William Penn (24 October 1644 - 10 August 1718) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quaker, founder and &quot;Absolute Proprietor&quot; of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future U.S. state of Pennsylvania.<br />He was an advocate and an early champion of democracy and religious freedom known for his amicable relations and successful treaties with the Lenape Native Americans who had resided in present-day Pennsylvania prior to European settlements in the state.<br /><i>True Spiritual Liberty</i>, the Penn&rsquo;s pamphlet that today we propose to modern readers, was written in 1681.