William Johnson: The Information of William Johnson of Stepney parish Farrier 3 February 1698/9
The Information of Wm. Johnson of Stepney parish Farrier taken this 3d day of February 169
who saith that on the 17th. of Febry. which was 3 years ago he and John Ignatius Lawson came into London in a journey from Derby + from that time till about midsommer following he saw the said Lawson coyn severall parcells of money in imitation of the old hammered Coyn of this Realme and a day or two before the said Midsomer 1696 he saw the said Lawson coyn five shillings in imitation of the Current Milld shillings of this Realme and that he coyned the same at John Craggs a Gardner 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 Informant hath heard the said Lawson confess that there was then some counterfeit money taken upon him
The Informant saith further that about 5 or 6 weeks ago he saw the said 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 Fryar street in Black Fryars near Ludgate and that yesterday was 3 weekes this Informant saw the said Lawson make a false Guinea and a French Pistoll of Silver by casting and blanks for two Spanish Pistolls and guild and finish the said Guinea and french Pistoll and that this was done about 10 or 11 of the Clock in the morning of that very day on which the said Lawson and the Informant and some other persons were apprehended + brought before me and that this Informant being examined about a key found about him said it was the key of this Informant's Lodging tho in truth it was the key of that Room where the Guinea and Pistoll were made for the Informant feared lest that room should be searcht there being in it the said French pistoll and Two Counterfeit Spanish Pistolls which the Informant afterwards found there that same night and gave to Mrs. Broadhurst The Informant saith also that on Saturday was sevennight this Informant went with Mrs. Lawson the wife of the said Ignatius Lawson to Deptford 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 Informant the Silver which she received 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 Informant saith further that enquiring since after these false pistolls the Ale house Keeper told the Informant that he had put away his in London and believed he could have againe
This Informant saith further that on Wednesday last he went to James Handley's at the Surgeon's Sign in Flagon Row in Deptford and there learnt of the said Handley that mrs Broadhurst who lives with the said Mr. Lawson or a womman very like her had either on Wednesday or yesterday was Sennight put off to the said Handley a Counterfeit Spanish pistoll which was then in the said Handleys keeping and that in another sugar Loaf Shop at Deptfor{d} he learnt also that the said mrs Broadhurst or a woman very like her had on the said Wednesday or yesterday was Sennight put off another counterfeit Spanish Pistoll at that Shop and that the shop keeper had put it away at London and could have it againe The Informant saith also that {she}{then} 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 Johnson
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