John Ignatius Lawson: Untitled, 25 February 1698

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M^r. Cha: said after that Ioana and M^r. Hunt had been with him that he would be sick at sessions if he saw reason or would be well if things went well Ioan lifted up her hand ag^t. him holding his shirt by the breast saying she would murther him if he confessed any thing to the Governm^t. he says there is no method of coyning so advantagious as his blancks cast and after plated with thin silver the truth of the experim^t. was daily manifested by buttons of Tin played over with silver which are frequently sold in shoe Lane this way he can make a 1000^l ꝑ week Hickes's Guang {sic} one or other of them come every day to see him this morning Pearce the Bayliff at the Castle in the new Buildings was this evening Scott Hickes mistris and Ioanna and another woman with Hunt the solicit^r who is w^th him every day m^rs Scott is the same woman that had Hickes's Edger in Keeping and lent it to M^r Cragg twice— m^r. Cha: sayes that Tom moor had that edger of Hickes and how that one Pearce Clockmaker made it but says that he had a better way that he edged Shillings with all

M^rs. Coffee sends him word how she was taken up y^t. y^e warden was very urg^{t} to have her discover something of him and how that she hath said nothing but how mr Cha: and her husband made French pistolls but nothing of the Gineas {sic} and says the Warden was very angery that she would confess noe more of him but she hath sent him word that she will get out of the way at sessions M^r Ch says she is a Bitch for he sent to her when he came first into Newgate and that she sent him word she wisht she might be damned if ever she menīoned him

He says to me that he fears one Peck a Mathematician that had Gineas {sic} of him Holloway the Turner Thomas Holloways wife and Taylor engraving \Ginea {sic}/stamps for him

M^r. Hunt the sollicit^r. that was with the Warden yesterday goes to day to the Recorder and the Master of the Bank concerning his pardon– He says no way so propper as to sham himself sick at the sessions and so to throw mini prayer thus farr {i|a|}s his Resolucon– Hee was engaged with a Cap^t when he came into Newgate who with M^r. Abbot himself and some others were to take 2 Tunn of Copper and 8 Gallons of aqua Fortis w^th. other matters corrspond^g. with those afores^d. all these was to goe on board a shipp and the Cap^t. to find 4000^l to carry on coyning

This day he sent Hunt the sollicit^r to the Lord Ch Iustice y^e Recorder

This day he sent to Iustice Railton the Contents are as follow

In obedience to your order I have writt though unable to hold my pen I came by my pardon thus the Bank of England being cheated of a great many thousand pounds they promised me if I <090v> would discover the offend^r they would get my pardon which I did and had the persons pillory^d and {fined} my Lord C Iustice and the Recorder send to me telling me that I was {sencible} I knew many ill practises carry^d. on \in/ the Mint and till I had discovered them they would distain my pardon so I proved in parliam^t. of many parcells of False Gineas {sic} that was stampt in the Tower and severall Dyes convey^d. away out of the Tower for these and other services the parliam^t protected me and the Instrum^t. the Lord Chief Iustices had signed mee which was a meritorious one I got out of the D of Shrewsbury hand and it was pleaded At the Gen^ll Pleas for Newgate Gillingham's Crew prop him up every day bidding him fear nothing for no one can hurt a hair of his heard.

Hunt goes this day to the master of the Bank

He likewise says in his writing to Iustice Railton that no man in the world can ever say he saw him engrave so much as one letter

Lastly he tells me that he engraved this Mault Tickett that M^r Carter have him pistolls for doing it but how many I know not and how that he hath hid it in a private place moreover adds that his Confederates hath betrayed him in this matter of the Mault Tickets as they did of y^e Bank who after he had marbled and made as many Bank-Bills Bills {sic} that would che as came to 300000^li + was to be put off the Thursday after before which they discov^rd it partly as they do now— Moreover adds that the Secretary told him if he did not deliv^r. up the plate for the mault Tickets it should be worse for him + now if he thought would do him any service he hath it ready to produce

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Ino Ignatius Lawson

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