Henry Waters: The Examination of Henry Waters 6 October 1696

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Monmouths Ss The Examinaton of Henry Waters of the ꝑrish of Penshaw the County of Monmouth aforesd Taken Before me Thomas Morgan Esqr. one of his Majties Justices of ye Peace of the Sd County this sixth day of October Ano Rni dni nei Willi tertii Regis Anglie et octova Ano dni 1696.o

The Sd Examinant being duely examin'd upon Oath Saith That he being intimately acquainted wth Water Harris of Chepstoll in the Sd County Mercet the Sd Water Harris very much in Debt did about the month of June in the year of our Ld one Thousand Six hundred ninety three Importune this Exam.t to manage his Shop and Trade for him effecting thereof he did, then Say that he would make a bill of Sale of all his shop goods & Wares to this Exam.t & accordingly Þs Exam.t was then prevailed with to undertake the management thereof and the said Water Harris did then make a Bill of Sales of all his shop goods and Wares to this Exam.t who for two months & upwards mannaged his the Sd Water Harris his Shop and trade for him During all wch time the Sd Water Harris did abscond from his Creditors And this Examinant further Saith That in a Weeks time or thereabout after he came to the Sd Water Harris his house at Chepstoll aforesd to manage his concern as aforesd there came to the Sd house one William Hopkins of Michelldeane in the country of Gloucester Pinmaker Brother in Law to the Sd Water Harris & continued there a Week or thereabouts at that time, During wch time this Exam.t being one day in a low room in ye Sd House & hearing a noise in a Chamber there near him did look into ye Sd chamber through a hole in the partition that parted the Sd chamber from another Room, and did then and there See the Sd Wm Hopkins clipping SIlver mony and one Jacob Harris of Chepstoll aforesd Sadler fileing & rounding the Same after it was clipt. Whereupon this Exam.t went up Stairs into the Sd chamber but before he had got up Staires the Sd Ho William Hopkins and Jacob Harris had hid the Sd Silver money and the Instruments they worked wth all, saveing a file wch the Sd Jacob Harris had in his hand fileing of a Shoe buckle however when th{illeg}is Exam.t came into the Sd chamber he asked the Sd William Hopkins & Jacob Harris what they were doing & the Sd Jacob Harris made answer you See what we are doing I am fileing my shoe Buckle, Whereunto this Exam.t went down Staires and the Sd Wm Hopkins and Jacob Harris immediately followed him, and he this Exaiant went into a low room in the Sd House and this Exam.t went about a quarter of an hour after into a yard that belongs to the Sd House, and there found some clippings of Silver wch he took up & brought in to the Sd W.m Hopkins and Jacob Harris and shewed the Same to them telling them this Shews what you were doing, a little While agoe. Whereupon they confessed to this Exam.t that they had clipped the Sd money as aforesaid and shewed the Clippings and sheares and file they worked withall to this Exam.t but desired this Exam.t not to discover the Same wch he promised to doe.

And this Exam.t further Saith That in the Month of July in ye year of our Lord one thousand Six hundrd ninety three this Exam.t went in Company wth the Sd William Hopkins, Water Harris, & Jacob Harris towards Bristoll fair wch began the five and twentieth day of July in the Same year, and that in their Journey thither they Lodged at an Inn near Bristoll called Katharines Lodg and next morning the Sd William Hopkins Jacob Harris and Water Harris got up out of bed before this Exam.t and assoon as this Exam.t got up he enquired were they were and being told by one of ye Servants in the Said Inn that they were in the shuffle board room there he went to the Sd shuffle board room door & knocked thereat finding the Same fast bolted or locked Whereupon the Sd Water Harris opend the door and then this Exam.t went in to the Sd shuffle board room and there found & Saw the Sd William Hopkins clipping with a pair of Sheares the currt coin of <1v> this Kingdom viz.t half crowns, shillings & Six pences, and the Sd Water Harris and Jacob Harris fileing them after they were clipt; & this Exam.t told them they never would Leave off untill they were hanged to wch they answered that they would never be hanged unless this Exam.t would do it.

And the Sd Exam.t further Saith that the Sd Water Harris Did then desire this Exam.t to carry the Sd Money (wch they the Sd Water Harris William Hopkins & Jacob Harris then & there clipped as aforesd being twenty pounds) with him to Bristoll, one of the Creditoures of the Sd Water Harris and this Examninant desird ye Sd W. Harris would seal the Same up in a Bag wch he accordingly did, and this Exam.t did deliver the same so sealed up to the Sd George White who accepted thereof.

