ommunication to Lord Arlington, Secretary of
State, on whose warrant he was committed to the Tower, in which he
denied the charges brought against him, so far as he had been able to
ascertain them; declaring they were the result of ignorance and malice,
and requesting that he might have an audience with the King, in order to
hear the accusation of his enemies, and have an opportunity to defend
himself; or if he could not have access to the King, then to be brought,
with his accusers, face to face before him, the Secretary of State, it
was disregarded, nor was the rigor of his confinement abated. "Innocency
with her Open Face" had, however, produced a change of public feeling
towards him; and his father, who could not but respect the consistent
firmness and Christian endurance of his son, and who had himself been
passing through a severe ordeal from the machinations of his enemies in
the House of Commons, visited him in his dungeon, and began to use the
influence he continued to hold with the Duke of York and the King, on
his behalf. Whether at his instance or not is not known, but Arlington,
though declining to give audience to William Penn himself, sent the
King's Chaplain, Stillingfleet, to have an interview with him, and
ascertain what concessions he would be willing to make to the offended
hierarchy. Their conversation appears to have been conducted in a
friendly spirit and manner: the Chaplain holding up the brilliant future
that would be realized by Penn if he would recant some of his opinions,
and dwelling on the favorable disposition of the Duke of York and King
towards him. William told him, "The Tower is the worst argument in the
world," and that nothing could induce him to violate his conscientious
convictions, so there seemed nothing gained. But suddenly and
unexpectedly an order came from the King for his release, and he left
the gloomy confines of his prison-house without making any concession or
accepting a pardon. The discharge was believed to have been the work of
the Duke of York, and William ever cherished a grateful feeling towards
him for this generous act.

In the year 1670, Friends in England underwent great persecution and
suffering on account of their religious principles. The law against
Dissenters, that had just expired, had failed in its object, and it was
therefore determined to try another method, which enlisted the cupidity
of the depraved class as informers, and used the almost unrestraine