Isaac Penington (1616–1679) was one of the early members of theReligious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England. He wrote about the Quaker movement and was an influential promoter and defender of it.
He was the oldest son ofIsaac Penington, a Puritan who had served as the Lord Mayor of London. He entered theInner Temple in 1634, and matriculated atSt Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1637. He wascalled to the bar in 1639.[1]
Convinced by the Quaker faith, Penington and his wife joined the Society of Friends in 1657[1] or 1658. He was imprisoned six times for his beliefs, starting in 1661. Sometimes the charge wasrefusal to take an oath, as this went against Quaker teachings (seetestimony of integrity). Such action was prohibited by theQuakers Act 1662, which sought to control members of the group. At other times Penington was charged with attending a Quaker meeting, which was forbidden by theConventicle Act 1664.
Penington became an influential promoter and defender of the Quaker movement, writing extensively on many topics, and published several books. His writings are prized for their exploration ofspiritual experience, with hisLetters being read continually within Quakerism for their spiritual counsel. His complete works were first published in 1681 and are still in print as of 2025.[2]
Penington married a widow namedMary Springett, a notable woman in her own right, and they had five children.[3] Her daughter Gulielma, from her first marriage to Sir William Springett (who died young), later marriedWilliam Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, as his first wife.
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