Wiltshire, where he died on 9 Nov. 1816. He was twice married: first, on 27 Sept. 1773, to Joyce, daughter of Thomas Nankivell of Truro. She died on 8 Nov. 1785, and on 26 March 1790 he was married to Lydia Hammond, widow of Sir John Clerke. She died in 1812. By his first wife Townsend left four sons—Thomas, Charles, James, and Henry—and two daughters—Charlotte and Sophia.
Townsend was the author of the following works: 1. ‘Every True Christian a New Creature,’ 1765. 2. ‘Free Thoughts on Despotic and Free Governments,’ 1781. 3. ‘The Physician's Vade Mecum,’ 1781; 10th edit. 1807. 4. ‘A Dissertation on the Poor Laws,’ 1785. 5. ‘Observations on various Plans for the Relief of the Poor,’ 1788. 6. ‘Journey through Spain,’ 1791; 3rd ed. 1814; French translation, Paris, 1800. 7. ‘A Guide to Health,’ 1795–6; 3rd ed. 1801. 8. ‘Sermons on various Subjects,’ 1805. 9. ‘The Character of Moses established,’ 2 vols., 1812–15; reissued 1824. This work shows him to have had a good knowledge of mineralogy and geology, and some of his criticisms of Hutton's uniformitarian views are acute, but he was so firmly persuaded of the literal accuracy of the Mosaic record as to expose himself also to attack [see Hutton, James, (1715–1795)]. His works, however, show that he was a thoughtful, well-read man, of considerable literary power. A work by him on ‘Etymological Researches’ appeared after his death in 1824. A correspondent in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ (1816, ii. 606) states that he possessed a fine collection of minerals and fossils at the time of his death.
[Gent. Mag. 1815 ii. 304, 1816 ii. 477; Burke's Landed Gentry; Mitchell's Notes on Early Geologists of Bath.]
TOWNSEND or TOWNESEND, RICHARD (1618?–1692), parliamentary colonel, born in 1618 or 1619, was descended, according to tradition, from the Townshends of Rainham, Norfolk. He bore the arms of the presbyterian Sir Roger Townshend (1588–1637), the head of that family. On account of similarity in age, he has been doubtfully identified with Richard Townesend, son of John Townsend of Dichford in Warwickshire, who matriculated from Hart Hall, Oxford, on 16 May 1634, aged 19. In 1643 Townsend received the commission of captain in a regiment of ten companies raised to garrison Lyme Regis, Dorset, which was threatened by Prince Maurice [q. v.], then in the midst of his triumphant western campaign. On 3 March 1643–4 he surprised and routed a hundred and fifty royalist horse at Bridport. The siege of Lyme Regis commenced on 20 April, and was raised on 13 June. Blake was in command of the town, and Townsend, distinguishing himself in the defence, was promoted to the rank of major. In the same year he accompanied his colonel, Thomas Ceely, in an expedition against the ‘clubmen’ of Dorset. The ‘clubmen’ were routed at Lyme, and the rising suppressed. In 1645 Ceely was returned to parliament for Bridport, and Townsend succeeded him in command of the regiment with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1646 he assisted in the siege of Pendennis Castle, near Falmouth, and in August in the negotiations for the surrender of the castle. A letter from him to Ceely, apprising him of the capitulation, is preserved in the Bodleian Library (Tanner MS. 59, f. 481).
On 15 June 1647 parliament ordered Townsend and his regiment to proceed to Munster to the assistance of Murrough O'Brien, first earl of Inchiquin [q. v.], the parliamentary commander (Journals of the House of Commons, v. 211). He joined him in September, and on 13 Nov., when Inchiquin defeated Lord Taaffe, the royalist leader, near Mallow, Townsend commanded the English centre [see Taaffe, Theobald, Earl of Carlingford]. Dissatisfied with the treatment accorded to the soldiers in Ireland by the predominant independent party, he joined early in 1648 in presenting a strong remonstrance to the English parliament against their neglect of the welfare of the troops. Failing to obtain redress, he soon afterwards joined Inchiquin, who disliked the independents, in deserting the parliamentary cause, and in coming to an understanding with Lord Taaffe. In a short time, however, his new associates became distasteful to him, and he entered into communications with parliament. In December 1648, in consequence of his endeavour to negotiate the surrender of Munster with parliamentary commissioners, he was compelled to take refuge in England. On the execution of Charles I he returned to Ireland, professing that resentment at the king's death had finally determined him to loyalty. In reality, however, according to Carte, he was sent by Cromwell as a secret agent to corrupt the Munster army. In October 1649 he was arrested and thrown into prison for being concerned in a plot to seize the person of Inchiquin and take possession of Youghal. He was exchanged for an Irish officer, but was no sooner liberated than he engaged in a similar plot, was again taken prisoner, and conveyed to Cork. Inchiquin intended to shoot him as an example,
