Gulielma Maria (Springett) Penn (abt. 1644 - 1694)

Born about 1 Mar 1644 in Darling, Sussex, , England

Ancestors

Wife of William Penn — married 4 Apr 1672 in Rickmansworth Parish, Hertfordshire, England

Descendants

Died 23 Feb 1694 at about age 49 in Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, , England

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Biography

Her Birth

Gulielma Maria Penn was born to Mary Proude just a few weeks after the passing of her father, William Springett at age 23 on February 3, 1644 (1643 old style) of a fever contracted in the siege of Arundel during the English Civil War ^[1]. In a personal memoir, Gulielma's mother recounts her harrowing mid-winter journey from London to Arundel to be by her husband's side in his last days. Upon the birth of his posthumous child, Mary Proude Springett honored her husband's memory with a name uniting her own with his: Gulielma Maria Posthuma (Gulielma coming from the Italian for William). The Springetts were of an extraordinarily progressive religious sentiment in their day and, prefiguring later Quaker beliefs, had come to the conclusion that there was no Biblical basis for infant baptism; thus, Mary Proude Springett rejected infant baptism for their daughter, with the result that her birth went unrecorded in parish registries, and her precise birthdate is not known.

Childhood

Gulielma's early years were spent with her mother, Mary Proude and paternal grandmother Lady Katherine (Partridge) Springett, a remarkable woman who was acclaimed for her talents as a medical practitioner and surgeon ^[2]. Lady Katherine passed on significant medical knowledge to her daughter-in-law who subsequently passed down some of her knowledge to Gulielma. In 1654, when Gulielma reached age 10, her mother met and married Isaac Pennington, a noted scholar and the son of the former Lord Mayor of London, Isaac Pennington who in 1649 had been appointed High Commissioner of Justice in the Trial of King Charles -- a family association that would prove problematic for the family following the restoration of the monarchy in and the family settled in the Pennington family home at Chalfont Grange near Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire. The Pennington's had five half-siblings to Gulielma. Sir isaac converted to Quakerism when he heard George Fox preach in 1658, and Mary soon followed in adopting the new faith. The Restoration of the British monarchy under Charles II in April, 1660, brought many trials to the Pennington family. including the arrest of the elder Isaac Pennington on charges of High Treason for his role in the regicide of Charles I and the forfeiture of the family home at Chalfont Grange ^[3]. With the passage of the Conventicles Act of 1664 aimed at non-conformists such as the Quakers, the family's troubles redoubled. The family weathered their sufferings in no small measure thanks to the practical skills of Gulielma's mother, Mary Proude Pennington, who supervised the design and construction of a new home in the Quaker community at Chalfont St. Peter while also sagaciously managing the family's much-reduced financial resources. The family was stoned on their way to Quaker Meeting, and between 1660 and 1670 Isaac was imprisoned six times. Despite, or perhaps in part due to these trials, Gulielma's step-father emerged as perhaps the most acclaimed of early Quaker writers.

Inheritance

Her father subscribed £600 together with Sir Edward Patherick (or Partridge) as an Adventurer for Land in the scheme by which the English Parliament financed the army which it assembled to put down the Irish Rebellion of 1641 by private investment from 'adventurers' who would be repaid by land seized from the rebels should parliament win. Gulielma, as his only surviving child and heir inherited the proceeds of his £300 share ^[4] which materialised as the townlands of Great and Little Colcoons, being 254 acres 2 rods 21 poles (statute measure) in the Barony of Deece, county Meath. ^{[5] [6] [7]}.

