Mary Adams: The Information of Mary Adams the wife of James Adams of Kings Street in Bloomsbury Doctor of Physick 7 July 1698

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The Informacon of Mary Adams ye wife of Iames Adams of Kings street in Bloomsbury Dr. of physick 7 Iuly 1698

She saith yt. a litle {sic} before Michalmas {sic} was a twelve month her bror. Henry Atkinson and Iane Biggs als Deverall als Atkinson being prisoners in the Gatehouse for coyning Mrs. Porter of the Queens Head Inn in the Burough of Southwark carried the Depont. in a Coach to the house of Mr. Iohn Gibbans by Charing Cross telling her that the said Gibbons had a great interest in mr. Dan and mr. St. Leger and and could command them to use their endeavor. to take Evidence agt. her brother and yt. there must be money to do it but she must first speak with Gibbons to know of him how the business must be mannaged. accordingly she there spake with Gibbons in private and wt. past between them the Depont did not hear she sayth also that they Dined there and before Dinnr one Mr. Roger Cogswell came in and went into a room wth. Gibbons and mrs Porter to talk togeather the sd Cogswell being a great acquaintance of them both and afterwards both Coggswell and mrs. Porter said to the Depont. yt there would be nothing done without money and the Depont. told ym. that money should not be wanting if yt. would save her brother she sayth also yt. Mr. Gibbons seemed yn. shy of trusting her with their secretts but yet told her in genll. that he would do her brother all the service that lay in his power and yt. she and Mrs. Porter went from Mr. Gibbons's to the Gatehouse and so soon as she had seen her brother Henry Atkinson there she went away and left Mrs. Porter there to acquaint her brother how things stood

The Depont. sayth also yt. a few dayes after she went with mrs Porter to mr. Roger Cogswells above menconed at ye Rose and Crown ale house in the park near ye Mint in Southwark and there mr. Cogswell said yt. there would be nothing done without yt. summ and the Depont. asking wt. <19r> summ mrs Porter answered 80℔. and yn naming wt. money she had already and owning yt. she had received a hundred pounds of yt Deponent's bror. in clipt money she said yt she had laid out a great deale of it allready and yt. she would go to mr. Coles the Goldsmith to get 10℔ of him She sayth that so yt afterwards she and Mrs. Porter going to the Gatehouse to see her brother saw one Mr. Southward in the street and mrs Porters sent yt Coachman to call him to them and told the Depont. that he could her bror. g{illeg}reat service and thereupon the Depont. began an acquaintance with the said Southward and a few dayes after went with him to Mr St Legers house near the Red Lyon square and thereafter St. Leger had spoke with Southward he told ye Depont. that he would do all he could for her brother and lay it as heavy as he could upon the woman (meaning Mrs. Biggs) and that he did not fear but he would come off And St. Legers wife spake to the Depont. to the same purpose.

She sayth also yt afterwards meeting Mr. Southard at yt Gatehouse he prepared to lay down Twenty seaven pound upon the Deponent's Note to make up the 4 score pounds which they demanded before any thing could be done, and that the Depont. scrupling to do it Mr. Biggs above menconed reflected upon her as if she loved her bror so litle {sic} that she had rather see him perrish then part with so small a summ to save him and thereupon the Depont. did give a Note to ye said Southard for yt. summ and then abot. that time the Depont. and mr. Southward goign to mr. Gibbons's mr. Gibbons told her yt. she needed not to fear for he would warrant yt her brother would do well

The Depont. sayth also yt. she went one morning with Mrs Porter to Mr. Coles the Goldsmith to see if they could get 10℔. of him but found him not at home– She sayth also yt. she heard mrs Porter say yt of the {illeg}100℔. which her brother left in her hands she had sold 20℔. for 10℔ odd money and yt besides it had cost a great deale of money in going up and down

The Depont. sayth also yt Mrs. Porter represented to her yt ye 80℔ which she insisted upon to be raised for saving her bror. and Mrs. Biggs should be kept by her and her and her friends if they escaped but if one of ym. only escaped yn. 40 should be kept and 40℔ returned back to the part escaping and if both were condemned the whole should be returned to their order

The Depont. sayth also yt. after ye Condemnacon of her said brother and Mrs. Biggs she went to mr Roger Cogswell who (as mrs Porter had told the Depont. was to have the mannagmt. of ye 8ll. and desired him to send her brother Some part of the moneys and he sent him one time eithr 9 or 11 Guineas and another time 5 but afterwards refused to lend any more          The Depont sayth also yt she was twice at St. Legers house and the <19v> the 2d time St. Legers wife opend a trunck full of plate and shewd it to the Depont. and shewd her also a PiecePiell of rich Flanders Lace and other things of Value which made the Depont. wounder she be found in so mean a house

Mary Adams