Last week, we shared the story of the Mattson Witch Trial, the only known witch trial William Penn presided over. Pennsylvania never reached anywhere near the heights of Salem’s infamous witch hunts. Read More
trials
“What magic words do you utter then?”: How to Catch a Witch!
‘Tis the month of ghost and ghouls and all things otherworldly… so it’s a great time to explore the role of witchcraft in 17th-century society! So how would you react as a Read More
Penn’s Pen: A Government of Freedom
On Sunday we honored William Penn’s early hopes for a land of freedom. Now we want to highlight the personal freedoms he made into law, just before sailing to his Read More
Penn’s Pen: Getting Arrested, Quaker-Style
In November of 1667, William Penn, a freshly converted Quaker, was arrested with18 other Quakers in County Cork, Ireland. Christopher Rye, the Mayor of Cork, was well-known for his persecution Read More
William’s World: A Crime of Fashion!
The Scene: The Justice Hall in the Old Bailey, London The Date: 15-16 January 1690 Where’s William?M.I.A. At this stage, Penn was keeping a very low profile in England. He was Read More