Marriage to William Penn

It has been reported that early in the year 1668 a young William Penn, recently converted to Quakerism, became a frequent visitor to the the vibrant Quaker community at Chalfont St. Peter and particularly to the Pennington family ^[8]. By all accounts, Gulielma was beautiful, passionately devout, and intelligent you woman. Thomas Ellwood, a prominent Quaker, family friend to the Penningtons and tutor to their children, described her in these terms: "While I remained in that family various suspicions arose in the minds of some concerning me, with respect to Mary Pennington's fair daughter, Guli. For she, having arrived at marriageable age, and being in all respects a very desirable woman-- whether regard was had to her outward person, which wanted nothing to render her completely comely; or to the endowments of her mind, which were in every way extraordinary; or to her out ward fortune, which was fair, and which with some hath not the last nor the least place—she was openly and secretly sought and solicited by many, some of almost every rank and condition, good and bad, rich and poor, friend and foe. To whom in their respective turns, till he at length came for whom she was reserved, she carried -herself with so much evenness of temper, such courteous freedom, guarded with the strictest modesty, that, as it gave encouragement or ground of hope to none, so nei- ther did it administer any matter of offence or just cause of complaint to any^[9]." The young Penn was soon smitten, and the couple married April 4, 1672 in Rickmansworth Parish, Hertfordshire (near the Buckinghamshire border), England ^[10]. The couple settled first at Basing House in Rickmansworth where they lived approximately five years until moving to a family estate in Warminghurst, Sussex-- a part of the Springett family inheritance apparently gifted to them by Guli's mother, Mary.

The Penn's had six children, although two -- Gulielma Maria and Margaret Maria -- died in infancy. In addition, the sixth, also named Gulielma Maria, died at age 4. Springett Penn died at age 21 before marrying, so the only children to survive their mother were William Penn, III and Letitia (Penn) Awbrey.

Though also subjected to persecution for his Quaker beliefs under the Conventicles Act, William Penn had the advantage of a royalist pedigree through his father, Sir Admiral William Penn. Though estranged for a time after his conversion to Quakerism, Penn, Jr. and his father were reconciled before the elder Penn's passing in 1670. Their reconciliation paved the way for the the June 1680 grant by Chales II of the royal charter for lands in Pennsylvania -- rendering Penn the largest non-royal land-owner in history. Upon departing for the New World upon the Welcome in 1682 -- uncertain of his success or even his survival-- he penned the following revealing letter to Guli: " My dear wife, " Remember thou wast the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life—the most beloved as well as the most worthy of all my earthly comforts ; and the reason of that love was more thy inward than thy outward excellencies, which yet were many. God knows and thou knowest I can say it was a match of His making; and God's image in us both was the first thing, and the most amiable and engaging ornament in our eyes. Now I am to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I shall ever see thee more in this world. Take in my counsel into thy bosom, and let it dwell with thee in my stead while thou livest. " Firstly.—Let the fear of the Lord and zeal and love for His glory dwell richly in thy heart, and thou wilt watch for good over thyself and thy dear children and family. " Secondly.—Be diligent in meetings for worship and business; stir up thyself and others therein; it is thy duty and place. Let meetings be kept once a day in the family, to wait upon the Lord who has given us so much time for ourselves. And, my dearest, to make thy family matters easy, divide thy time and be regular. Grieve not thyself with careless servants ; rather pay them and let them go, if they will not be better by admonition. " Thirdly.—Cast up thy income, and see what it daily amounts to, by which thou mayest have it in thy sight to keep within compass. I beseech thee to live low and sparingly till my debts are paid and then enlarge as thou seest convenient. Remember thy mother's example, when thy father's public-spiritedness had worsted his estate, which is my case. I know thou art averse to the pomps of the world— a nobility natural to thee. I write not as doubtful, but to quicken thee for my sake, knowing that God will bless thy care. I need not bid thee to be humble, for thou art so; nor meek and patient, for it is thy natural disposition: but I pray thee be oft in retirement with the Lord, and guard against encroaching friendships [of the world]; keep them at arm's end. "Fourthly.—And now, my dearest, let me commend to thy care my dear children ; abundantly beloved by me, as the Lord's blessings, and the sweet pledges of our mutual and endeared affection. Above all things, endeavour to bring them up in the love of virtue, and in that holy plain way of it which we have lived in, that the world in no part of it get into my family. I had rather they were homely than finely bred as to outward behavior yet I love sweetness mixed with gravity, and cheerfulness tempered with sobriety. Religion in the heart leads into true civility, teaching men and women to be mild and courteous in their behaviour. "Fifthly—Bring them up in love of one another. Tell them it is the charge I left behind me, and that it is the way to have the love and blessing of God to rest upon them. Sometimes separate them, but not long; and allow them to give and Bend each other small things, to endear one another with. Once more I say, tell them how it was my counsel that thev should be tender and affectionate one to another. For their learning be liberal. Spare no cost—for by such parsimony all is lost that is saved—but let it be useful knowledge they are taught, such as is consistent with truth and godliness. The exercise of ingenuity mixed with industry is good for the body and mind, too. I recommend the useful parts of mathematics, building houses or ships, measuring, surveying, dialling, and navigation. But agriculture is especially in my eye. Rather keep an ingenious person in the house to teach them than send them to schools. Be sure to observe their genius, and do not cross it ; let them not dwell too long on one thing, but make an agreeable change before they become weary. Let all their diversions have some little bodily labour in them." The above letter was dated Worminghurst, 4th of Sixth-month, 1682 ^[11].

