Norwich bulletin., 1914-04-30
The Worlds Famous Trials
THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM PENN.

name is so closely linked with the early colonization of our country, and for whom Pennsylvania was named had stormy time of it during cer- tain period of his life, owing to his puritan principles and his insistence in expressing his views at times and places not in accord with the law Aside from his persistence in speaking g his views he also published num- Der of tracts, which were industriously distributed
 A public disputation with the pres byterian,. Thomas Vincent, oecasioned the once celebrated tract Sandy Foundation Shaken" in which he as sailed the Athanasian doctrine of trinity and the Calvinistic theory of justification. Its publication without
 license was visited by his committa1 to the tower under a warrant dated Dec. 12. 1888. It was while thus con- fined that Penn wrote "No Cross, no Crown" an eloquent and learned dis sertatjon upon the Christian duty of self sacrifice, which has been fre- quently reprinted.
 Penn's confinement was close, and he was told he must recant or remain a prisoner for life. My prison shall be my grave before 1 will budge a bit" said Penn. He was. however, able to obtain his release through the media ton of the duke of York. But a year later, because he insisted on address ing his Quaker congregation in the open air he was arrested with William Msad and was committed to Newgate on Aug. IA. 1870. Penn claimed he had broken no law. When the recorder of the court asked Penn to plead guilty to his indictment, he replied: '-The law has no foundation, and unless the court can show me and the people what ground the indictment is upon, if Nil he ir1ar f0r hn fn agree to bring in a verdict
 Penn was ordered to be taken to the Bale dock. The trial occurred on the 1st to the 5th of September, 1870. The indictment read as follows:
 That the said William Penn and William Mead, with divers other per sons to the number of 300, on the 14th of August, in the twenty-second year of the king, did unlawfully and tu- multuously assemble themselves to- gether in Grace Church street to the disturbance of the peace; and that the said men did there speak and preach, whereby a great concourse and tumult was made and continued, to the great terror and disturbance of his majest tvs hege people, and against the peace"
 When they were brought to the bar of justice they appeared with their hats on their heads and the recorder demanded if they did not know it was the Kings court. and why they did not pull OH 1nelr ndCS ana pay the respect they ought?
 Penn answered he knew it to be the court and he supposed it to be the kings but he did not think the removal of a hat showed any respect. Then the court fined them 40 marks apiece for their contempt Refusing to pay the fine. they were ordered to be taken to the hole st Newgate the f1lthiest place of all prisons in Eng land.
 The jury retired to a small room and after an hour and a half had passed eight of them came into the court and said that they could not agree. The four outstanding men were called into the room and reprimanded and then all were sent back again. After longer time they were again brought back, as were also Penn and Mead. Howell asked them if they had reached a verdict and the reply was yes The verdict was guilty of speaking in the Grace Church street" The court asked if that was all and the foreman replied: That is all I have in my commission"
 The jurors were sent out the third time and again returned a verdict, written in pen and ink, that was the same as the first, convicting Penn and acquitting Mead. This was not ac- cepted and the jurors were sent out and were not given food, water or to- bacco After a day and a night they were returned to the court, but the same verdict prevailed Thereupon the fourteen men were sent to New gate. From his chamber Penn wrote to his father. who was dying at the Penn home.
 Eleven days had passed since the trial when Penn's father died, leaving all his lands and belongings to his son. Fearing that unless his son were up- held and supported by powerful friends his life would be one continual act of martyrdom, Sir William Penn sent from his deathbed to both the king and the duke of York a petition te solicit at their hands those offices to his son which had been always ex- tended to him,
 Tine trial shows the great courage and patience that Penn possessed. It was such trials and hardshiPs as these that enabled him to gain the trust and respect of the people. Penns work in America followed his trial at Old Bailey.