CHAPTER TWELVE.
The beams of the evening sun were streaming through a deep bay window ofthe country house of Worminghurst, in Sussex, on the heads of two menseated at a large oak writing table in a room which, lined as it waswith bookcases, showed that it was devoted to study.
The heads of both of them betokened high intellect, traces of care andthought being especially discernible on the countenance of the elder,--that lofty intellect to be quenched, ere a few short years were over, bythe executioner's axe,--a deed as cruel and unjust as any caused by thecowardice and tyranny of a monarch.
The table was covered with parchments, papers, books, and writingmaterials. Both were holding pens in their hands, now and then makingnote from the documents before them, at other times stopping andaddressing each other. The younger man was William Penn, who, latelyhaving obtained a grant of a large tract of country on the Americancontinent, was now engaged in drawing up a constitution for itsgovernment, assisted by the elder,--the enlightened patriot andphilosopher, Sidney.
"See! such a constitution as this for Carolina will not suit a freepeople such as will be our colonists!" said the former, pointing to adocument before him, "albeit it emanated from the brain of John Locke.Here we have a king, though with the title of palatine, with a wholecourt and two orders of nobility. Laws to prevent estates accumulatingor diminishing. The children of leet men to be leet men for ever, whileevery free man is to have power over his negro slaves. Truly, societywill thus be bound hand and foot. All political rights to be taken fromthe cultivators of the soil. Trial by jury virtually set aside. TheChurch of England to be alone the true and orthodox, and to be supportedout of the coffers of the State."
"In truth, no," said Sidney. "John Locke has not emancipated himselffrom his admiration of the feudal system. Let this be our principle,--that those whose lives, properties, and liberties are most concerned inthe administration of the laws shall be the people to form them. Letthere be two bodies to be elected by the people,--a council and anassembly. Let the council consist of seventy-two persons, to be chosenby universal suffrage, for three years, twenty-four of them retiringevery year, their places to be supplied by new election. Let themembers of the assembly be elected annually, and all votes taken byballot. The suffrage to be universal. Let it have the privilege ofmaking out the list of persons to be named as justices and sheriffs, andlet the governor be bound to select one half of those thus recommended.Now we must consider numerous provisional laws relating to liberty ofconscience, provision for the poor, choice of civil officers, and so on,which can be in force until accepted by the council. We shall thus,dear friend, I trust, have secured freedom of thought, the sacredness ofperson and property, popular control over all powers of the state; andwe will leave our new democracy to develop itself in accordance with itsown genius, unencumbered with useless formalities and laws."
"Yes; I trust that the simplicity of our constitution will secure itspermanence," said Sidney. "I will take the papers home with me toPenshurst, and there maturely consider over all the points."
Left alone, William Penn might have been seen lifting up his hands inearnest prayer to heaven that his noble scheme might prosper. He wasinterrupted by a knock at the door, and a servant announced a visitor.In another minute a young man entered the room with modest air and insober costume.
"Who art thou?" said Penn, looking up.
"Wenlock Christison," answered the visitor. "I came at the desire ofFriend Mead."
"Yea; I wish to see thee, young friend," said Penn; "but when thouearnest into the room I did not at first recognise thee. Thou artsomewhat changed, I may say, for the better. Sit down, and I will tellthee what I require. Look at this map of the American continent. Seethis magnificent river,--the Delaware, entering the Atlantic betweenCape Henlopen and Cape May. See those other fine rivers,--theSusquehannah, the Ohio, and the Alleghany. Here is a country but alittle less than the size of England; its surface covered with a richvegetable loam capable of the highest cultivation, and of producingwheat, barley, rye, Indian corn, hemp, oats, flax. Here too are mightyforests supplying woods of every kind, abounding too in wild game andvenison, equal to any in England. The rivers are full of fish, oysters,and crabs in abundance. On the coast the most luscious fruits growwild, while the flowers of the forest are superior in beauty to anyfound in our native land. A few settlers from Sweden are already there,and some Hollanders. The native red men have hitherto proved friendly;and I trust by treating them kindly, with due regard to their justrights, we may ever remain on brotherly terms with them. They are merewanderers over the land, build no cities, nor permanently cultivate theground. I trust before to-morrow's sun has set, unless I am deceived,to obtain a grant of this territory, in lieu of a debt owing by thegovernment to my father of nearly 15,000 pounds. I wish forthwith todespatch a vessel with certain commissioners authorised to purchaselands from the natives; and as Friend Mead has spoken favourably ofthee, it is my wish to send thee with them. Wilt thou accept my offer?I will tell thee, if thou wilt, more particularly of thy duties."