During William's absence in Pennsylvania, Gulielma managed their home in Sussex and saw to the care of their children, Springett and William, Jr. and Letitia. William returned from America in the Fall of 1684 full of optimism and eager to return to Philadelphia with his family, but fate intervened and instead plunged the family into troublesome times with the death of Charles II and the accession of his brother, the ill-starred James II to the throne. Though James was Catholic and Penn a strong Protestant and nonconformist, the two were allies in the struggle to establish religious tolerance for both Catholics and Nonconformists in the face of rising anti-Catholic sentiment in the Anglican Church of the time. Penn's friendship with James and vigorous defense of religious toleration led to suspicions of "Papist sympathies," leaving him in an even more vulnerable position when James' was overthrown by Protestant son-in-law William and his daughter Mary in the "Glorious Revolution" 1688-1690. Though a Quaker and a pacifist, Penn was falsely accused of conspiring for the restoration of James -- charges that led to his imprisonment until he was eventually able to wage a successful defense and achieve his freedom in late 1693 ^[12].

The Passing of Gulielma Penn

On 11 December, 1693, Penn wrote to Thomas Lloyd in Philadelphia announcing his "enlargement" and friendly relations with the king and adding a poignant note --"I went to our meeting at the Bull and Mouth; thence to the sanctuary of my solitude; and after that to see my poor wife and children; the eldest {Springett} being with me all this while. My wife is yet weakly, but I am not without hopes of her recovery, who is of the best of wives and women." Alas the hoped-for recovery was not to be. Gulielma Springett Penn died 24 February, 1694. At her passing, William wrote ^[13]: "MY Dear Wife, after eight Month's Illness (though she never perfectly recoved her weakness the Year before, which held her about six Months) Departed this Life the 23d of the 12th Month, 1693/4 about half an hour past two in the After∣noon, being the sixth Day of the Week, and the Fiftieth Year of her Age, and was sensible to the very last. . . About three hours before her End, a Relation taking leave of her, she said again,

'I have cast my care upon the Lord: My dear Love to all Friends, and (lifting up her Dying Hands and Eyes) pray'd the Lord to pre∣serve them and bless them.'

About an hour after, causing all to withdraw, we were half an hour together, in which we took our last leave, saying all that was fit upon that solemn Occasion. She continued Sensi∣ble, and eat something about an hour before her Departure; at which time our Children, and most of the Family, were present, she quietly Expired in my Arms, her Head upon my Bosom, with a sensible and Devout Resigna∣tion of her Soul to Almighty God. I hope I may say, she was a Publick, as well as Pri∣vate Loss; for she was not only an excellent Wife and Mother, but an Entire and Constant Friend, of a more than com∣mon Capacity, and greater Modesty and Humility; yet most equal and undaunted in Danger, Religious as well as Ingenuous, without Affectation. An easie Mistress, and good Neighbour, especially to the Poor. Neither lavish nor penurious, but an Ex∣ample of Industry, as well as of other Vertues: Therefore our great Loss, tho' her own Eternal Gain."

