-
William Penn to Thomas Lloyd: A Letter Conveying News of the Death of Charles II, the Accession of James II, and Sundry Matters Relating to Pennsylvania
- Bulletin of Friends' Historical Association
- Friends Historical Association
- Volume 38, Number 2, Autumn 1949
- pp. 103-108
- 10.1353/qkh.1949.a396461
- Article
- Additional Information
Notes and Documents WILLIAM PENN TO THOMAS LLOYD A Letter Conveying News of the Death of Charles II, the Accession of James II, and Sundry Matters Relating to Pennsylvania Transcribed by Carroll Frey [This letter from William Penn to Thomas Lloyd, President of the Council and, in the absence of the Proprietor, the ranking official in Pennsylvania, is now in the Penn Mutual Collection in Philadelphia, having formerly been in the libraries of George Clifford Thomas and John Gribbel. So far as the Editor knows, it has never before been published in full, although excerpts (containing some inaccuracies) were printed by Robert Proud in his History of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia , 1797), I, 290-91, and by Samuel M. Janney in his Life of William Penn (Philadelphia, 1852) , 253-54. It is now printed verbatim et literatim as transcribed by Carroll Frey, Editor, The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, with the assistance of Grace M. Kean. [The letter is of interest for a number of reasons—not least for the graphic account of the death of Charles II with which (after suitable greetings to Lloyd) it opens. Penn's cautious hopes for an end to the persecution of Quakers now that his friend, the Roman Catholic James II, was on the throne were presently to be fulfilled by the Declaration of Indulgence of 1687, but his hope of returning "shortly" to his province "with ten great ships" was to be long deferred. The Proprietor 's personal interest in his colonists is manifested by the number of settlers whom he mentions by name, asking Lloyd to remember him to them. No effort has been made to identify all these persons; this we leave to our readers, who will find among them many figures prominent in the early history of the Quaker Colony.—Editor] London, 16th 3 mo. 84/5 Dear friend T. Lloyd My true & sincere love reaches to thee & Thyn, desireing your encrease in all earthly & heavenly blessings that ye God of our breath & manyfold mercys may be honored, to whom belongs all glory forever. I have no doubt upon me of thy faithfull & prudent Care in my publick affairs, & have remembered thee with ease & some 103 104Bulletin of Friends Historical Association pleasure in my Spirit on yl account. And truly Thomas the frame of the world requires it. The King is dead & ye Duke succeeds peacably, he was well on ye first day night, being ye 1st of febr, but about 8 next morning as he satt down to shave, his head twicht both ways or sides, & gave a Skreech, & fell as dead & so remain'd some hours, they opertunely blooded & cupt him, & plyed his head wth red hott frying pans, he returned & continued till 6th day noon, but mostly in great tortures, he seemed very penitent, asking pardon of all & ye poorest subject he had wronged, prayed for pardon & to be delivered out of ye world, ye Duke appearing mighty humble & Sorrowfull, twas a loss wth his gain, he was an able man for a divided & troubled Kingdom, the present King was proclaimed about 3 o'clock that day. A proclamation followed wth ye King's Speech; to maintain the church and State as establesht, to keep Property & use clemency. Tunage & Poundage wth ye excise are received de bene esse till ye Pari. meet[;] one is now chusing; ye people for Westminster just gon by to chuse. it sitts 19th 3 mo next, in Scotland one next mo. Severitys continue Still, but Some ease to us faintly promessed. be carefull that no indecent Speaches pass agst ye Governi1, for the King goeing wth his Queen publickly to mass in Whit[e]hall gives occasion to weak people, he declared he conceald himselfe to obey his Bro: & yl now he would be above bord, wch we like the better on many accounts. I was with him & told him so, but withall hoped we should come in for a share, he smiled & said he desired not yl peaceable people should be disturbed for their religion, & till his Coronation ye 23, when he & his consort are together to be crowned, no hopes of release, & till ye Pari, no hopes of any fixt liberty. My business I would hope is better, the late K the Papists will have dyed a R[oman] C...