Henry Smithson: The Information and Further Information of Henry Smithson 1 and 4 June 1702

North Rid Com Ebory } Ss. The Informaion of Henry Smithtson of Rash in Swaledale in the north Riding of the County of York Yeoman taken upon oath before me this first Day of June in the first year of her majestys Reign Ann: Dm 1702

Who Informeth and upon his oath sayth, Hee Hath heard ytt: one John Button als Broadly came in ye year (96) by sea from London to Yarum in the north Riding of ye County of York & took a shop at Yarum aforesd Exercising for some time ye trade of a Whitesmith there.

That ye Sd Button was made acquainted with the Inform:tt by one Christopher Shaw lately of Larthington in the Sd Riding Cooper in the open feilds at Larthington aforesd. That the Sd Button then & often since told the Inform:tt He could make all sorts of tools & instruments for coyning. Could likewise counterfeit Guineas and milled money to a great likeness, and that he had been comm̄itt. to Newgate for such practices butt had ye good fortune to make his Escape therefrom

That the Sd Button took a farm in ye year (98) att a private place called Cubeck in Wensidale in the Sd Riding, and shewed diverse tools & instrumtts: to the said Informant and James Blades now in Durham Goal for coyning Guineas and half Crowns and Shillings,

That betwixt ye middle of Ap:ll and middle of May (98) The Informant saw the said Button coyn half crowns and shillings to the tale of ten pounds in less then 4 hours, att his shop in the day time at Cubeck aforesd setting his wife att some distance from from {sic} his shop to give notice of the approach of any persons, wch Sd ten pounds was sent to one Edward Bland of Harker to be uttered,

That he hath seen the Sd Button coyn two or three severall times since at and nigh Cubeck aforesd half Crowns and Shillings to ye tale of 5£ and upwards,

That about two years ago, ye Sd Button and William Busby of Thirsk in the north Riding of the Sd County of York Grocer were (as the Informant hath been assured) surprized in ye very fact of coyning Guineas at Cubeck aforesd whereupon the Sd Button fled and some of his tools were seized, that about a year and a half ago, James Blades aforesd sent the Informant to Lancaster to know if one Horsfale, a Chymist, Comm̄itt.d to that [Editorial Note 1] Goal could furnish him with a pair of Crown Dyes or Stamps, who had none ready but Shew'd him one unfinished, and told Inform:t that he had made John Airey nigh Kendall in Westmorld all his dyes or Stamps.

And the Inform:t further deposeth, that he hath heard from diverse ꝑsons that the said John Airey hath coyn'd diver Great Quantities of Crowns & $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ Crowns covered with Silver.

The Inform:t further saith, That the same James Blades and Joseph Thompson (now in Durham Goale) and Michael Turner of Wharton Dykes in Country Westmorl.d ab.t the beginning of Jan.ry 1700. came to the Dwelling house of ye Informants Father at Larthington aforesd And yt ye Sd James Blades Joseph Thompson & Michael Turner <1v> Togeather with the Informants Brother Jonathan Smithson and this Inform:t went into a private place in Snaiths pasture nigh Larthington aforesd where they the Sd James Blades Joseph Thomson made a fire, and did then and there in ye presence of ys Informant and his said Broer Coyn Mill'd halfe Crowns to ye tale of 10.£ or thereabouts. The Informant further deposeth that about Christmas was 12. months, he saw the Sd Joseph Thompson cut (with a P of Sheers) diverse Six pences round about, with designe (as he told ye Inform:t) to put the Sd clippings or Rings about half penny peices, and yt he likewise (at the same time ) saw ye Sd Joseph Thompson cut divers new milld Shills into 4. Quarters in Order to beat them out to a thinness for covering the Sd halfpenny peices, which he told the Inform:t were to be made into halfe Crownes Counterfeit. The Inform:t further deposeth yt he hath see the Sd Joseph Thompson Severall times produce at Henry Robsons house in Newcastle Taylor. And ab.t 10. months agoe in Swaldiale aforesd Thompson shewed the Cross-side of a Shilling Dye, and at ye same time said he would Get a Face side made to it at Newcastle, and further saith yt ye Sd Joseph Thompson told him, That James Wharton of Penrith, and Joseph Clarke nigh Rowley hill in Cumberland, were both concerned in the Counterfeiting the currt. coyn of this Realm.     The Inform:t further deposeth, that John Fawcett near Sedberg in ye County of York hath, (as this Inform:t is well assured) Utter'd great quantities of Cover'd Crowns and halfe Crownes, coyn'd (as this Inform:t hath been told) by one Joseph Claughton, who ab.t 2. years agoe, was for such like Offences com̄itted to Carlisle Goale, whence he made his Escape. And the Inform:t further deposeth, that he togeather with Mr Geo: Wareup Sr Wm Bowes's Clerk by Order of the Sd Sr Wm Bowes did on the 4.th of this Instant June Apprehend the said Joseph Claughton in the house of John Green near Hutton Roofe in Westmorland aforesd in an Upper Room, where ye Inform:t found a pott or crucible, with hot burning Charcole in it, a great Quantity of thin Silver beat out, 2. papers of the fileings of Silver, ye remaines of a Brass Kettle wch had in ꝑt been cutt with Sheeres a great Number of Copper Blanks appearing by their Sizes to be for Crowns and halfe Crownes many of them being cased over on One side with Silver and also a Silver RImm round, and some cased on both sides with the thin SIlver leaves beaten out, as aforesd togeather with divers Tools & Instrumts. for Coyning, all wch were seized & delivered by ye Inform:t and ye Sd Mr George Wareup into ye custody of Edward Wilson Junior Esqr. a Justice of Peace for Westmorld who thereupon com̄itted the Sd Joseph Claughton togeather with ye Sd John Green to ye Goale of that County. The Inform:t further deposeth that one Mr Richd Warwick of Placy-Hall in the county of Northumberland did about X.mas was 12. months, and at divers other times Employ ye aforesd James Blades and Joseph Thompson Michael Turner & Edward Gares of Shotton Edge in the Sd County Blksmith to coyn $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ Crowns at ye house of ye Sd Gares, and supplyed them with Dollars to melt down for yt purpose, and the Sd Michaell Turner ꝑduced to this Sd Inform:t Some halfe Crowns wch (he said) he had coyned there, And the Sd Richard Warwick showed the Inform:t Divers Tools and Instrum.ts for coyning at his the Sd Richd Warwicks own house in Newcastle. And ye Sd Inform:t further deposeth <2r> further deposeth {sic} That Sr. Wm. Bowes haveing Ordered him to lay his Informaion before Sr Will Blackett one of her Maties Justices of ye peace for the Sd County, the Sd Sr W.m Blacket granted his warrant thereupon to this Inform:t agt. the Sd Mr Richd Warwick & Edward Gares, and they were accordingly thereupon apprehended by the Inform:t and ye Sd Richd Warwick com̄itted to Morpeth Goale and the Sd Edward Gares bound by Recognizane with Good Sureties to appear at ye next Assises for yt County the Inform:t further deposeth that Henry Robson of Westgate in New Castle Taylor Entertained the Sd James Blades Joseph Thompson & Michaell Turner, in his Dwelling house there, and told this Inform:t yt he could cover over false moneys & Shewed him Some which he said he had done - The Inform:t further deposeth that David Hodgson Christopher Sheild, Joshua Hutchinson & Ruth Addingson were all concerned in Uttering Counterfeit Moneys, and that Wm Harwood whitesmith (all in or near Bernards Castle about a year agoe span'd an Instrum.t for the Sd James PBlades call'd a cutter, for Cutting out peices for $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ Crowns and a loop belonging to a wedgs press, and being Exaied further saith not            Hen: Smithson Capt et Jurat &c.t coram Will Bowes

