t was exposed in that splendid and polite, but
deeply corrupted society, with which he now mingled. The whole court was
in a ferment with intrigues of gallantry and intrigues of ambition. The
traffic in honours, places, and pardons was incessant. It was natural
that a man who was daily seen at the palace, and who was known to have
free access to majesty, should be frequently importuned to use his
influence for purposes which a rigid morality must condemn. The
integrity of Penn had stood firm against obloquy and persecution.
But now, attacked by royal smiles, by female blandishments, by the
insinuating eloquence and delicate flattery of veteran diplomatists and
courtiers, his resolution began to give way. Titles and phrases against
which he had often borne his testimony dropped occasionally from his
lips and his pen. It would be well if he had been guilty of nothing
worse than such compliances with the fashions of the world. Unhappily
it cannot be concealed that he bore a chief part in some transactions
condemned, not merely by the rigid code of the society to which he
belonged, but by the general sense of all honest men. He afterwards
solemnly protested that his hands were pure from illicit gain, and
that he had never received any gratuity from those whom he had obliged,
though he might easily, while his influence at court lasted, have made a
hundred and twenty thousand pounds. [299] To this assertion full credit
is due. But bribes may be offered to vanity as well as to cupidity; and
it is impossible to deny that Penn was cajoled into bearing a part in
some unjustifiable transactions of which others enjoyed the profits.

The first use which he made of his credit was highly commendable. He
strongly represented the sufferings of his brethren to the new King,
who saw with pleasure that it was possible to grant indulgence to these
quiet sectaries and to the Roman Catholics, without showing similar
favour to other classes which were then under persecution. A list was
framed of prisoners against whom proceedings had been instituted for
not taking the oaths, or for not going to church, and of whose loyalty
certificates had been produced to the government. These persons were
discharged, and orders were given that no similar proceeding should be
instituted till the royal pleasure should be further signified. In this
way about fifteen hundred Quakers, and a still greater number of Roman
Catholics, regained their liberty. [300]