Wenlock's heart somewhat sunk within him at this proposal. He had beenhoping to make Mary Mead his wife; yet he was sure her father would notallow her to go forth into a new settlement, and to undergo all theincidental risks and hardships. How long a time might pass before hecould return, he could not tell. Of one thing only he felt sure, thatshe would be faithful to him.
Some time had passed since he left Rotterdam, his friend Van Erk havinggiven him permission to go over to England to enter the employment ofWilliam Mead. He had, since then, been living in his family, enjoyingan almost daily intercourse with Mary; not yet, however, having obtaineda position to enable him to marry her. Her father had resolved to puthis patience and constancy to the test. Here, however, was a trial hehad not expected; and when Penn had sent for him, he had, with thesanguine spirit of youth, hoped that it was to receive some appointmentwhich would enable him to realise the wishes of his heart. Still theoffer was a flattering one, and he felt that it would be unwise in himto decline it. He therefore, in suitable language, accepted the offer.
"Stay here then," said Penn, "as I have abundance of work for thee forsome days to come, and I will then more fully explain to thee mywishes."
While Penn was still speaking, a messenger arrived from London. Hebrought a summons for him to attend a council at Whitehall, a note froma friend at court informing him that it was to settle the matter of thecolony. He hastened up to London. In the council chamber were alreadyassembled his majesty's privy councillors, and at the farther end of theroom was the king himself, hat on head. William Penn, not the leastconspicuous among them for his height and manly bearing, advanced up theroom in his usual dignified manner; but neither did he doff his hat norbend his knee before the king's majesty, although he has come in thehope of obtaining an object among the dearest to his heart.
"I have come at thy desire, and thank thee for the invitation," saidPenn, standing before the king.
"Verily thou art welcome," said the monarch, with a smile on his lips;at the same time removing his hat and placing it by his side.
"Friend Charles, why dost thou not keep on thy hat?" said Penn withperfect gravity; at the same time making no attempt to remove his own.
"Ha! ha! ha! knowest thou not, Friend William, that it is the custom ofthis place for only one person to remain covered at a time?" answeredthe king, laughing heartily. "To business, however, my lords," headded. "And what name hast thou fixed on for this new province, MasterPenn?"
"As it is a somewhat mountainous country, I would have it called NewWales," answered the Quaker.
Here Master Secretary Blathwayte, who was a Welshman, interposed; inreality objecting to have the country of a sect to which he was nofriend called after his native land.
"Well then, as it hath many noble forests, let it be called Sylvania,"said Penn.
"Nay, nay; but I have a better name still," exclaimed the kin
g. "Wewill call it Pennsylvania, in honour of your worthy father,--the greatadmiral. The forest land of Penn, that shall be it; and my word shallbe as the law of the Medes and Persians."
At this the courtiers laughed, not, perchance, considering the king'sword of much value. However, the name was thus fixed, the patent beingthen and there issued under the king's inspection.
With the charter in his possession, Penn returned home to make the finalarrangements with Sidney for the great work he had undertaken. Thedocument was written on a roll of parchment. At the head of the firstsheet there is a well-executed portrait of Charles the Second, while theborders are handsomely emblazoned with heraldic devices. Great had beenthe opposition made to Penn's receiving this grant. Sidney had comeback to Worminghurst.
"God hath given it to me in the face of the world," exclaimed Penn, asthe friends met. "He will bless and make it the seed of a nation."
Truly has that prediction been fulfilled.
A True Hero: A Story of the Days of William Penn Page 12