William Penn (1644–1718) was an English Quaker. He established the colony of Pennsylvania and played a principal role in the history of New Jersey and Delaware. Penn also co-founded the city of Philadelphia.
The scion of a prosperous London family, Penn attended Oxford, studied law, and supervised the family’s estates before becoming a Quaker in the mid-1660s. For the rest of his life, Penn engaged in Quaker preaching and writing. He was jailed four times for publishing pamphlets about his religious beliefs.
In 1681, Penn convinced King Charles II to settle up a huge debt that the king owed Penn’s father by granting him the rough land in America that would become Pennsylvania. The following year, Penn leased and added the region now identified as Delaware.
Penn used his proprietary colony of Pennsylvania to settle Quakers and others seeking sanctuary from religious persecution. Pennsylvania remained a Penn family ownership until the American Revolutionary War (1775–83.)
In 1697, Penn proposed a federal union of the American colonies. He suggested creating a “congress” with two representatives from each colony.
In 1701, Penn granted the residents of Pennsylvania a “Charter of Privileges” that instituted a unicameral legislature and advanced colonial self-government. He also established Delaware as a separate colonial entity.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William Penn
They have a Right to censure, that have a Heart to help: The rest is Cruelty, not Justice.
—William Penn
Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.
—William Penn
Topics: God, Religion
Five things are requisite to a good officer—ability, clean hands, despatch, patience, and impartiality.
—William Penn
In all debates, let truth be thy aim, not victory, or an unjust interest.
—William Penn
All we have is the Almighty’s, and shall not God have his own when he calls for it?
—William Penn
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
—William Penn
Topics: Discipline, Adversity, Difficulties, Life
To be a man’s own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody’s.
—William Penn
Topics: Fools
A private Life is to be preferrd; the Honour and Gain of publick Posts, bearing no proportion with the Comfort of it.
—William Penn
For we put the power in the people.
—William Penn
Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.
—William Penn
Topics: Promises
The wisdom of nations lies in their proverbs, which are brief and pithy. Collect and learn them; they are notable measures of directions for human life; you have much in little; they save time in speaking; and upon occasion may be the fullest and safest answers.
—William Penn
Topics: Proverbs
A good End cannot sanctifie evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.
—William Penn
Man—being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts, since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public and his own present and future benefit in all respects.
—William Penn
Topics: Optimism, Positive Attitudes, Thought
It is most reasonable men should value that benefit, which is most durable. Now tongues shall cease, and prophecy fail, and faith shall be consummated in sight, and hope in enjoyment; but love remains.
—William Penn
For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.
—William Penn
Topics: Death, Sympathy
He that lives in love lives in god, says the beloved disciple: and to be sure a man can live no where better.
—William Penn
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