the romps and jinks of the Navy Gardens, there was still a chance of seeing him grow up into a soldier of his country and a bearer of his cross, -a hero of the stamp of Thomas Grey. The glory won at Carrickfergus made him long to get his company. The fit was on him, and he wanted to appear at Kinsale as Captain Penn instead of Clerk of the Cheque. His zeal amused and gratified his parents; but the Admiral had begun to change his plans. Affairs were looking ill at court; Sir William saw no chance of going to sea again; and he was talking of retiring to Shangarry Castle and his government of Kinsale. If they should go to Cork, it would be well to keep the offices they had got; but if his son received his company of foot he must lose his highly profitable Clerkship of the Cheque.

'Well, Sir,' said the Duke of Ormonde to his guest before his courtiers, has Sir William given you his company at Kinsale?'

He has promised it, your grace,' replied young Penn; and your lordship has promised to favour his request when made.'

'But has he written nothing?'

'He is far from London, and is busy fitting out the fleet.'

The Admiral affected to regard his son as being too young for such a post as Captain at Kinsale. When Penn was eager, he requested him to live a 'sober life,' and told him in the plainest terms he was too young' and 'rash.' Heroes of forty-five are apt to rail at heroes of twenty-two. The veteran, when he told his son not to let his 'desires'

outrun his 'discretion,' forgot that he was himself a captain at twenty-one. Before the vision of a life in camp and field was gone for ever, Penn had himself painted with his harness on his back. It was the only portrait for which he ever sat; and thus the single record which the world possesses of a man whose name is Peace displays him in a coat of shining steel.

When he had warned his son to live a 'sober' life at Kinsale, the Admiral gave him hints about doing his duty to the crown, yet making money in his office of the Cheque.

The post was one of some account. A Clerk of the Cheque had to deal with captains of ships; to keep the poll-books; and to certify the accuracy of all accounts. He had the charge of government stores and property, civil and warlike. He had to give out rations and supplies, and to see that the musters on board each ship agreed with the entries on the books. As Clerk of the Cheque Penn would live in county Cork, within easy reach of the family estate, which also needed his constant

care.

Sir William's old friend, Roger, Earl of Orrery (known among the literary and scientific Boyles as poet and dramatist), was living at Cork as President of Munster, and in this able and brilliant nobleman Penn soon found a steadfast friend.

Penn resided chiefly at Kinsale, attending to the duties of his office; giving out rope and tar, paying seamen's wages, counting tallies, and living, as the Admiral wished him to live, a 'sober' life. His supe

riors in the King's service were well pleased with him; Lord Orrery gave him the rank of Ensign in a company of horse; and during the darker days of the Dutch war we hear of Ensign Penn running to and fro; fitting out ships, throwing chains across the harbour, rallying soldiers in the fort. It was still on the cards that William Penn might come to be Captain Penn.

While Ensign Penn was running to and fro about the business of his post, he kept an eye on his own affairs at Shangarry Castle. As in every other grant of forfeited lands, a multitude of suits sprang up; the royal warrant was disputed; and the tenant, Colonel Wallis, was a man who would not yield to either duke or king. In vain the Lords Justices showed him the King's own words. "The King has no right to give away these lands; the law alone can say if they were forfeit to the crown.' Much prudence was required in dealing with Colonel Wallis, but the young and soft negotiator brought the fiery old soldier to a calmer frame of mind.

In London things were jogging on as usual. Margaret Penn had found a servant' in Antony Lowther, of Maske, in Yorkshire; a man of good family, wealthy, and devoted to her. Sir William was either at the court, the Navy Office, or the playhouse daily, with Sir William Coventry, Admiral Batten, or some other comrade, pushing his fortunes and deserving all he got. The Admiral was liked by all his equals; and enjoyed the highest favour of the King and Duke of York. Though

growing old (and Pepys adds, 'ugly'), Lady Penn kept up her spirits. Supped at home, and very merry,' says their garrulous neighbour, and about nine to Mrs. Mercer's gate ... and there mighty merry; my Lady Penn and Peg going thither with us, and Nan Wright, till about twelve at night; flinging our fireworks, and burning one another, and the people over the way; and at last, our business being most spent, we went into Mrs. Mercer's, and there mighty merry, smutting one another with candle-grease and soot, till most of us were like devils.' Even these high jinks were nothing to what came in the early hours. Pepys carried the whole party to his lodgings in the Navy Office, where they drank still more, and then began to reel and dance. Pepys and two other men put on women's clothes. They dressed the maid-servant like a boy, and got her to dance a jig. Nan Wright, my wife, and Peg Penn,' says the Navy Clerk, 'put on periwigs; thus we spent till three or four in the morning; mighty merry, and then parted, and to bed.' A very jovial crew!

It was in London, not at Kinsale or Dublin, that the question of the Irish lands was to be settled. The Land Commissioners, appointed by the Crown to hear the multitude of cases which had risen during twenty years of grants, confiscations, forfeitures, and restorations, were then sitting; but the Admiral had begun to feel a greater confidence in his son's tact and judgment than his own. He wrote to his son, desiring him to get the family affairs into an orderly state and then come over

and see the Commissioners; at the same time giving him some worldly hints as to the conduct of the victualling department of Kinsale Castle, and begging him to make the passage in calm weather, so as to run no risk. Penn joyfully obeyed his father's summons, as he had not seen his mother and sister for a long time, and he arrived in London in the month of November. The business was arranged. After hearing evidence on both sides, the Land Commissioners confirmed the grant of Shangarry Castle to Sir William Penn.

Assured of this addition to his fortune, the Admiral was less intent about his brother George's claims. He set up several coaches; he arranged his daughter's marriage with Lowther; and in the face of his expected barony of Weymouth, talked of buying Wanstead House.

Antony and Peg were married, rather quietly, on the 15th of February, 1667. Sir William gave his daughter a large fortune; some said fifteen thousand pounds! His cousin, John Gorges, member for Cirencester, begged him to purchase the old place in Wiltshire; but Penn's Lodge, the 'genteel ancient house,' was not a big one, and his thoughts were steadily directed towards the county Cork, his future home. Peg's dress and jewels were like those of a duchess; and neither the King nor the King's ministers had a coach so fine as hers.

When Peg was happily married, Penn returned to Cork, where he was wanted much. His father

saw him go with pleasure; for the romps and feasts of the Navy Gardens drove him into moody ways;