John Fallows: The Examination of John Fallows 20 October 1699

|Citty of Chester Ss}|Examinaions taken upon Oath before William Bennett Esq^r. Mayor and Henry Lloyd Alderman, his Ma.^ties Justices of y^e peace for the County of y^e said Citty of Chester, upon fryday the 20.^th day of Octob in y^e 11.^th Year of y^e Raign of His Ma.^ty King William y^e 3.^d over Engld &c.^t Anno Dni 1699.

John Fallows of Preese in the County of Salop Yeom̄ aged 21. Years or thereab. (son of George Fallows of Preese aforesaid Chair maker) Exaied upon Oath saith y^t he hath lived for about 5. Years as a Servant with John Morgan of Preese aforesaid Inn holder at the Sign of the Red lyon there till his said Master dyed ab.^t 3. Weeks agoe, Since w^ch time this Exaīant hath lived with his S^d Father in Preese aforeS^d And was Sent by his S^d Father yesterday from Preese aforesaid w^th a Horse load of Chairs to M^r John Tudor Tinplate Worker in Chester and came to y^e S^d Citty about 5. a Clock yesterday in the afternoon haveing never been in y^e said Citty before, And y^e S^d M^r Tudor told this Exaīant he might have time to See the Town this Morning before he returned to Preese, Whereupon this Exaīant went out this morning early down to y^e bridge and thence to y^e Castle of Chester, and haveing looked about him there a little While he went from thence upon the Citty Walls to a certain Tower (which he hath Since heard <1> is called the New Tower.) And Seeing a Ship in building upon the Sands he went down to view it, haveing never Seen a Ship bef{ore} and as he returned thence between 7. & 8. a clock this p^resent Mornin{g} he espyed a Bag lying upon the Sands about a Yard from y^e said River, and ab.^t 20. Roods below y^e S^d New Tower, and when he came toit finding it was \not/ Tyed att y^e Top He first opened it w^th his Stick, and afterwards put his hand into it, and found therein Some Tooles & Instrum.^ts w^ch he thought were made for Coyning of Money, and while he was considering what to doe therewith, three other persons who were walking upon the Said Sands towards this Exaīant, and being now p^resent call themselves John Yeoman Robt Buckley and Sam.^ll Davies asked this Exaīant what he had found there, who made answer y^t he thought there were Something for Coyning of Money, whereupon y^e S^d M^r Yeoman M^r Buckley & M^r Davies, and this Exaīant Searched y^e said Bag, and found therein the 5. Iron Instrum.^ts now produced. One of w^ch is a boc with 4. Screws in it togeather with 15. punches for letters now produced and One of the 3. dyes w^ch are now also produced and Impressed in Wax on y^e Margent of this paper but this Exaīant knows not w^ch of y^e S^d dyes was found in y^e said Bag the other 2. Dyes being also then found by the said Three Persons above named Loose in y^e said River near y^e same place, And this Exaīant and y^e said 3. other Persons looking ab.^t them them further in y^e Said River Saw another lesser Bag in y^e said River ab.^t 3. Yards from y^e Shoar upon w^ch, this Exaīant stepped into y^e said River & with a Hook Stick dre{w} y^e said lesser Bag out of y^e said River, w^ch being im̄ediately opened, was found to contain Two brass Instrum.^ts now produced (each of them haveing Six Iron Screws) and one other Instrum.^t of Iron now also produced, And this Exaīant further Saith that he knows not when how nor by whome y^e said Instrum.^ts nor any of them were conveyed to y^e places aforeS^d where they were so found, nor hath he ever Seen any Such Things before.           John Fallows