Royalists, he lost favor with the
Protector. On his return from an unsuccessful expedition against the
Spanish West India Islands, he was deprived of his command and thrown
into prison, whence Cromwell generously liberated him at his own humble
petition. He then took his family over to Ireland, where he continued to
reside for some years, on the estate which Cromwell had had bestowed
upon him, and which was near Cork.

In a manuscript written by Thomas Harvey, reciting an account given to
him by William Penn, of some of the circumstances of his early life, and
which was first published in "The Penns and Peningtons," by M. Webb, it
is stated, "That while he was but a child living at Cork with his
father, Thomas Loe came thither. When it was rumored a Quaker was come
from England, his father proposed to some others to be like the noble
Bereans, and hear him before they judged him. He accordingly sent to
Thomas Loe to come to his house; where he had a meeting in the family.
Though William was very young, he observed what effect T. Loe's
preaching had on the hearers. A black servant of his father could not
restrain himself from weeping aloud; and little William looking on his
father, saw the tears running down his cheeks also. He then thought
within himself, 'What if they would all be Quakers!'" This opportunity
he never quite forgot; the remembrance of it still recurring at times.
William Penn was then about eleven years of age, and was being educated
by a private tutor.

On the retirement of Richard Cromwell from the position for which he
had been appointed by his father, Admiral Penn declared for Charles
Stuart, and lost no time in going over to the Continent to pay court to
him whom he had no doubt would soon be recalled to the throne. Charles
employed him in secret service, and rewarded him by the honors of
knighthood, and by becoming his debtor for one hundred pounds.

When a little over fifteen years of age, William Penn entered as a
"gentleman commoner," at Oxford, where he remained three years,
distinguishing himself as a hard and successful student. After the
Restoration, the Court set to work to remodel the University, by
displacing those who held Puritanical opinions, or who had found favor
during the Commonwealth, and installing others, friendly to the
re-established church and the lax moral principles then prevailing. Dr.
Owen, conspicuous as a scholar and a strict religionist, was ejected to
make room for