Quakers are known for their pacifism. But Penn's sword was very meaningful to him. It wasn't just that it was fashionable and expected for a man of his social standing; he was personally attached to it. He'd once used it to save his own life without injuring his opponent (so goes the story).

Penn took his dilemma to George Fox, the preeminent preacher of the early Friends movement. Giving up his sword felt like giving up a part of his identity, but keeping it likewise felt like betraying his commitment to the society of Friends. Fox advised Penn to wear his sword "as long as he could."