whether you had writ me any thing in reference to it. I beseech your answer to this, as also, if you please, an acknowledgment to my lord lieutenant's and Lord of Arran's great and daily kindness. I wish, sir, you may have respite from your troubles, and some refreshment from your continual toils, (we supposing the fleet to be near out).

Remembering that formerly you made a motion for the giving up your company of foot here to your son, and observing his forwardness on the occasion of repressing the late mutiny among the soldiers in this garrison, I have thought fit to let you know, that I am willing to place the command of that company in him, and desire you to send a resignation to that purpose; and so I remain,

It is evident that Sir W. Penn thought his son's ambition was travelling a little too fast, from the following brief and gentle rebuke addressed to him; and from his letter to the Duke of Ormonde, which shortly followed it.

1 The annexed plate is copied from the only portrait of William Penn, (afterwards the celebrated quaker), that was ever painted. It was taken at the time of this correspondence, when he was twenty-two years of age. The medallions of his head, which are in common circulation, have been taken from a profile in clay executed after his death, from memory, by Mr. Silvanus Bevan.

"SON WILLIAM,

July 17th, 1666.

"I have received two or three letters from you since I wrote any to you. Besides my former advice, I can say nothing but advise to sobriety, and all those things that will speak you a Christian and a gentleman, which prudence may make to have the best consistency. As to the tender made by his grace my lord lieutenant, concerning the fort of Kinsale, I wish your youthful desires mayn't outrun your discretion. His grace may, for a time, dispense with my absence; yours he will not, for so he told me. God bless, direct, and protect you.

"Your very affectionate father,

"W. P."

"To the Duke of Ormonde.1

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE,

"I have received your grace's letter, intimating your great favour and benevolence towards my son, in offering to invest him with the command of my company at Kinsale Fort. I heartily wish he may live and strive to deserve your grace's good opinion of him, for which I here acknowledge myself still more your grace's debtor.

"I should have answered it sooner, but that I have late been abroad upon his majesty's service; and my stations so various, that some days were spent before it came to my hands.

"I can never be thankful enough for your goodness to me and mine, especially whilst I remain so remote; but, God sending an end to this present war (which I hope will not long continue), I shall endeavour to follow the great inclina

1 I am indebted for this letter to the courtesy of the present Marquess of Ormonde.

tion which I have, to fix in Ireland; God preserving your grace's life, a main motive to my design. For which cause, I humbly beg your grace would be pleased to respite your thoughts of that favour (towards my son) for the present: yet to continue your grace's kind thoughts of him, who I hope will ever be, as I am,

"Your Grace's most obedient servant,

" August 7, 1666.

"To his Grace, James, Duke of Ormonde,

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,

Humbly present."

W. P.

In a letter to his son, of the 2d October, he writes thus:

"I have yours, with your answers to Wallis's reasons, and know not how to say more about that business; but must leave you to the direction and blessing of God Almighty, who I am sure will be just, whatever men are. I am as much concerned for your honour (it being the first of your appearance in the world) as for the bone that's contended for; and yet, I judge it to be a bone very full of marrow."

This letter refers to the compensation granted by the king to Sir W. Penn, for his surrender of Macromp to the Earl of Clancarty, against which grant a claim had been set up by one Colonel Wallis; but the claim was overruled, and the grant confirmed, by the commissioners appointed for the settlement of the kingdom of Ireland.1

In a later letter to his son, who had obtained the office of victualling the ships at Kinsale, he thus