The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Penn, Sir William

PENN, Sir William, an English admiral, born in Bristol in 1621, died in Wanstead, Essex, Sept. 16, 1670. He early entered the naval service, and before he was 32 years old had become vice admiral of England and general. He was one of the commanders in the expedition that took Jamaica from the Spaniards in 1655, and on his return in the same year was elected to parliament. In 1660 he was made commissioner of the navy, governor of Kinsale, vice admiral of Munster, and a member of the council of that province. He was also knighted. Entering the naval service again in 1664, he was captain-commander under the duke of York in the victory gained over the Dutch off Lowestoft in 1665. He left the naval service in 1666, but retained his other offices till 1669.