John Ignatius Lawson: Informations undated, of 13 February 1698 & of 13 January 1698/9; and Letters to Isaac Newton dated 9 February 1698, 13 February 1698, 29 January 1698/9 & 3 April 1699
The Information of John Ignatius Lawson vizt
William Johnson Farryer helpt to coyn five pistolls French and spanish in 169 in a Chamber at on Dickonson's that this Johnson is in great confederacy with Shaw's wife and this ann Duncomb
A woman that goes by the name of Katherine Smith hath often sollicited me to learn her to cast given me 40s I learnt her something of it by casting of Medalls refusing to cast any coyn, since that she was at my house in Boswell Court and shewed me 6d that she had cast by halfes I know not her aboad she is very importunate to know farther of me and hath left a place where I may hear of her
Shaw the smith made the blankes of the Pistoll Dyes + has pair of blanks more the one he struck whilst hott with a Cast punch for a Guinea but could not mark it deep enough that stamp hath three pins and 3 holes I suppose now in his shop he likewise made the steel work for a Guinea William Oskar of New Prisoner Walk Hocken Frame Knitter learnt by Meddalls to cast {of} me for which he was to give me 4li. and a pair of fine hose the stockings and 8s he gave me but no more before this he brought me three rings to lay in Flaskes to letter Crowns withall I gave him them again in 1698 I believe I can bring further evidence against Oscar Henry Burden a Non Iuring parson Clipt 20 Crows 100s. + at Mason a Farmhouse nearr Worksop in Nottinghamshire I know where to find him the fait done silversmith on ouze Bridge in York
John Wright of Waltham Abby exchanged at Moll Quale money with me gave me 40s of good money for 52s of Counterfeit sixpences of the old money at another time at Waltham likewise a squinting man a Cheesemonger of the same Town I know not his name this was 97
Thomas Shaw of Wapping at severall times hath struck a 100 pistolls of Spain for 4d each the 20 that Ball had was carryed down by one Ann Duncomb Servant formerly to my wife who since her departure from me hath shewed five pistolls at a time asking a man of her aquaintance if he could guild them she said she could have 500 take of her hands I am possitive these Shaw struck and can bring the man in witnes against her that saw them
Sarah Shaw's wife had two that were left at our house for which she gave 5 or 6s in money and stopt 5s more which was owing for Door Locks. The man that saw the pistols in ann Dumcomb's hand saw her buy lead gold and Quick silver to guild them withall
Ino Ign Lawson
[2]John Ignatius Lawson's Letter to Is: Newton Esquire
Honoured Sir Whatever my memory can produce at present I have acquainted you with all in this Inclosed what I may Recollect of Circumstances thereafter shall be faithfully put down in writing as soon as thought of the matter mentioned I Question not but will effect satisfactory means to discharge my Duty promissed to your self mr Mollineux likewise proffitable to the Government whose interest all men that deal justly will acknowledge you espouse I have been Injenious in unfoulding Matters wholy relying on two honourable men's promisses I desire I may be examined concerning of taking up any one by me mentioned supposing I may add the best method of effecting this Intention being I have been acquainted with the Transactions here in related which if well mannaged will turn to the Governments profitt your honours satisfaction and my Credditt in your honours esteem which I am highly obliged to value
who is your honours most humble obliged servant
John. I{g}n Lawson
[3]Perkins the smith in March last got the Brass work of Mr Deacon's Edger last the Pattern he came by as followeth
[4]Mrs. {h}arry and my self being at one Mr. Crags at Chelsea the Gardener and his wife house keeper to Mr. Modena the Iew who both are in the same station at Richmond Mr Crag + his wife told as they could fetch us a piece of Curiosity which they believed was an Edger so mr crag went to London for it + brought to us in a bag for that purpose with another litle Punch for edging of Guineas which knew as soon as I saw being I had seen Thomas Kirkby reedge Gineas with the same Instrument after they were defaced with filing so I saying that punch was Tom Kirkby's Mr. Cragg and his wife told me that it was old Hickes's of {T}witham and that it was left at a Brandy shop by Charing Cross mrs {h}arrys made use of it and likewise cast all the Form of it in pewter which {form lips} now in Perkins's