William Penn Articulates the Core of His Quaker Philosophy, Beliefs That Led to the Founding of Pennsylvania

The most important letter on Penn’s philosophy and religion we have ever seen reach the market
 

William Penn went to Ireland in 1667 at age 22 to manage the estates of his father, Admiral Sir William Penn. There he became acquainted with a Quaker preacher who convinced him of the truth of the Quaker faith, and he chose to join the group. At this time Quakers were considered enemies of the state religion, and thus of the state, and they were scorned, ridiculed, imprisoned, and sometimes banished. His prominent and well-connected father was none too pleased by his son’s decision, which would later prove to be significant. The attitude towards Quakers then is well illustrated by the famed diarist, Samuel Pepys, who knew both Penn senior and junior. He recorded in 1667, “Mr. William Pen, who is lately come over from Ireland, is a Quaker again, or some very melancholy thing.”

Penn was a deeply committed Quaker, and was not just paying lip service. He was imprisoned several times for writing and preaching about Quakerism. He was first imprisoned in the Tower of London, a fact often pointed out to American tourists who visit the place today. After eight months, his father managed to have him released. During this imprisonment, Penn wrote “No Cross, No Crown”, a work explaining Quaker beliefs and practices. Pepys commented on it, writing: “So to supper, and after supper to read a ridiculous nonsensical book set out by Will. Pen, for the Quakers; but so full of nothing but nonsense, that I was ashamed to read in it.” Penn would write numerous books on Quakerism.

In 1670, Penn was arrested at a Quaker meeting and accused of planning with another Quaker to start a riot. A jury found Penn not guilty of any crime, but the judge threatened to fine or imprison the jurors unless they changed their verdict. When they refused to do so, the jurors were in fact imprisoned. But on appeal, England's highest judges prohibited the penalizing of jurors. This action helped establish the independence of juries. In 1677, Penn went to the Netherlands and Germany with George Fox and other Quaker leaders. In these countries, Penn met other Quakers who were eager to settle in a free, new land. Some people in England also wanted to settle where they could worship in their own way without fear. Penn realized that the only hope for the Quakers was in America.

When Admiral Penn died the King owed him £16,000 (a huge sum in those days), and William Penn inherited that claim. In June 1680, Penn asked the King to pay the debt not in money, but in land in America. Penn was a friend of the King’s brother James, then the Duke of York and later King James II. This, the welcome opportunity to download a cash debt he would struggle to pay for land in the wilderness, and the knowledge that a new colony would increase the riches flowing to his coffers, predisposed Charles to agree. As the year went on, it became clear that Penn’s offer would be accepted, and the grant would be sizable.

Sir John Rodes was was the great-grandson of Francis Rodes, whose loyalty to King Charles I won him a Baronetcy. John’s father was Sir Francis Rodes, 3rd Baronet, and High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire. He died in 1670 when John was five years old, the son thus losing his male role model. John’s mother, Martha Thornton, Lady Rodes, became a Quaker, and “Things of God” were often spoken of in her home. She was well acquainted with William Penn, and both her son John and two daughters not only accepted her faith, but were, as stated in “A Quaker Grab Bag: Letters to John Rodes”, “in the inner circle of the Quakerdom of their day”.

In a letter his biographer states resembles an epistle of St. Paul, he writes: “I rejoice that god has drawn near to thy heart with his blessed Spirit; and I beseech him to be good unto thee, & make thy passage easy & sweet through the holy death of the Cross to that life & Kingdom which shall never have end. Be retired, few in words, especially about religion; hide the word in thy heart, by which the young man cleanses his way & it will make thee wise to Salvation.”

Despite being occupied with his momentous proposal to the King, Penn was not too busy to mentor young Rodes and instruct him in Quaker philosophy.
 

Autograph letter signed, York, two pages, England, 30th 9mo [November 16] 1680, to Sir John Rodes, offering advice on his spiritual welfare. “Dear Child, I rejoice that god has drawn near to thy heart with his blessed Spirit; and I beseech him to be good unto thee, & make thy passage easy & sweet through the holy death of the Cross to that life & Kingdom which shall never have end. o keep thyn eye to that holy truth that has visited thy Soul, & it will give thee strength to overcome all the difficulties in the way. 'Twill be thy eternal Crown if thou art faithful. Be retired, few in words, especially about religion; hide the word in thy heart, by which the young man cleanses his way & it will make thee wise to Salvation. I intend some books for thee, & a short method or course of exercise, which may be for thy profitting. Salute me to thy Sister. Walk wisely. The lord be with thee & be the holy guide of thy youth, that thy age may be honorable in him in whom stands the honest nobility, & where all nations must have the blessing, if ever they will be blest. Thy true Lover and Friend.” The autograph address panel is present and says: “For my esteemed/ Friend Sr Jo: Rodes/ at/ Balbrugh Hall”.

This letter was of such importance that Penn’s biographer, Mrs. Colquhoun Grant, published it in her book, “Quaker and Courtier: The Life and Work of William Penn”. In discussing it, she noted that “Penn's work at this period took him into all parts of the kingdom, and his correspondence must have been unusually large, yet but few of his letters have been preserved. Having before me an original one hitherto unpublished, I think it may be of interest as giving an insight into his thoughts, and is a specimen of his style. William Penn seems to have modeled his epistles on those of the great apostle, and there certainly is a Pauline note about this one, which breathes a spirit of very exalted piety.” When the book was published, this letter was quoted in an article on philosophy, “What Men Are Thinking.”

We have never seen a letter with so much of Penn's core philosophy in it, nor could we find one comparable in our search of public sale records going back forty years. It stands alone.