Document: Examination of John Townsen on a charge of favoring Quakers

[ Before the council appeared upon summons John Townsend, who being questioned whether he had not gone while at Vlissingen with the clerk Edward Hart to the house of Edward Farrington, and had not persuaded Eduard Farrington to sign the foregoing remonstrance, ] answered that he had been at [ Vlissingen ] and visited Farringhton, being an old acquaintance, but that he had not persuaded him to sign anything.[i]

Asked him further, whether he was not at Gravesande in the company of the banished female Quaker; he answers that he was at Gravesande, but not in her company.

As there were more suspicions that said Tounsen was friendly with the female Quakers, he was given the choice either to go to prison until the fiscal will have informed himself further of these matters, or to give bail of 12 pounds sterling that he will appear in court upon the fiscal’s summons. He promised to give bail, which he did as the records of this date show. Dated as above.