hands the description is as follows The outside was of brass the other of steel and Iron according as necessity required the graining was twofold the one fine & close for Guineas the other to put in their places when need required these last were more remoat assunder and for edging shillings upon experiment I found it would edge 40li in shillings every hour it was carryed back and produced another time but on the third entreaty could not be produced telling us it was in the hands of the proprieters likewise that I saw in Tom Kirkbys hands he told me it was his father in law's and that used to be left in the Brandy shop above mentioned– Mrs. Cragg was once mr Hickes maid– My acquaintance with Kirkby was first when I {came} to London which was in the plott time– I shall repeat nothing concerning the old money only mention Matt of Fact in the New vizt) that which represent the similitude of this present King William. A litle before Midsomer last was 2 year Mr Kirkby my self, with Johnson made an Experiment and made 12 or 14s afterwards Johnson and myself made severall poundes more at the house of Mr Cragg near the Duke of Beaufords in Chelsea some of which Iustice {Ireton} had in custody which was taken from Drury by Mr Rowse to the value of 30 or 40s. afterwards about this time was two years or scarse so much one Button a Smith was taken into custody and discovered Mr Kirby who made his refuge at my Lodgings then in play house yard in Drury Lane where he edged severall half Crownes with an Edger that was Coffee's and shewed me {several} Counterfeit pieces of his and one Smith's making that lodged in his house and with spaud that he brought of that Smith making that lodged in his house he made five half Crownes in in {sic} a Cellar at mr Clancy's he was preparing some Chymicall Preparations for Mr. Hammings an Organ Maker that lives in the same house May after I went to Flanders and never was in company with Mr Kirkby since though a litle before Mrs. Harris dyed which was Christmas was 2 years mr. Kirkby lent he a pair of Dutch skillings Dye cutt by the before mentioned Button
Honoured Sir I have mentioned what I can think on at present if your honour thinks fitt I shall sent to morrow to see if I can procure mrs. Broadhurst Bayle which if I can and your honour pleases to admitt of it as soon as she is at liberty I shall send her to Dr Cooke to sett abbott if she can or le{f}{s}t wise make some speciall remarks how he may be taken
your honours most humble and most obliged servant John. Ign Lawson
[5] [6]A litle before Christmas last was 2 years Katherine Coffee wife of Patrick Coffee went down into the countrey with one Mrs. Harris now deceased to see mr Coffee from whom they brought a pair of half Crown stamps of King Williams which had three pins and 3 holes for the pins to enter into which method mrs. Coffee in the presence of 5 or 6 people said was the same way that the Guinea stamps were made that Mr Chandler and her husband used to work with She sitting with a Wooden Disk to receive the Guineas as they two had struck them Moreover there was a punch for a half Crown face and an Edger for Crowns that came from Coffee all inclosed in a black leather bagg this the case of a small Bible these things were brought by mrs. Coffee and mrs Harris into a Chamber at the sign of the Red Cow in market Lane near St. James's markt + produced openly before Penny {Dice} John Harris William Harris Patrick Long Rebecca Borthog and my self most of these people I can produce, afterwards the stamps and punch for half Crowns were carryed to one Thomas Perkins a smith in Clerkenwell where they were left who not above four months {prior} told me he had them buryed under Ground Mrs. Coffee Guilt 2 blanks for 2 half Guineas that was already edged Rebecca Borthog was by when she guilt them and taught her of guilding with leafe Gold saying that that was the Method that her husband and Mr. Chaloner used and how that she used to be lockt up in a room untill she had guilt the number of Guineas that they had set her as a task and that all their Gold was bought of Mr. Grainger a Gold Bea{ke}{tee} in New street and that the Gold that they generally guild withall was of a large sort 13 leaves for half Crowne to Confirm this when I was at Mr Morris's last that I was bayled out I lay with Mr Chandler who told me Mr Graunger hath had above a thousand pounds of him for Gold and that he was a great Rogue and came in against Grosvenr a brother in Law of his which the Warden had made him do by threatning
