Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/144

 which had strongly moved public indignation. Early in life George Penn had married a Roman Catholic lady in Antwerp, and subsequently settled in Spain, as a merchant, at Seville and Malaga. He carefully avoided all cause of religious offence, but his property was too tempting a bait. He was suddenly seized in 1643 in his house by the familiars of the Holy Office, and dragged away: his marriage was declared void; his wife was carried off, and forcibly married to a Roman Catholic; he was himself plunged into a dungeon and called upon to recant his religion and confess unheard-of crimes. On his refusal he was almost tortured to death. At length mind and body gave way, and he promised to sign all that was dictated to him. On these conditions his life was spared as a signal instance of the mercy of the Church. But his property was confiscated and handed over to ecclesiastical uses. Then he was dragged to the Cathedral of Seville in order publicly to recant his errors, and be a central figure in one of those ghastly scenes in which the gloomy and cruel character of the Spanish people rejoiced as 'acts of faith' specially agreeable to God. But on leaving the Cathedral he was again seized, and plunged into a debtors' prison. Fortunately for himself, broken and disfigured as he was, he had been recognised by some English residents who had been attracted to the Cathedral. They communicated with the English Government. Still more fortunately, Admiral Penn was at this moment on his station in the Channel (1647), and happened to seize a ship suspected of communicating with the rebel forces in the South of Ireland. On board this ship was a Spanish noble, Juan da Urbino, on his way to Flanders. The rough Admiral stripped him naked, and treated him with every indignity, announcing his intention to keep him in his hold till his brother was released. The slow pulse of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was now probably quickened, and George Penn was released and sent to England. Separation was demanded, but as war soon after broke out, the claim remained in abeyance. At the Restoration Charles appointed George Penn Envoy to the Court of Spain, as a striking means of reinstating him in public opinion after the gross indignities of which he had been