She lies interred at Old Jordan's Burying Ground in the Chiltern District of Buckinghamshire, England alongside her predeceased children ^[14]. She never made the dreamed-of voyage to Philadelphia, but nevertheless helped to pioneer that way for thousands of others.

Research Notes

As time passes apparently researchers find more children who d. as infants - Hirsch 1994 has 8 children, and Moretta 2007, has 11 children^[15] although both agree only 3 were living when she died in 1694 - Springett (age 19), Letitia (age 16) and William Jr. (age 14).

Children (4 missing)

1. Guilelma Maria (d. infant)
2. William (twin of Mary, d. infant)
3. Mary (twin of William, d. infant)
4. Springett (1675-1696)
5. Letitia (1678-1746)
6. William Jr. (1680-1720)
7. Guilelma Maria (1685-1689)

Sources

^{[16] [17]}

1. ↑ Webb, Maria. The Penns and Peningtons of the seventeenth century, in their domestic and religious life. Philadelphia: H. Longstreth, 1881, p. 56-57.
2. ↑ Mary ProudePennington. Autobiographical Letter to her grandson, Springett Penn, 1672.
3. ↑ Quakers in the World: Mary Pennington, http://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/25/Mary-Penington
4. ↑ The Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland in the Reigns of King Charles I, the Commonwealth, and Charles II Mahaffy, R. P. (ed.) HMSO, London and Dublin 1900-1905. Vol 5 1642-1659; Commonwealth. Adventurers for land, pp 73, 74 (https://archive.org/details/cu31924091770895/page/73/mode/1up?q=Springett&view=theater : accessed 20 June 2022)
5. ↑ Appendix to the Fifteenth Annual Report of the Irish Record Commission, HMSO, Dublin and London 1825, part 1 ABSTRACTS of Grants of Lands and other hereditaments, under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation A. D. 1666-1684: — Compiled by the late Lodge, Deputy Keeper of the Rolls arranged by order of the Commissioners, from the MSS. p233 (https://archive.org/details/op1244157-1001/page/233/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Gulielma : accessed 20 June 2022)
6. ↑ Trinity College Dublin, Down Survey Website. Gulielma Maria Springal (sic) (protestant) owner in 1670 of 150 acres (plantation measure) of profitable land in Culcor (Collcores) held in 1641 by Patrick Hussey (Catholic). (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/landowners.php#l4=Springal,+Gulielma+Maria&mc=53.460953,-6.730672&z=11 : accessed 20 June 2022)
7. ↑ Land in Gallow Parish, East Meath owned in 1670 by Gulielma Springal (sic). Books of Survey and Distribution, National Archives of Ireland ref NAI QRO 1/1/3/17/7/18 on Ireland's virtual record treasury (https://www.virtualtreasury.ie/item?isadgReferenceCode=NAI%20QRO%201%2F1%2F3%2F17%2F7%2F18 : accessed 28 July 2022)
8. ↑ Jenkins, Howard M., The Family of William Penn, Pt. V: William Penn's First Marriage, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 20, No. 3 (1896), pp. 370-390
9. ↑ The Penns & Peningtons of the seventeenth century, in their domestic and religious life: (1881).
10. ↑ England and Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage and Death Registers, piece 1024, Quarterly Meeting of Buckinghamshire: Marriages (1658-1769)
11. ↑ The Penns & Peningtons of the seventeenth century, in their domestic and religious life: (1881)
12. ↑ Jenkins, Howard M., The Family of William Penn, Pt. V. William Penn's First Marriage, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 20, No. 3 (1896), pp. 370-390
13. ↑ Penn, William, 1694, An Account of the Blessed End Of my Dear Wife Gulielma Maria Penn, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A54094.0001.001/1:2?rgn=div1;view=fulltext
14. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5887834/gulielma-maria-penn
15. ↑ Moretta, John "William Penn and the Quaker Legacy", Pearson 2007
16. ↑ The Penns & Peningtons of the seventeenth century, in their domestic and religious life: (1881).
17. ↑ The Family of William Penn: Founder of Pennsylvania, Ancestry and Descendants, by Howard Malcolm Jenkins.

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~amxroads/Penn/index.html

Acknowledgements