The aforementioned Perkins the Smith soon after I knew him one morning I came into his shop where he and his man Tom was striking with a Cast punch the face of a King Williams shilling he told me that It was for one Wood a Thief Taken that cast {strike} Punches very well and how that with a pair of Guinea Punches that Wood had brought him he had struck a pair of Guinea stamps that he said Wood confessed to him that he sold for 20li the Perkins struck with severall punches that was cast by mrs Harrys but he never perfected any stamp for fi{n} being he could not strike deep enough but he made 2 Edgers for shillings that were all Iron and {Nee} and was to strike down with a hammer the one Edger was made of mr Harris and the other for {Escarr} one whom I have mentioned before in writing Perkins about Lady day last got the bras work of Mr Dakins Edger cast in that one and had 5s for it the rest of the work Shaw and the swead did
About this time 3 yeares I was at the house of Nicholas Ball senr. where he and his 2 sons Chirstr. a Butcher and Francis a Flannell Draper with one William Austen a Notorious Coyner these same peopel carryed on the Trade of Coyning by casting quantitys of old money and striking Crown pieces and Guineas that that were King Charles sending for a smith at Tissington half a mile from Balls house to help them to strike which was performed by striking in a Ground room where stands a bole of an Oak tree with a hole in it for that purpose since my departure from that countrey my wife hath taken a great many false pieces of new money from old Ball and Francis his son this Francis came in Summer last to London told me since my departure out of the countrey that they had young Higgot at his father's house who cut them a pair of Guinea stamps of King William that was hollowed on the face side to gain weight and that they were well done and that they had severall more stamps cut by him likewise at the same time he was here in London his father writt to him to send him Polygraphy the last Edition and a considerable quantity of Quick Silver and that Moor had been at his house I askt who was that Morr he told me that he was an Injenious Smith from Cheadle that had made them a {fly} for a Press and that they had got them the blanck of a screw made at Barton forge that cost 25s. and that this same Moor had turned it for them likewise his father in his Letter said he had been at New Castle Francis said his farther went thither to have Guineas of a Coyner there that had the best art in that work in all that countrey who was to let his father have 13 or 14 on tryall then greater quantities afterwards as they was approved on and could agree for the price moreover he told me that his farther brought home with him a litle before he came up to London a pair of Copper moulds for half Crownes that would cast a long time and that the smith at Sheadle struck them when they were hot and sold them to his father and that their way of Coyning at present untill the press was ready was to make Crownes and Crownes in such moulds and that all while Moor was at work upon the same lay which caused the Receivers of the Taxes to take sheers with them to try them they being made of a Copper plate saudered and set up with 3 or 4 small pins of silver in this Copper mould so the silver run about them he said that they had a smith at Tissington that was going forward with a Press for them that was different from the other smith's work and thought it would prove a good one when finisht all these things were made privy to Mr Whitfield who was to help Ball to a correspondent here in London that was to take off what ever they in Derbysh could make or procure either Guineas or silver at the same time offering him a room in his house to work up what money he pleased which he assured him was very private and need not suspect the least Discovery people having coynd in it before that were gone out of it after this the pistolls were made which I have given a former account of then mr. Ball declind my Company for 10 dayes or a fortnight being continually at mr Whitfields till he was taken up what matter was Carryed on in that time Mrs. Miller I believe knows best I am alltogeater unsensible off but the buissines was perfected so farr that when they were both in Newgate vizt Mr Whitfield and Ball they sent up for Old Ball and had agreed on Matters so far that as soon as they should procure their liberty a man was agreed withall to bring the Returns of base money from Derbysh to Whitfields and