John Fallows: The Examination of John Fallows 20 October 1699

Citty of Chester Ss}Examinaions taken upon Oath before William Bennett Esqr. Mayor and Henry Lloyd Alderman, his Ma.ties Justices of ye peace for the County of ye said Citty of Chester, upon fryday the 20.th day of Octob in ye 11.th Year of ye Raign of His Ma.ty King William ye 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 yt 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 wch time this Exaīant hath lived with his Sd Father in Preese aforeSd And was Sent by his Sd Father yesterday from Preese aforesaid wth a Horse load of Chairs to Mr John Tudor Tinplate Worker in Chester and came to ye Sd Citty about 5. a Clock yesterday in the afternoon haveing never been in ye said Citty before, And ye Sd Mr 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 ye bridge and thence to ye 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 before and as he returned thence between 7. & 8. a clock this present Morning he espyed a Bag lying upon the Sands about a Yard from ye said River, and ab.t 20. Roods below ye Sd New Tower, and when he came toit finding it was not Tyed att ye Top He first opened it wth his Stick, and afterwards put his hand into it, and found therein Some Tooles & Instrum.ts wch 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 present call themselves John Yeoman Robt Buckley and Sam.ll Davies asked this Exaīant what he had found there, who made answer yt he thought there were Something for Coyning of Money, whereupon ye Sd Mr Yeoman Mr Buckley & Mr Davies, and this Exaīant Searched ye said Bag, and found therein the 5. Iron Instrum.ts now produced. One of wch is a boc with 4. Screws in it togeather with 15. punches for letters now produced and One of the 3. dyes wch are now also produced and Impressed in Wax on ye Margent of this paper but this Exaīant knows not wch of ye Sd dyes was found in ye said Bag the other 2. Dyes being also then found by the said Three Persons above named Loose in ye said River near ye same place, And this Exaīant and ye said 3. other Persons looking ab.t them them further in ye Said River Saw another lesser Bag in ye said River ab.t 3. Yards from ye Shoar upon wch, this Exaīant stepped into ye said River & with a Hook Stick drew ye said lesser Bag out of ye said River, wch 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 ye said Instrum.ts nor any of them were conveyed to ye places aforeSd where they were so found, nor hath he ever Seen any Such Things before.           John Fallows