Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GICNEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 263
The traveller from Sandwich to Barnstable has, perhaps,
noticed the ancient and substantial dwelling houses near Spring
Hill. Some of these have stood two centuries, and were the
residences of the early Quakers. In 1659 William Allen was the
occupant of one of them. He was a young man, married, March
21, 1649-50, Priscilla Brown. His flues amounted to £86,17, and
were imposed for the following offences : £40 for twenty meetings
at his house ; £4 for attending meetings at other places ; £5 for
entertaining Quakers ; £25 for refusing to take the oath of
fidelity ; £1 for not removing his hat in court, and the balance for
expenses, &c.
In payment for these fines there was taken from him at
different times
18 head of cattle, apprised at £64,10
1 mare and a horse of which he was half owner ; but
according to the Treasurer's accounts mare and 2 colts, 19,10
8 bushels of corn and a hogshead, 1,07
Corn at another time, 1,10
£86,17
In addition, a brass kettle was taken in payment of a fine of
£1, imposed in 1660 for wearing his hat in court. These distraints
were made by Barlow at different times, and some particulars
may be found in Bishop. In the winter of 1660-61 William
Allen was in Sandwich. In June, 1661, he and 27 others were
released from prison in Boston, tlie authorities having received
intelligence that King Charles would, order all Quakers imprisoned
to be sent over to England for trial. The mandamus or letter of
the King was received in November, 1661, and in the Plymouth
Colony persecutions and the exacting of fines ceased ; but in
Massachusetts the magistrates found means to evade the royal
authority, and persecutions did not entirely cease for several
years. '
Sandwich suffered more than all the other towns in the Plymouth
Colony—in fact, only a few and unimportant cases occurred
out of that town. Many of those who were imprisoned in Boston
were Sandwich men who went there on business. Though two
centuries have passed, it is not surprising that many particulars
respecting the persecutions in Sandwich have been preserved.
Accounts of the sufferings endured by the Quakers in Boston,
Sandwich, and other places, immediately after the events occured,
were published in London, and were read by all classes. Such
events are not soon forgotten, and it takes many generations to
eradicate the memory thereof from the minds of the descendants
of the sufferers. In Sandwich the principle facts have been
preserved by tradition, even the localities where the events
occurred are pointed out. The preservation of so many of the
houses of the first Quakers, the ownership whereof for successive