circles of Paris and at the court of Louis XIY. In Sau- mur he enjoyed the intercourse of a prominent Prot- estant divine, Moses Amyrault, and devoted a couple of months to becoming familiar with theological matters. He spent about two years on the Continent, as it seem- ed to good advantage and the satisfaction of his father, who recalled him, when he had gone as far as Turin, to take charge of his affairs while he was absent at sea. To prevent any relapse into his former oddities, it was deemed proper to keep him busy, and, as the best prepa- ration both for family and state affairs, he was entered at Lincoln's Inn to study law. This curriculum was soon interrupted by the plague which broke out in the metropolis. To remove him out of danger, he was de- spatched to Ireland, where in the county of Cork the admiral owned large estates. With letters to the vice- roy, the duke of Orraond, who was an intimate friend of the admiral, ^Villiam was a welcome guest at the gay vice-regal court. During this visit he had a special op- portunity of ingratiating himself, and still more rising in estimation. When at Carrick-Fergus a mutiny broke out among the troops. Young Penn volunteered his services, under the command of the viceroy's son, to assist in reducing them to obedience, and by his cool- ness and courage displaj-ed in the affair earned general praise. Elated by this success, he resolved to choose the profession of arms as his way to fame and fortune ; and so enraptured was he with that idea that he had his picture painted in militarA- dress, said to be the only one for which he ever sat. Unexpectedly and strange- ly, the admiral, even disregarding the duke's (Ormond's) congratulation about his son's bravery, etc., disapproved of this step, and ordered him to superintend the man- agement of his Irish possessions. Reluctantly but promptly he obeyed. While so engaged business call- ed him to the city of Cork. There he met again the Quaker preacher who had made so strong an impression on him in Oxford. His old convictions revived. He attended Lee's meetings, and finally professed publicly adherence to his doctrines. Ere long (16G7) he had to share also their lot of persecution. He was, with eigh- teen others of the sect convened for nonconformity wor- ship, arrested and imprisoned. A letter which he im- mediately addressed to the earl of Orrery, lord president of Munster, showing the injustice of the proceeding, and advocating general religious toleration, soon effect- ed his own release. This was probably the first time he touched the keynote of his life, which subsequently resounded frequently and in many variations in his words and actions. Great was the chagrin of the par- ent when the news of this new conversion reached him — a reverse of all his fond hopes and aspirations. Will- iam was immediately called home. Could it be true? A fine young gentleman of twenty-three, polished and courtly in address, distinguished for sprightly wit and profound erudition, admired for martial courage, with honors and wealth ready to fall to him almost at the asking, consorting with the despised people nicknamed Quakers — self-styled Friends — followers of a ranting, enthusiastic cobbler! It was even so. Young Penn, looking more to the merits of the underlying truth than to external appearances, modestly avowed his principles; and while expressing his sincere desire to obey his fa- ther in everything that did not conflict with his duty to God, he declared he could not abandon his religion, his duty to his heavenly Father being paramount to all other considerations. The admiral, so used to command, descended to resort with his beloved son to expostula- tion, argument, persuasion, entreaty; yea, he even pro- posed a compromise — to overlook the rest of his opin- ions provided he would agree to nncover his head be- fore liis majesty the king, the duke of York, and him- self, acknowledging them as his superiors. Yet even this trifling request William refused to entertain, after hav- ing implorc<l by jirayer (Jod's help and illumination. A second banishment from home ensued, throwing him on the hospitality of friends and the clandestine supplies
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