Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 44.djvu/358

 night before his execution he addressed a pathetic letter to his wife, which is still preserved by his descendants at Compton-Chamberlayne, and has frequently been printed. The Protector, on the petition of the children, regranted them a portion of their father's estate (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1656–7, pp. 201, 277). At the Restoration the widow petitioned for the monopoly of making glasses as a compensation for the sufferings of her family, but appears to have received nothing (ib. 1660–1, p. 387; cf. Hist. MSS. Comm. 7th Rep. p. 110). Two engravings of Penruddock by Vertue are mentioned by Bromley.



PENRY, JOHN (1559–1593), puritan and chief author of the Martin Mar-Prelate tracts, born in 1559 in Brecknockshire, was son of Meredith Penry of Cefn Brith in Llangamarch, the surname originally being ap-Henry. John matriculated as a pensioner at Peterhouse, Cambridge, on 3 Dec. 1580. At the time he is said by his enemies to have held Roman catholic opinions, but he read, while at the university, the works of Bishop Bale and Cartwright, and soon adopted puritanism in its most extreme calvinistic form. In 1583–4 he graduated B.A. Subsequently he became commoner of St. Alban Hall, Oxford, and proceeded M.A. on 11 July 1586. His principles, he declared in later life, did not permit him to take either deacon's or priest's orders, although both were offered him. None the less he preached both at Oxford and Cambridge, and his sermons were described as edifying. Travelling in Wales, he preached publicly in Welsh with rousing ardour, mainly in the open air, and was deeply impressed by the spiritual destitution of his native country, which he attributed to the non-residence and incompetency of the clergy. In order to call the attention of the parliament which sat from 28 Oct. till 2 Dec. 1586 to the ecclesiastical condition of the Principality, he hastily wrote out, and published at Oxford (through Joseph Barnes) very early in 1587 ‘A Treatise addressed to the Queen and Parliament containing the Aequity of an Humble Supplication in the behalfe of the countrey of Wales, that some order may be taken for the preaching of the Gospel among those people. Wherein is also set downe as much of the estate of our people as without offence could be made known, to the end (if it please God) that it may be pitied by them who are not of this assembly, and so they also may be driven to labour on our behalfe,’ Oxford, 8vo, 1587. He abbreviated the later portions of the work in the vain hope that it might pass the press before parliament was prorogued in December 1586. Penry, who did not put his name to the volume, although he made no effort to conceal his authorship, drew a forcible picture of the ignorance of his fellow-countrymen—of their idolatrous belief in fairies and magic, their adherence to Roman catholic superstitions, the silence and greed of their pastors. He quoted Welsh freely, recommended the employment of lay preachers, and showed the necessity of a Welsh translation of the Old Testament. The New Testament had been translated in 1567. Edward Dounlee or Downley, M.P. for Carmarthen, presented Penry's petition with the printed treatise to the House of Commons, but neither attracted the attention of the house. The archbishop of Canterbury (Whitgift) was not, however, inclined to overlook so bitter an attack on the church. He issued a warrant, calling in the printed books and directing the author's arrest (Appellation, pp. 179–81). Five hundred copies of the ‘Treatise’ were seized, and Penry was brought before the court of high commission. Archbishop Whitgift presided, and in brutal language pronounced his opinions heretical. He was ordered to recant, but peremptorily refused, and was sent to prison for twelve days. He asked for further information respecting his offence, and was told that he would receive it at a later examination. He was not examined again, and at the end of a month was released. A few days later—apparently in April 1587—he married Eleanor Godley, who lived with her family in the neighbourhood of Northampton.

Penry's ‘Treatise’ and his action before the high commission court stirred the extreme section of the puritan party throughout the country to activity, and he resolved to pursue his attack on the bishops. It was through the press alone that the war could be effectively waged, but the obstacles imposed by the licensing laws on the publication of writings obnoxious to the authorities rendered it imperative to resort to methods of secrecy in the setting-up and distribution of books which assailed the existing order of