A True Hero: A Story of the Days of William Penn

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  Christison and his son arrived in good time when the court again sat, onthe 3rd of September. The officers having taken off the hats of theprisoners as they entered, the Lord Mayor abused them for so doing, andbade them put them on again. He then abused the prisoners for wearingtheir hats, fining them forty marks each for contempt of court. Theindictment was again read. It was to the effect that William Penn andWilliam Mead, with other persons, had assembled on the 15th day ofAugust for the purpose of creating a disturbance, according to anagreement between the two; and that William Penn, supported by WilliamMead, had preached to the people assembled, whereby a great concourse ofpeople remained, in contempt of the king and his law, creating adisturbance of his peace, to the great terror of many of his liegepeople and subjects.

  William Penn, who ably defended himself, proved that the day when he hadgone to Gracechurch Street was the fourteenth, and not the fifteenth;that he did not preach to the people; that he had not agreed to meetWilliam Mead there; that William Mead had not spoken to him. Mead alsoproved that he had not preached; that he had not abetted Penn, and thatno riot had taken place.

  Contrary to the evidence, the Recorder Jefferies insisted that theprisoners should be brought in "guilty." The jury, however, in spite ofthe threats held out to them by the Lord Mayor and the Recorder andothers, would not agree upon a verdict. The most determined to give anhonest one was Master Edward Bushel, whose name deserves to be recorded.On again being compelled to retire, they were absent for some time.When they once more returned, the foreman announced that their verdictwas "Guilty of speaking in Gracechurch Street." Again every effort wasmade to induce them to pronounce a different verdict. A third time theywere ordered to retire. Again, in writing, they handed in theirverdict, finding William Penn "Guilty of speaking to an assembly inGracechurch Street," and acquitting William Mead.

  The baffled and beaten bench, now losing temper, ordered the jury to belocked up, and the prisoners to be taken back to Newgate. Penn, nowaddressing them, required the clerk of the peace to record theirverdict. "If, after this," he exclaimed, "the jury bring in a differentverdict to this, I affirm that they are perjured men. You areEnglishmen," he said, turning to the jurors. "Remember your privileges.Give not away your rights!"

  The following day was Sunday. They were called up, however, and theclerk again inquired if they were agreed. The foreman replied asbefore, "Guilty of speaking to an assembly in Gracechurch Street."

  "To an unlawful assembly?" exclaimed the Lord Mayor.

  "No, my lord," answered the noble Master Bushel. "We give no otherverdict than we gave last night."

  In vain the Lord Mayor and the Recorder Jefferies threatened as before;the Lord Mayor shouting out, "Gaoler, bring fetters, and shake thispestilent fellow to the ground!"

  "Do your will," answered Penn; "I care not for your fetters!"

  The Recorder Jefferies now cried out, "By my troth, I could never beforeunderstand why the Spaniards suffered the Inquisition among them; and,to my mind, it will never be well with us in England till we have amongus something like the Inquisition."

  "Boy," whispered Christison to his son, "you heard those words. Theknave has a good idea of his master's notions and designs. If theInquisition,--and I know something of it,--is ever established in thisfair England of ours, it must either be quickly driven out again, or ourcountry will be no fit place for honest men."

  Once more the jury were locked up, without food, fire, or water; butthey were Englishmen to the backbone, and were ready to die in the causeof civil freedom, rather than play traitors to their own convictions.

  On Monday the court again sat. Each juror was separately questioned,and one and all pronounced "Not guilty." The Recorder on this finedthem forty marks a man, and imprisonment in Newgate till the fines werepaid. Penn and Mead were fined in the same way, the Recorder cryingout, "Put him out of court! Take him away!"

  "`Take him away!'" exclaimed Penn. "Whenever I urge the fundamentallaws of England, `Take him away!' is their answer; but no wonder, sincethe Spanish Inquisition sits so near the Recorder's heart."

  Both prisoners and jurors were carried off to Newgate, refusing to paythe fines: Penn and Mead as a case of conscience; while Bushel advisedhis fellow-jurors to dispute the matter. The jurors were committed toprison on the 5th of September, and it was not till the 9th of Novemberthat the trial came on. Learned counsel were engaged for their defence;Newdegate, one of them, arguing that the judges may try to open the eyesof the jurors, but not to "lead them by the nose." Christison and hisson were present. "I had hoped to spend some years in my native land,and renew the friendship I formed in my youth," observed the former;"but I tell thee, Wenlock, if this trial goes against those twelvehonest men, I will forswear my country, and go and seek thy fortune andmine in some other land, where knaves do not, as here, `rule theroost.'" When, however, the twelve judges gave an almost unanimousverdict in favour of the jurymen, Christison agreed that, after all,there were more honest men in the country than he had feared was thecase.

  To return, however, to William Penn and Mead. They were remanded toNewgate, refusing to pay the fines imposed on them, as a matter ofconscience. Without difficulty, Christison and Wenlock obtainedadmittance to them. "Truly, friends, you are hardly dealt with," saidthe former, as he shook hands. "We had tyrannical proceedings enough inthe time of the first Charles, but it seems to me that we are even worseoff now. I would that I could collect a band of honest fellows andrescue you out of this vile den."

  "I pray thee, be silent, dear friend," said Mead. "We are here forconscience sake; and our consciences being right towards God, wouldsupport us under far greater trial."

  "Well, well, I suppose you are right," answered Christison; "but itsorely troubles me to see you here. I came back to England,understanding that the country was enjoying rest, and prospering underthe new reign; but it seems to me that the rest is more that of weariedsleep than prosperous tranquillity, and that ere long the people willrevive, and will once more draw the sword to reassert their rights."

  "I pray not," said Mead; "but I do pray that those principles which Ihave unfolded to thee, old friend, may be promulgated throughout thelength and breadth of England; as it is through them, and them only,that the country can obtain true rest, and prosper as a Christian peoplewould desire."

  Two days after this, the prisoners were pacing their cell, talkingearnestly on matters seldom discussed within prison walls, when theturnkey entered.

  "Gentlemen," he said, "I bring you news such as may perhaps besatisfactory. Your fines have been paid, and you are at liberty todepart from hence. I trust you will not forget the attention andcourtesy with which I have treated you!"

  "Verily, knave!" exclaimed Mead, laughing as Quakers were not wont tolaugh, "thou ought to go to Court and push thy fortune there. I wouldwillingly pay thee for all the attention thou hast shown us, but I fearthou wouldst not be satisfied with the payment. If I give thee morethan thy deserts, thou wilt be better pleased. Here, take this groat.Art thou satisfied?"

  The turnkey made a wry face, and Mead followed Penn, who had hurriedout, anxious to be free from the prison. On the outside they metChristison and Wenlock, with several other friends, waiting for them.Penn hastened to his lodgings to change his dress, requesting Mead toorder horses directly, that he might proceed down to his father.

  "Come," said Mead to his old comrade; "many days have passed since Igave thee an invitation to my abode; but as I have not since then been afree agent, I could not have received thee as I desired."