so back again with money that was good in return for it and things from London that could not be procured in the countrey the man that was to come backwards and forwards was to have a horse of Mr Balls whose colour and marks was described him with promisses of extraordinary gaine this man I can bring any day to justify what I have said concerning Ball and Mr. Whitfields affaires and since Whitfield's being bailed not above two dayes before I was taken up the first time I saw a letter from Ball to Whitfield assuring him he would be with him soon in London and all affairs that was betwixt them should be perfected mrs Broadhurst and the Taylor saw the same letter Mr Whitfield saying he had received one before and that for {6li} he would not bring one to swear himself Francis Ball in open Court and thereby clear himself and him and asked me if I would go with him to Mr Balls in Derbyshire for he expected to be there presently being the old mane came not up to him
John Igna{t}{s} Lawson
[7]Mr Lawson's Letter to Isaac Newton Esquire
honoured Sir I am sorry to hear that you are incensed against me concerning mrs Broadhurst fault her mannagement in that affair I was as ignorant of as him that never saw her I hope you examin into the matter with all strickness imaginable and if you find me to have the lest knowledge of it I desire to find no favour but to be prosecuted to the utmost rigour of the Law but as I shall be found wholy ignorant of it I hope (Good Sir) you'l consider what service I have done and with what willingnes I have endeavoured to serve the Government and if I had had my liberty I had done a great deale more what reports I have given you of any one I am sure are conciencious and true anything of another kind I utterly abhorr and am sure now one can tax me with I hope Sir you'l remember what promisses I had how I have lost that litle all I had in the world been afflicted with sickness poverty and Imprisonment and unjustly accused by people of ill life and principles all through mallice being I gave an Information against them first it will prove hard me asure on my behalf if what I have done and suffered shall stand for nothing Sir I hope you'l judge my Circumstances with a Christian Charity and consider my endeavours with an indifferent Eye I am sensible you'l find me obedient to your commands and wholy inclinable to service others have found favour which have much more deserved punishment then I but its my hard fate to lye under all manner of hard Circumstances at present but Sir I hope Charity will move you to lend me your hand to pluck me out of them and the commander of my life I shall wholy render at your disposall
Sir I am
your most humble & most obedient servant to command
[8]Ino Ig Lawson
<100r>Mr Hopkins told me that he would speak to you that I might speak to your honour I believe that I can convict one or two provided they may not be made use of against me and that the other evidence may be at {such} liberty as they are at present I heat that the partys go this evening {tyde} to Gravesend to putt off false half Guineas and other money
Sir Concerning the pistols that Ball and mr whitfield were taken up for is as followeth. Ball sold his horse to a hatter in Southward for to raise money to make the pistolls with all which he cast in a Garrett fronting the street at mr whitfields they were cast into 20 blanks and sent down to a Smiths and struck at 4d a piece Mr. Whitfield went up to a French silver smith near Newport market where he gave silver for a good pistoll to put them off with all further it was agreed on betwixt Mr Whitfield Ball and my self that Whitfield and Ball were to go to Rochester to put them off afterwards Whitfield seemed to decline putting them away himself but had procured mrs Millard to go with him to Rochester and she to pay them this agreed on the day being appointed mrs Millard was to have some cloth of Mr Whitfield to set her forth better she being then very shabby the night they was to go mr Whitfield & my self mett togeather at Mr whitfields where I saw Mrs. Millard after a time staying in comes Whitfield and calls us all into his Dyning room where he told us that he had heard at Billingsgate that 2 men were in Rochester Gaol for putting off counterfeit Spanish Gold so that journey was put by and Mrs. Millard was to put them away in London and the adjacent places a day or two after I was at Whitfield's he said Mrs Millard had procured a Gent that belonged to {Q} Dowager that would give 10℔ for the 20 and take an 100 more after this I never heard more till Mr Ball was taken upp
