poverty.

After that conditions improved in the affairs of Penn. The colony was
better governed, and the anti-proprietary party almost disappeared. The
last six or eight years of Penn's life were free from trouble. He
had ceased his active work at court, for everything that could be
accomplished for the Quakers in the way of protection and favorable
laws had now been done. Penn spent his last years in trying to sell the
government of his province to the Crown for a sum that would enable him
to pay his debts and to restore his family to prosperity. But he was
too particular in stipulating that the great principles of civil and
religious liberty on which the colony had been established should not be
infringed. He had seen how much evil had resulted to the rights of the
people when the proprietors of the Jerseys parted with their right to
govern. In consequence he required so many safeguards that the sale of
Pennsylvania was delayed and delayed until its founder was stricken with
paralysis. Penn lingered for some years, but his intellect was now too
much clouded to make a valid sale. The event, however, was fortunate
for Pennsylvania, which would probably otherwise have lost many valuable
rights and privileges by becoming a Crown colony.

On July 30,1718, Penn died at the age of seventy-four. His widow became
proprietor of the province, probably the only woman who ever became
feudal proprietor of such an immense domain. She appointed excellent
deputy governors and ruled with success for eight years until her death
in 1726. In her time the ocean was free from enemy cruisers, and the
trade of the colony grew so rapidly that the increasing sales of land
and quitrents soon enabled her to pay off the mortgage on the province
and all the rest of her husband's debts. It was sad that Penn did not
live to see that day, which he had so hoped for in his last years, when,
with ocean commerce free from depredations, the increasing money returns
from his province would obviate all necessity of selling the government
to the Crown.

With all debts paid and prosperity increasing, Penn's sons became very
rich men. Death had reduced the children to three--John, Thomas,
and Richard. Of these, Thomas became what may be called the managing
proprietor, and the others were seldom heard of. Thomas lived in the
colony nine years--1732 to 1741--studying its affairs and sitting as a
member of the Council. For over forty years he was looked upon as