And this Exam.t further Sayth, that before the end of the Sd fair this Exam.t together with the Sd Mr Hopkins and Jacob Harris returned to the Sd Inn, where the Sd Water Harris had continued while they were in the Sd fair) and thence the Sd William Hopkins Water Harris and Jacob Harris & this Exam.t came to Cheptstoll aforesd the next day, and further Saith that within the Space of a Month or thereabouts after his return from the Sd fair to Chepstoll aforesd & saw at Severall times the Sd Water Harris & Mary his Wife clipping the currt coin of this kingdom in his Sd House at Chepstoll aforesd, wch they never endeavoured to conceal from this Exam.t

And further saith that within the Space of a months or thereabouts after his return from the Sd fair, he Saw the Sd William Hopkins & Water Harris clip the currt coin of this Kingdom in the Sd Water Harris his house afterwards melt the clippings of the Sd coins therewith coin new Money in Imitation or resemblance of hammer'd half Crownes.

And this Exam.t further Saith That Some few dayes after he had Seen ye Sd William Hopkins Water Harris & clipping & coining as aforesaid he the Sd Water Harris did desire this Examinant to go wth him to Michellsdeane aforesd where this Exam.t did accordingly go wth the Sd Water Harris and Lodged there at the Sd William Hopkins his house, and then and there Saw the Sd William Hopkins his Wide Clip, wth a pair of Sheares the currt coin of this Kingdom And this Exam.t saith That the next day after this Exam.t & the Sd Water Harris came to Michelldeane as aforesd the Sd Water Harris demanded Some mony from the Sd William Hopkins, as a debt due to him whereunto the Sd Wm Hopkins answered that he had none then but that he would have Some by the next day and the Sd William Hopkins told this Exam.t That he must that night coin Some mony to pay the Sd Water Harris,



And further saith, That the Sd William Hopkins went in the beginning of that night wth one William Cutler of Michelldean aforesd Pinmaker, int the Sd William Cutlers house, and told this Exam.t that he would return in an hours time but did not, Wch made this Exam.t to goe to the Sd Wm Cutlers house (being over against the Sd William Hopkins his house) to see for the Sd William Hopkins, and looking into a low room in the Sd William Cutlers house in through the Window there he Saw the Sd William Hopkins & William Cutler Setting a Crucible on a fire in the Sd room and afterwards takeing itt off The fire and pouring what was therein into a Mould, and then this Exam.t returned to the Sd William Hopkins his house, and did not See the Sd William Hopkins till next day when he paid ten shillings to the Sd Water Harris which he said he and the Sd William Cutler had coined the night befoe.

And this Exam.t further Saith That the Sd Willliamalter Harris did then at Michelldeane aforesd Inquire for one George Giles of the County of Hereford Gent: (to whom this Exam.t had before that time seen the Sd Water Harris deliver Some Clippings of Silver) and ye Sd Water Harris was then told that he might find him at a Village called Legg being about a Mile from Michelldean aforesd, where the Sd Water Harris & this Exam.t immediately went and found in an Inn there the Sd George Giles & one James Boyle of Leg aforesd Smith and after that this Exam.t the Sd George Giles & James Boyle had been there together about halfe and houre) the Sd Water Harris being then gone forth) the Sd George Giles asked the Sd {illeg}James Boyle whether he had any <2r> mony. Whereunto the Sd James Boyle answered that he had none yn ready, Why then replyd the Sd George Giles go & get me some & thereupon the Sd James Boyle went forth and in an houres time returned wth Six half Crownes, which this Exam.t takeing in his hand asked the Sd James Boyle whether he had made the Same So Soon, to wch the Sd James Boyle answered no, but that he had finisht them Since he went forth which Six half Crowned the Sd James Boyle delivered to the Sd George Giles.

And this Exam.t further Saith, that about the month of Novembr in the Sd Year one thousand Six hundred ninety three, he this Exam.t} haveing then left the mannagem.t of the Sd Water Harris his Concern) did go to a fair kept then at Michelldean aforesd and haveing occasion to Speak wth the Sd James Boyle Did then in his return from Michelldean aforesd call at Leg aforesd at ye said James Boyle his house and inquired for the Sd James Boyle and his Now Wife directed this Exam.t to him to a Chamber in his Sd house where this Exam.t going found the Sd George Giles wth a pair of Shears Clipping the currt Coin of this Kingdom and the Sd James Boyle fileing and rounding the Same and this Exam.t the Sd George Giles and James Boyle came then down Sraires to the Sd James Boyle his shop where this Exam.t Seeing a pair of Sheares asked the Sd George Giles who the Same Was for to wch the Sd George Giles made answer That it was designed for William Morgan late of Chepstoll aforesd, who now as this Exam.t is informed) Collects the duties charged upon earthen Wares & tobacco pipes wthin the Sd County of Monmouth And the Sd George Giles then told this Exam.t that the Sd Wm Morgan had Sold Some Clippings of Silver to the Sd George Giles.
                                         Henry Waters

Jur die & Ano Supradict coram me           Tho Morgan