Ino Ig Lawson
[9]John Deacon augt. the 4/98 at the Swan Tavern in Leadenhall market sollicited me much for to {coyn} Guineas he shewed me a wedge Press but the Wedge was lost and got me to get him one made and on the 4th of augt. he gave me a Guinea in silver to pay for it of which Welsh the Smith and his wife had this wdge was alterd twice before it was thick enough Mr Deacon gave me the Box for the Dyes to take a just compas by which box I left at old shaws for above a month Mr Deacon had assizd {eale} Square wherein lay the Press 3 pair of large Flasks and Brass and 3 of Iron files wyer brush sand{i}fair {T}ripoly Engravers and other Materialls in the upper Garrett at the 3 Kings in Kings street by the Guildhall at the end facing the street is a hole under the Tyles wherein lay 10 or 12li of blancht Copper and highgate sand with a Wooden skrew Mr Deacon hath had a a Guinea Edger of me which Shaw the smith made
Mr Deacon and one Wootton a Ieweller gave me a mixture of Gold and silver to coyn them Guineas with all but I refused it as English money but Ball and I made a French pistole for a Pattern which they came to our house and fetcht away drank a botle of syder and Mr Deacon gave me a shilling for making of it
John Deverell brought the Wedge to me on the 5th of augt. to have it enlarged and afterward he and Mr Deacon gave me again to be enlarged
Ino Ignas Lawson
I think it convenient these 3 houses be searcht– Mr Ino Deacon's at the Swan Tavern by or in Leadenhall market his son's at the 3 Kings a Confetioner's in Kings street Guildhall– Capt. Murrell an Inn Keeper in Enfield or thereabouts he is a surgeon by profession
The further Information of John Igna Lawson as followeth
vizt That Mr Deacon came down to his quarters at the harrow in Rope makers fields and gave him 2 Guineas to pay for the blanks and to buy other necessaries for making a pair of Guinea Dyes before that the first fryday in {xtmas} mett him at mrs Grangers {as + art} house by bolt and Tun Inn in Fleet street where one mrs Clinton was with us that first brought Mr Deacon and I acquainted wee had that day a piece of Roast Beef from the Cookes this was {xtmas} was 12 months but before I went to Flandrs. Mr Deacon sent me a Crown piece by his wife toward paying for a pair of blanks and sent me a Guinea by a Yaylor whose name r Deverell knows though I have forgott he likewise made Interest to get my discharge + when I was in the Tower drawn for Flander he gave me 2 Guineas more at my Cellar in my house in Wapping he mett me another time at the Lamb in Abchurch Lane where he gave me the box to take demension by and that day took me to his house in Kings street shewed me the press in a wooden box from under the Coles in the Cellar that day I dined with him of Salt fish and parsnips and he gave me a litle brass Tack to be mended which I carryed to old Shawes and he had 15d for mending it moreover he gave me 10s to pay for blanks for a pair of French pistoll stamps and gave me more money to pay for the cutting them the Swede cutt the armes but could not cut the face Shaw made these blanks and received a Crown of me for them he farther (Mr. Deacon) told me that he had a merchant that could pay a 1000 Guineas per week if I could make them and how there was 3 or 4 concerned that he did not desire to have them worse then 4s a piece allay– he told me that some man had coynd {trim} Guineas by casting in those brass flasks he had but he was cheating Rogue and made too deep allay
John Ignatius Lawson
The Examination of John Ignatius Lawson of Boswell Court in the parish of St. Clements Danes practitioner in Physsick taken this 13 day of January 169
he saith that about last Iuly Francis Ball of Wood Eves in Tissington parish near ashbourn in the Peake in Derbysh. Flannell Draper pull'd out of his pocket about 14 Spanish pistolls and shewed them the Deponent remembers not now whether and this was done in the house of John Whitfield in St andrews street in the parish of St. Gyles and the Deponent took two or 3 of the said pistolls into hand and being asked by the said Ball if he knoew what they were replyed that they were Spanish pistols but were naught and would not go being too light and then returned them the said Ball and that about a night or two before the said Ball shewed the Deponent a Spanish pistoll and asked him if he thought it was a good one and the Deponent replyed that he did not know unles he weighed it
John Igantius Lawson
[10]
