James Mace: The Information of James Mace 20 March 1700/1

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 15/17/400, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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  - 4 June 2019
    - Transcribed by Kees-Jan Schilt
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|Middx Westm^r } Ss| The Informaion of James Mace taken upon Oath this 20.^th day of March 170 $\frac{0}{1}$ .

Who saith that betwixt 9. and 10. months last past he he {sic} hath been acquainted with Philip {illeg}|Masse|y als Roza, & the S^d acquantanceship came by reason the S^d Roza made & p^repared coulours, as Spanish Red, and White. And y^t about 3. months agoe he this Examinant became very familiar with y^e said Massey als Roza upon which he told this Informant, y^t he could teach him to make Mettals of y^e weight and colour of Gold, and y^t he did learn y^e said Art of a Cosen of his who was a Neopolitan & lived at Paris, & y^t he had Seene his said Cosen make Several Lewis D'ores of that Metall. But this Examinant doubting y^e ꝑformance thereof, and only a trick to get money from this Informant for y^e Secrett. he the S^d Roza told this Informant that to convince him he would do it, and afterwards would shew it to this Examinant And sometime afterward he this Informant goeing through S.^t Andrew-street saw M.^rs La Touch Standing at a door, who called unto this Informant, and told him that M^r Massey als Roza lodged there, whereupon he this Inform^t went into the said house where he saw the afores^d Roza, and after some discourse he did shew unto this Inform^t a peice of y^e afores^d Metall, w^ch this Informant told him was nothing but {blanchet} Copper. And at y^e same time one Jacob Lyannes (whome he had not Seen before) and now shewn unto him). and the S^d M^rs La Touch now a prisner in Newgait were then Present, and y^e y^e {sic} afores^d M^rs Latouch did paize the S^d Metall in her hand and com̄ended it to be like Gold, and y^e S^d Massey and La Touch used Severall Argumts to ꝑsuade this Inform^t y^t it would pass for Gold. But this Examinant not being satisfied herewith, the S^d Massey als Roza, & y^e afores^d M^rs La Touch did promiss to make and p^repare another percell of y^e same sort of Metall and to show it unto this Inform^t in 8. or 10. days time And he this Inform^t returning w^thin that Space to the house of the S^d Massey, he the S^d Massey als Roza togeather with M^rs La Touch and the afores^d Jacob Lyanns (being all p^resent) did show to this Inform^t another peice of Metall more like y^e Colour of Gold than y^e former, and yⁿ y^e S^d Roza further said he could make the said Mettall answer what weight and Colour he pleased, & this Inform^t further saith that they being in the Kitching together below staires y^e same day, and did there see the afores^d Massey als Roza cast a Spanish Pistole in y^e p^resence of this Informant, and that M^rs La Touch & Jacob Lyannes did assist by blowing y^e fire w^ch was all that this Examinant Saw at that house.

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And this Informant further upon his Oath saith y^t about 8. or 10. dayes after wards, the said Roza did {remove} into another house in George Alley in y^e Strand, togeather w^th y^e afores^d M^rs Latouch & y^e S^d Jacob Lyannes. And saith y^t the S^d Roza did shew him this Examinant a Furnace in the Garrot of y^e S^d house & y^t he this Informant did contribute towards y^e change of Bellows, Flasks, & Mettall, to carry on y^e practice of counterfeiting the currant coyn of this Kingdom, and that M^rs LaTouch did pay another {moity} of the S^d Change. And saith y^t after they had thus furnished them selves with Tools & Materialls, y^t the afores^d Roza, did then make 5. or 6. counterfeit Spanish Pistoles of the p^repar'd mettall as afores^d by casting them in Spand and Flasks, and that at y^e same time Jacob Lyannes was p^resent, and M^rs LaTouch came im̄mediately afterwards up Staires, & they were shewn unto her. And this Informant further Saith that at another time he did se the said Roza cast 5. or 6. counterfeit Silver pistoles. And further doth say y^t some time afterwards the S^d Roza did ꝑpose to this Inform^t to make some counterfeit Louis D'ors and accordingly he did cast 2. Then y^e S^d Roza ꝑposed to this Inform^t that by y^e same way and Method they might make \English/ counterfeit Money and accordingly, the S^d Roza did cast about 20. or 25. Shillings and Sixpences resembling the Currant Coyn of this Kingdome and y^e S^d Lyannes did blow y^e fire, and when these peices were cast the afores^d M^rs La Touch came into y^e afores^d Garrot And the next day afterwards he this Inform^t returning to y^e house of the said Massey als Roza, the S^d Roza & M^rs LaTouch did tell this Examinant, y^t they had passed or P^d away, each of them 2. of the Counterfeit Shills made as aforesaid, and that y^e afores^d Jacob Lyannes did also say, that he went to put one off but that the ꝑson he offered it unto, did break it beyween their Teeth. And this Informant further saith that the Counterfeit English Shillings & Sixpences, togeather with the counterfeit Spanish and French pistoles, w^th y^e other Tooles and Utensels for the use of Coyning, and w^ch were taken in the Lodgings of this S^d Informant were of the makeing and useing of the afores^d Massey als Roza, and were left in pledge to this Informant for about 3. Guineas y^t y^e said Rosa did owe unto this Examinant. Mace Capt. & jurat anno et did|e| Suꝑdict coram me Jos: Bennett.