William Butler: The Information of William Butler of Rupert Street in Piccadilly 2nd day June 1698

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The Informacon of Wm. Butler of Ruport Street in piccadilly Gent 2d. day Iune 1698

He saith that moses Stringer of Vitters street in York buildings Chymist hath an Exchequer bill which was cancelled and that the cross wherewith it was cancelled is done out and the Lines paper where the Lynes of the cross are done out is mended with a patch on the back side to strengthen it and the said <14v> Stringer did put off the said Bill to one mr. Cooper at ye Hartychoak in Cannon street in London and Cooper put it off to others but the fraud being detected the Bill was returned to Cooper and by him to Stringer in whose hands the Depont. saw it abot 3 dayes ago since it was returned to the said Stringer and yt the said Stringer did then viz on Munday or Tuesday last offer the said bill to the Depont. desiring him to put it off and saying that he could get it off better then he could do

And that he hath known Mr Trott als Carter abot. 6 years and while the trade of Clipping old money was in fashion he and his reputed wife Katherine Carter als Iordan als Mathews were concernd in the same and that the Depont. comeing to lodge in the Roome where the said Tho and Kath lodged before found Clippings of money in the Cranies of the room and that he hath seen French pistolls Spanish pistolls and Doable {sic} ounes also (ie Double pistols all counterfeit in the hands of the said Tho Carter and that ye said Carter hath offerd. the same to the Depont. to put off and that the said Carter did tell the Depont. yt he had a hand in making the same he sayth that he hath seen the said Carter guild mill'd shillings and six pences and yt he hath also seen Fitz Gerald guild the same and that they guilt them to buy bills with them after the following mannr. They had 2 purses exactly a like the one with good Guineas or good broad pieces the other with guilt milld shillings or guilt broad shillings in it one of false guilt these purses they offered for the bill and then examining the bill they took an opportunity to exchange the purse of good Gold for the other of guilt money and then leaving the purse in pawn took the bill to examin it pretending to return in half an hour but return no more And the Depont. hath heard that William Newark and        Hunt have thus cheated men of their bills and either brothers or brothers in Law and that Ionathon Newark the unkle of the said Newark did latly {sic} propose to the Deponet. to be concerned in putting Cheats upon Merchants by forging of Merchants Letters and bills and that one Gardiner a lusty fatt man living as the Depont. hath heard at the punch boll in Westmr. is reputed to have been concerned in clipping and coyning and other rogueries and to be the patrone and receiver of Ill men at whose house they have <15r> their Rendesvour and that Tho: Hall at litle {sic} man hath told him this Depont. that he the said Hall who now lives by London wall next Door to the pettycoat and one Bainbugg fellow servts. in King Iames's mint in Dublin have coyned togeather meaning as the Depont. understood him in England and that the said Hall offerd the Depont. to be concerned with him in coyning abot. 2 or 3 years ago and that last Sunday the said Hall told the Depont. that he should soon be in a better condicon and was going to take a Great house near the Customhouse in Thames street and he desired the Depont. not to go into the Inner room of his house where some company were saying that some of them knew him and it would be a disgrace to appear in that guarb

And yt Robt Attey told him yt abot. a day or two before he was committd. to the Marshalsea for coyning that he had given abot. 17. or 19 Dyes to the Warden of the Mint and had got 10 more and was going to work again and yt. Bainbugg abovemencond lives or did latly {sic} live at a Chanders {sic} ship in Wildstreet

And that some things yt have passed between the Depont and Mr. Carter have been betrayd. by Mr. Inch by which the Depont. Vehemently suspects yt. there is a correspondence between mr. Inch (whom he takes to be one of the Clerks of the Bank) and mr. Carter and that when the Depont. was heretofore upon doing some service to the Banck of England and was betrayd. and hindred by a person whom the Bank imployed (as he has menconed in another paper he understands that person to be Mr. Inch as being the only ꝑson imployed by the Banck in that mattr. And yt Pearce Butler a Soldjer or pretended Soldjer belonging to the Guards being latly {sic} taken upp {sic} in Surrey and bayled out of the marshalsea for putting off Counterfeit pistolls corresponds with Carter Fitz Gerald Thomas White Mr. Tilly Warden of the Fleet Beauchamp + others and is suspected to have his pistolls of that Guang and yt. he this Depont is told by mr. Gunn of the Temple and late prisoner with the Depont in the Kings Bench and of Carter, Fitz Gerald and Tilly yt he the said Gunn is very sure yt White Fitz Gerald and Tilly have a workhouse some where in Westmr. And that Mrs Latchfield a prisoner in ye Fleet latly {sic} told the Depont. yt. Tho White and an Attorney are gone to Sr. Symon Leech near Exeter abot. raising money on some part of Sr. Symon's Estate— and that Thomas Wray Fyned 500 marks the last Michas for counterfeiting {illeg} Bills can doe great service if he may have his pardon and yt he escaped <15v> out of Newgate by the consent of mr. Fell as the Depont hath been told The Depont. saith further that Sr. Symon Leech is a great acquaintance of Carters and has all along supported him and procured the money by which the bayle was bought for getting Carter out of Newgate and that Sr. Symon is a Roman Catholick and a great Enemy to the Governmt. and yt Carter told the Depont. that Sr. Symon proposed to yt sd Carter the following way of getting 1500℔, a litle {sic} before Carter was taken p by the Bank Viz that Sr. Symond should go upon the Road with 1500℔. abot. him and delivr. it Carter who should meet him in the way and pretend he was robbd by Carter and sue the Countrey for the money

Will Butler

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