James Mace: The Information of James Mace 20 March 1700/1

Middx Westmr } Ss The Informaion of James Mace taken upon Oath this 20.th day of March 170$\frac{\mathrm{0}}{\mathrm{1}}$.

Who saith that betwixt 9. and 10. months last past he he {sic} hath been acquainted with Philip {illeg}Massey als Roza, & the Sd acquantanceship came by reason the Sd Roza made & prepared coulours, as Spanish Red, and White. And yt about 3. months agoe he this Examinant became very familiar with ye said Massey als Roza upon which he told this Informant, yt he could teach him to make Mettals of ye weight and colour of Gold, and yt he did learn ye said Art of a Cosen of his who was a Neopolitan & lived at Paris, & yt he had Seene his said Cosen make Several Lewis D'ores of that Metall. But this Examinant doubting ye ꝑformance thereof, and only a trick to get money from this Informant for ye Secrett. he the Sd Roza told this Informant that to convince him he would do it, and afterwards would shew it to this Examinant And sometime afterward he this Informant goeing through S.t Andrew-street saw M.rs La Touch Standing at a door, who called unto this Informant, and told him that Mr Massey als Roza lodged there, whereupon he this Informt went into the said house where he saw the aforesd Roza, and after some discourse he did shew unto this Informt a peice of ye aforesd Metall, wch this Informant told him was nothing but blanchet Copper. And at ye same time one Jacob Lyannes (whome he had not Seen before) and now shewn unto him).                                     and the Sd Mrs La Touch now a prisner in Newgait were then Present, and ye ye {sic} aforesd Mrs Latouch did paize the Sd Metall in her hand and com̄ended it to be like Gold, and ye Sd Massey and La Touch used Severall Argumts to ꝑsuade this Informt yt it would pass for Gold. But this Examinant not being satisfied herewith, the Sd Massey als Roza, & ye aforesd Mrs La Touch did promiss to make and prepare another percell of ye same sort of Metall and to show it unto this Informt in 8. or 10. days time And he this Informt returning wthin that Space to the house of the Sd Massey, he the Sd Massey als Roza togeather with Mrs La Touch and the aforesd Jacob Lyanns (being all present) did show to this Informt another peice of Metall more like ye Colour of Gold than ye former, and yn ye Sd Roza further said he could make the said Mettall answer what weight and Colour he pleased, & this Informt further saith that they being in the Kitching together below staires ye same day, and did there see the aforesd Massey als Roza cast a Spanish Pistole in ye presence of this Informant, and that Mrs La Touch & Jacob Lyannes did assist by blowing ye fire wch was all that this Examinant Saw at that house.

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And this Informant further upon his Oath saith yt about 8. or 10. dayes after wards, the said Roza did remove into another house in George Alley in ye Strand, togeather wth ye aforesd Mrs Latouch & ye Sd Jacob Lyannes. And saith yt the Sd Roza did shew him this Examinant a Furnace in the Garrot of ye Sd house & yt he this Informant did contribute towards ye change of Bellows, Flasks, & Mettall, to carry on ye practice of counterfeiting the currant coyn of this Kingdom, and that Mrs LaTouch did pay another moity of the Sd Change. And saith yt after they had thus furnished them selves with Tools & Materialls, yt the aforesd Roza, did then make 5. or 6. counterfeit Spanish Pistoles of the prepar'd mettall as aforesd by casting them in Spand and Flasks, and that at ye same time Jacob Lyannes was present, and Mrs LaTouch came im̄mediately afterwards up Staires, & they were shewn unto her. And this Informant further Saith that at another time he did se the said Roza cast 5. or 6. counterfeit Silver pistoles. And further doth say yt some time afterwards the Sd Roza did ꝑpose to this Informt to make some counterfeit Louis D'ors and accordingly he did cast 2. Then ye Sd Roza ꝑposed to this Informt that by ye same way and Method they might make English counterfeit Money and accordingly, the Sd Roza did cast about 20. or 25. Shillings and Sixpences resembling the Currant Coyn of this Kingdome and ye Sd Lyannes did blow ye fire, and when these peices were cast the aforesd Mrs La Touch came into ye aforesd Garrot And the next day afterwards he this Informt returning to ye house of the said Massey als Roza, the Sd Roza & Mrs LaTouch did tell this Examinant, yt they had passed or Pd away, each of them 2. of the Counterfeit Shills made as aforesaid, and that ye aforesd Jacob Lyannes did also say, that he went to put one off but that the ꝑson he offered it unto, did break it beyween their Teeth. And this Informant further saith that the Counterfeit English Shillings & Sixpences, togeather with the counterfeit Spanish and French pistoles, wth ye other Tooles and Utensels for the use of Coyning, and wch were taken in the Lodgings of this Sd Informant were of the makeing and useing of the aforesd Massey als Roza, and were left in pledge to this Informant for about 3. Guineas yt ye said Rosa did owe unto this Examinant.                                    Mace Capt. & jurat anno et dide Suꝑdict coram me Jos: Bennett.