Part III – Penington Family
Generation 4. William Penington was born about 1523 at Henham, Essex, England, and was buried at St. Benet’s Gracechurch Street, London, England, on 11 November 1592.
His wife’s name was Alice Woodcock, who was born about 1527, in Henham, Essex, England., buried 9 October 1607, beside her husband. The children were all born in West Cheap, London, England.
Children:
Robert Penington, son of William and Alice Penington, was born about 1555 at West Cheap, St. Peter, London, England.
His first wife was Judith Shetterden, who was born 1 October 1564, St. Mary at Hill, London, England, and died after 1622, London, Eng.
Isaac Shetterden of London, her father, was born about 1533 in London, married between 1552 and 1584, mother unknown; he died 16 Apr 1628. Judith had a brother Daniel Shettertden, (b about 1561; died aft 1593.)
All the children were born in the City of London.
Children:
Sir Isaac Penington (1), the eldest son of Robert Penington and Judith Shetterden, was born in London about 1587. He received a good education, and succeeded to his father’s business as a fishmonger, as well as to his estates in Norfolk and Suffolk. He served as an alderman of London, 1638-1657.
He was an ardent Puritan. At the church at Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire (where he purchased an estate before 1635) he refused to comply with the injunction against bowing at the name of Jesus, and complaint was made to Archbishop Laud. in 1638, Penington was chosen High Sheriff of London. His house was in Wood Street, Cheapside, and he was prominent member of St. Stephen’s Church, Coleman Street. He was a member of Parliament for the city. in 1640, he presented a petition to the commons from 15,000 citizens, against the innovations of Archbishop Laud. Penington’s influence in the city was invaluable to Parliament, on the outbreak of hostilities, in raising funds and supplies for the army. He impoverished himself in the cause. Parliament chose him as Lord Mayor, but King Charles I never acknowledged the legality of the appointment, and demanded that Penington should be delivered unto custody as a person notoriously guilty of schism and high treason. Among his friends were John Milton and John Goodwin, whose church he attended. in 1642, Penington had been appointed Lieutenant of the Tower, and in this capacity conducted Archbishop Laud to the scaffold. He was a member of the commission for the trial of the King. After the death of the King, he was a member of the committee for the sale of the King’s goods. He was appointed one of the Council of State, in 1648, 1649, and 1650. He was knighted by the Speaker of the Commons 6 June 1649.
About 1655, Penington suffered a complete reversal of fortune. He was prosecuted for debt, having borrowed money to pay to Parliament for the maintenance of the army. At the Restoration, Penington was tried for treason at the Old Bailey, 15 June 1660, convicted, and committed a prisoner to the Tower, where, after more than a year’s imprisonment, he died on 17 December 1660. An order was issued for the delivery of his body to his friends. The place of his burial is not known.
Penington was married/1 on 7 February 1614/5 to Abigail Allen, born about 1588 in London, daughter of John Allen, born about 1559, in London. They raised 6 children, many of whom became Quakers.
Penington was married/2 to Mary Young, daughter of Matthew Young. Penington was a sturdy and austere Puritan. When he expressed violent disapproval of his son Isaac’s joining the Quakers, the son retorted that his father’s religion was formal and invented, the result of fear lest wrath should overtake him.
The children were all born in the City of London, except Isaac.
Children:
Isaac Penington, the son of Sir Isaac Penington and Abigail Allen, was born 8 December 1616, Chalfont, St. Giles, Bucks, England. He became a Quaker in 1658, and was a prolific and influential Quaker writer.
He was married in St. Margaret’s Church, London, England, on 13 May 1654, to Mary Proude, born in 1625, also in Chalfont, St. Giles, the only child of Sir John Proude and Anne Fogge (Fagge). (See Proude Family, Part III)
Mary was the widow of Sir William Springett (ca 1620-1643/4) and her daughter Gulielma Springett was married in the spring of 1672 to William Penn. Gulielma died 23 February 1694, buried Jourdans MH, near Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire.
Penington came from a distinguished Puritan family, has father having been at one time Lord Mayor of London. He was a well-educated scholarly person, having as his friends distinguished men of letters, such as John Milton and John Locke. He was thus well established in Buckinghamshire society, an unusual and difficult position for a convinced Quaker.
However, once he and his wife Mary had joined Friends, they gave themselves wholeheartedly to Quakerism, finding it a great joy, but also sharing in the sufferings. Penington was in prison for about half of his Quaker life.
In 1661, Penington was imprisoned for refusing to take the oath of allegiance, and on several subsequent occasions he passed long periods in Reading and Aylebury Jails.
The Penington home at Chalfont St Peter became an important meeting place for Friends, particularly for the leaders of the movement, such as Fox, Nayler, Burrough, Penn among others. It has been called "The Swarthmoor of the South", an apt comparison, because it played a significant part in supporting Friends in a period of considerable difficulty.
Isaac died 8 October 1679, In St. Andrew Parish, Undershaft, London, England. Mary died 18 September 1682, In Chalfont, St. Giles, Bucks, England.
He left behind him a number of writings, from which was published what might be called a devotional autobiography. It has been considered one of the outstanding pieces of Quaker literature. It is very long and not readily available, so that the condensation, published as "The inward Journey of Isaac Penington" (in Quaker Classics In Brief) is very welcome.
Children: