William Johnson: The Information of William Johnson of Stepney parish Farrier 3 February 1698/9

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The Informacon of W^m. Iohnson of Stepney ꝑish Farrier taken this 3^d day of February 169$\frac{8}{9}$

who saith y^t. on the 17^th. of Feb^ry. which was 3 years ago he and Ino Ignatius Lawson came into London in a journey from Derby + from y^t time till abo^t. midsommer following he saw the said Lawson coyn sev^rll. ꝑcells of money in imitacon of the old hammered Coyn of this Realme and a day or two before the said Midsomer 1696 he saw the s^d Lawson coyn five shillings in imitacon of the Current Milld shillings of this Realme and that he coyned the same at Iohn Craggs a Gardn^r. at next Door to the sign of the Kings Armes in Great Chelsea by running molten metall out of a Crucible into a Flask And or Midsomer day following the said Lawson was taken up for putting away counterfeit money and sent to Newgate with one Drury for whom the said Lawson made Counterfeit money and that the Inform^t. hath heard the said Lawson confess that there was then some counterfeit money taken upon him

The Inform^t. saith further that abo^t. 5 or 6 weeks ago he saw the sd Lawson guild 3 or 4 Spanish pistolls which he said were made of Silver mixt with Gold and other Metalls and which looked white like Silver before they were guilt and that he did this at one Dickinson's a Taylors in Frye|a|r str in Black Fryars near Ludgate and that yesterday was 3 weekes <71r> this Inform^t. saw the said Lawson make a false Ginea {sic} and a French Pistoll of Silver by casting and blanks for two Spanish Pistolls and guild and finish the said Ginea {sic} and french Pistoll and that this was done abo^t. 10 or 11 of the Clock in the morning of that very day on w^ch the said Lawson and the Inform^t. and some other persons were apprehended + brought before me and that this Inform^t. being exam^d abo^t. a key found abo^t. him said it was the key of this Informant's Lodging tho in truth it was the key of that Room where the Ginea {sic} and Pistoll were made for the Inform^t. feared lest that room should be searcht there being in it the said French pistoll and Two Counterfeit Spanish Pistolls which the Inform^t. afterwards found there that same night and gave to M^rs. Broadhurst The Inform^t. saith also that on Saturday was sevennight this Inform^t. went with M^rs. Lawson the wife of the sd Ignatius Lawson to Debtford {sic} and Greenwich and carryed with him 3 Spanish Pistolls and a French one and gave them to her (one at a time) to put off and as she put them off she gave to the Inform^t. the Silver which she reced for them in change And that she put off one false Spanish Pistoll in buying a sugar loaf at a sugar shop and two at Greenwich one in buying a piece of flannell at a Flannell shop where the woman that keeps the shop not having Silver to change the said false pistoll got a Baker at the next dorr to change it, and the other in buying of a pair of Shoes at a Shoemakers who got it changed for Silver at an Alehouse near his house And the Inform^t. saith further that enquiring since after these false pistolls the Ale house Keeper told the Inform^t. that he had put away his in London and believed he could have againe

This Inform^t saith further that on Wednesday last he went to Iames Handley's at the Surgeon's Sign in Flagon Row in Debtford {sic} and there learnt of the s^d Handley that mrs Broadhurst who lives w^th. the s^d. M^r. Lawson or a womman very like her had either on Wednesday or yesterday was Sennight put off to the sd Handley a Counterfeit Spanish pistoll which was then in the said Handleys keeping and that in another sug^r Shop|Loaf| Shop at Deptfor he learnt also that the sd mrs Broadhurst or a woman very like her had on the sd Wednesday or yesterday was Sennight put off another counterfeit Spanish Pistoll at that Shop and that the shop keep^r had put it away at London and could have it againe The Inform^t saith also that {she}{then} <71v> being by me set at liberty upon bail three weeks ago did that same day at night send a letter to one Ball at Woodever near Ashburn in Derbyshire to give him notice that he was in danger of being taken up for coyning and said that he could clear Whitfield but if he did so he must bring Franc Ball into trouble

Will Iohnson

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