Our Friend Susan Hartshorne has drawn our attention to a - probably - little known aspect of William Penn's governance of Pennsylvania. Susan has been following The Friend's excerpts from David Yount's book How the Quakers Invented America. 'What he doesn't mention is that William Penn's laws were written in inclusive, non-sexist language', observes Susan. And she has sent us his first Great Law:

'No person now or at any time hereafter living in this Province who shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God to be the Creator Upholder and Ruler of the World and that professeth him or herself obliged in Conscience to live peaceably and justly under the Civil Government shall in any case be molested or prejudiced for his or her conscientious persuasion or practice nor shall he or she at any time be compelled to frequent or maintain any religious worship place or ministry whatever contrary to his or her mind but shall freely and fully enjoy his or her Christian liberty without any interruption or reflection and if any person shall abuse or deride any other for his or her different persuasion and practice in matters of religion such shall be looked upon as a disturber of the peace and be punished accordingly.'
Apart from the lack of full stops, which had Eye gasping, we agree with Susan that this is remarkable language for the 17th century.
'Not all documents (legal or otherwise) are written in inclusive language today - though they should', says Susan. 'Also, the content of William Penn's Great Law above, although not interfaith, shows a toleration of difference far in advance of most others of his time.'