which he subjoined a body of fundamental laws, which he, and the adventurers with him in London, agreed upon, such as respected morality, politics and economy, and were not to be altered, unless consented to by the Governor or his descendants, and seven eighths of the free men who should meet in Council and Assembly. We discover in this code of laws, that declaration which has been as instrumental, if not more so, in the prosperity of Penn's colony, than any thing else; viz. "That all persons living in the province, who confess and acknowledge the One Almighty and eternal God, to be the creator, upholder and ruler of the world; and hold themselves obliged in conscience, to live peaceably and justly in civil society, shall in no ways be molested for their religious persuasion or practice, in matters of faith or worship; nor shall they be compelled at any time to frequent or maintain any religious worship, place or ministry whatever. That according to the good example of the primitive christians, and the ease of the creation, every first day of the week, called the Lord's day, people shall abstain from their common daily labour, that they may the better dispose themselves to worship God, according to their understandings." Many single persons, and some families out of England and Wales went over; and, having made and improved their plantations to good advantage, the gov ernor, in order to secure the new planters from the native Indians, appointed commissioners to confer with them about land, and to confirm a league of peace, which they accordingly did. In Aug. 1682, he embarked for Pennsylvania, accompanied by many persons, especially quakers; and, during his abode there, took all proper measures to cause his infant colony to thrive and flourish. He returned to England in 1684, and James II. coming soon after to the throne, he was taken into a very great degree of favor with his majesty.

At the revolution, being suspected of disaffection

to the government, and looked upon as a Papist or Jesuit, under the mask of a Quaker, he was examined before the Privy-Council, Dec. 1688, but on giving security was discharged. In 1690, when the

French fleet threatened a descent on England, he was again examined before the council, upon an accusation of corresponding with the late king James, and was held upon bail for some time, but discharged in Trinity-Term. He was attacked a third time the same year, and deprived of the privilege of appointing a governor for Pennsylvania, till, upon his vindication of himself, he was restored to his right of government. He designed now to go over a second time to Pennsylvania, and published proposals for another settlement there, when a fresh accusation appeared against him, backed with the oath of one William Fuller, who was afterwards declared by the parliament a notorious impostor. A warrant was granted for Penn's apprehension, which he narrowly escaped at his return from George Fox's funeral, the 16th Jan. 1690, upon which he concealed himself for two or three years, and, during his recess, wrote several pieces. At the end of 1693, through the interest of Lord Somers and others, he was admitted to appear before the King and council, when he presented his innocence so effectually, that he was acquitted.

His wife dying in Feb. 1693, he married another, the daughter of a Bristol merchant, in March of the same year, by whom he had four sons and one daughter; and, the month after, his eldest son by his former wife died of a consumption, in his 21st year. In Aug. 1699, he embarked with his family for Pennsylvania; but, during his absence, some persons endeavoured to undermine both his and other proprietary governments, under pretence of advancing the prerogative of the crown; and a bill for that purpose was brought into the house of Lords. His friends, the proprietors and adventurers then in England, im

mediately represented the hardship of their case to the Parliament, soliciting time for his return to answer for himself, and accordingly pressing him to come over as soon as possible. He, seeing it necessary to comply, summoned an assembly at Philadelphia; to whom, Sep. 15, 1701, he made a speech, declaring the reasons of his leaving them, and the next day took shipping for England, where he arriv ed about the middle of December. After his return, the bill, which, through the solicitations of his friends had been postponed the last session of parliament, was wholly laid aside. In 1710, the air of London not agreeing with his declining constitution, he took a seat at Rushcomb, in Buckinghamshire, where he resided till his death, which happened July 30, 1718. He was buried at Jordans, in Buckinghamshire, where his former wife and several of his family lay.. His writings were numerous.

PETRARCH, (FRANCIS) an Italian, eminent for great parts and extensive knowledge, has been called the father of modern poetry; and was, perhaps, the first among moderns, in whom the spirit and genius of ancient literature began to revive. His parents were of Florence, of honorable families; and his father was a manager in the faction of the Bianchini, which were driven from the town by the Neri, in 1300. He retired to Arezzo, where Petrarch was born in 1304. His father, after many vain attempts to be restored, fixed at Avignon, then the seat of the Pope; whence Petrarch, who was nine years old, was sent to Carpentras, in order to learn grammar, rhetoric and philosophy. He was four years at this place, then removed to Montpelier, where he spent four years more, in the study of the law. After that his father sent him to Bologna; but the dry study of the law had no charms for Petrarch. Poetry, eloquence

and history, had employed in reality, the greatest part of his time and attention; which his father perceiving was so enraged, that coming one day suddenly into his chamber, and finding a heap of ancient Latin authors by him, he flung them all into the fire, except Virgil and Cicero, which, at the earnest request of the son, he spared.

Losing his mother in 1325, and his father the year after, he returned to Avignon to settle his affairs; and soon after purchased a very retired but agreeable country house, called Vaucluse, about five miles east of it, where he spent a good part of every year. Here, in 1327, he commenced an amour with a beautiful young damsel, named Laura, who lived in the neighbourhood, and whom he has made famous by his poetry. His residence at Vaucluse was sometimes interrupted by travels. He went to Paris, whence he passed to Flanders, then into Germany, and lastly to Rome. At his return to Avignon, he was prevailed with to enter into the servive of Pope John XXII. who employed him in several important transactions both in France and at Rome. Not being fond of a court life, he retired to Vaucluse, where he devoted himself wholly to reading, to composition, and to Laura. He composed a Latin poem, called " Africa," which, though a very crude performance, and faulty both in Latinity and measure, appeared a prodigy in those days of ignorance; and made his name. so famous, that the Senate of Rome and the University of Paris, both invited him at the same time, to come and receive the poetic crown. He went to Rome in 1341, where that honor was conferred upon him with great solemnity. From Rome he went to Parma, and soon after to Vaucluse, where he gratified his prevailing passion, which was, the love of books and solitude. Yet, in 1343, he was called out by Pope Clement VI. who sent him to compliment queen Joan of Naples, upon her accession to the throne. He went again into Italy in 1348, to viVOL. III. No. 23.

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sit some nobles at Verona; and he was here, when news of the death of his Laura was brought him. He was infinitely afflicted with it; and immortalized his grief with a great number of verses written in her praise.

The remainder of his life was spent in continual journeyings, but he at last retired to Padua, for the sake of being near his patron Francis de Cazara, who had given him an agreeable country house, about ten miles from the town, called Argua, and at this place he died, July 1374, aged 70. He was an ecclesiastic, had a canonry and an archdeaconry, but never entered into the order of priests.

PETRONIUS ARBITER, (TITUS) a polite writer and critic of antiquity, who flourished in the reign. of Nero; and of whom there remain a considerable fragment of a piece in verse and prose, entitled "Satyricon, or a kind of Menippean Satire."

He was a

Roman knight of an ancient family; and after an education suitable to his quality, made his appearance in the court of Claudius. Through the favour of Nero, or perhaps his own merit, he was, some time after, sent proconsul to Bythinia, where he performed all the duties of an able magistrate. He was afterwards chosen consul, perhaps extraordinary for some months, as was usual, when the consul died within the year of his office, which was never left vacant. There is some reason to suppose this, because we do not find his name in any list of the consuls; and yet the authority of Tacitus, who says he was consul, must not be questioned. The time of his consulate being expired, he became one of Nero's confidents, and received the surname of Arbiter; but he stood exposed to the envy and hatred of Tigellinus, who was his rival in the favor of Nero. That selfish and jealous favorite resolved therefore to ruin him,