful little book, which has alfo paft many impreffions.

Having thus improved the times of his retirement to his own comfort, and the common good, it pleased God to diffipate that cloud, and open his way again to a publick fervice; for in the latter end of the year 1693, through the mediation of his friends, the lord Ranelagh, lord Somers, duke of Buckingham, and Sir John Trenchard, or fome of them, he was admitted to appear before the king and council, where he fo pleaded his innocency, that he was acquitted.

In the 12th month, 1693, departed this life his beloved wife, Gulielma Maria, with whom he had lived in all the endearments of that nearest relation, about twenty-one years. The lofs of her was a very great exercife; fuch, himself faid, as all his other troubles were nothing in comparison of. Her character, dying expreffions, and pious end, were related by himself, in an account he published, which is as follows:

• An Account of the Bleffed End of my dear Wife GULIELMA MARIA PENN.

• The memory of the just is blessed.' Prov. x. 7.

'MY

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Y dear wife, after eight months illness (though 'fhe never perfectly recovered her weaknefs the year before, which held her about fix months) departed this life the 23d of the 12th month, 1693-4, about half an hour past two in the afternoon, being the fixth day of the week, and the fiftieth her age, and was fenfible to the very laft.

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During her illness fhe uttered many living and weighty expreffions, upon divers occafions, both before and near her end. Some of which I took down, for mine and her dear childrens confolation.

At one of the many meetings held in her chamber, we and our children and one of our fervants

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being only prefent, in a tendering and living power 'fhe broke out as fhe fat in her chair, "Let us all prepare, not knowing what hour or watch the Lord "cometh. Oh! I am full of matter! Shall we re"ceive good, and fhall we not receive evil things at "the hands of the Lord? I have caft my care upon "the Lord; he is the phyfician of value; my expec"tation is wholly from him: he can raise up, and he "can caft down." A while after fhe faid, "Oh! "what fhall be done to the unprofitable fervant?" 'At another meeting, before which much heaviness feemed to lie upon her natural fpirits; fhe faid, "This has been a precious opportunity to me; I am " finely relieved and comforted, bleffed be the Lord." At another time, as I was fpeaking to her of the Lord's love and witnefs of his Spirit that was with 'her, to give her the peace of well-doing, fhe re' turned to me, looking up, "For," faid fhe," I never did, to my knowledge, a wicked thing in all "my life."

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To a friend, aged 75 years, that came to fee her, fhe faid, "Thou and I, to all appearance, are near "our ends:" and to another, about 65 years old, that came also to see her, she said, "How much older "has the Lord made me by this weaknefs, than thou "art! But I am contented; I do not murmur; I "fubmit to his holy will."

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In the ftrength of her fits and vapours, fhe faid, "It is the great goodness of the Lord, that I fhould "be able to lie thus ftill. He is the phyfician of va"lue to me, can I fay: let my tongue fet forth his praise, and my spirit magnify him whilft I have "breath. Oh! I am ready to be transported beyond my strength. God was not in the thunder, nor in "the lightning, but he but he was heard in the STILL She did, at several times, pray very fweetly, and in all her weakness manifefted the most 'equal, undaunted, and refigned fpirit, as well as in 'all other respects. She was an excellent perfon, both as child, wife, mother, mistress, friend, and neighbour.

"VOICE.

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