June 4. 1702

The Inform:t further deposeth and Saith, that he hath heard the Sd John Button als Broadly and ye aforesd x.per Shaw (now in York Goal) say that they togeather with one Will Busby aforesd a place to be digged under Ground near Healey in Coverdale for coyning, and yt they had Actually coyn'd considerable Sum̄s of money there, the Inform:t further saith yt he hath often seen the Sd Busby at ye Sd Buttons house at Cubeck aforesd and that the Sd William Busby brought Tools or Instrumts. for Coyning to the Sd Button to be repaired and amended by him. And likewise see a Bond under the hand and Seale of the Sd W.m Busby for ye paym.t of 10.£ to the Sd Button als Broadly, wch ye Sd Button & Mary his wife told this Inform:t was given to him by way of satisfaion for coyning Instrumts made by the Sd Button for they said willm Busby, And further deposeth that ab.t 5 years agoe at Butcher house in the County of York, the said W.m Busby desired the Inform:t & the Sd Xper Shaw to Kill one Dan:le Otty his father in Law, and who he told the Informant yt he was apprehensive he would inform agt him for Clipping, the Inform:t further deposeth, yt he doth verily beleive yt the Sd Xper Shaw in the Coyning trade with the Sd John Button and Willm Busby. The Inform:t further deposeth that one Robert Greer of Whorton in Westmer came on the Sixth day of May 1702 to the Inform:t at Nuteby in the Sd County & wished him not to proceed any farther ag.t the Sd Richard Warwick, and yt he shud have as a reward 20 Guineas or more, to which this Inform:t replyed yt the præmium for his convion would be 40.£ whereunto ye Sd Robt Greere said that if a Bagg of Moneys was dipt in his way would he not Stoop to take it up? and often requested this Inform:t not to proceed against the Sd Richard Warwick                      Hen: Smithson Capt' &ct coram me Will Bowes.

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June 4th. 1702.

Westmer Ss.The Informaion of the aforenamed Henry Smithson taken upon Oath before Edward Wilson junior Esqr. one of her Ma.ties Justices &ct.

Who saith that he this day went to John Green's house of Hutton Roofe in the County aforesd and there found in a room above staires one Joseph Claughton late of Addle Parish near Leeds in the County of York wth a Charcole fire burning, and a great Number of round blanks of Copper design'd as he beleives to have been made into Crows and half Crownes some of them being covered over & on the Edges with thin plates of Silver the Sd Claughton pretended his name was Robinson, he found also then & there divers Instrumts. as Sheers plyers files on eham̄er some thin plates of Silver with Crucibles, lying about the Room & on the floore and that he heard them dropt as he beleives by ye Sd Claughton Capt jurat &ct Edward Wilson jun.ior                                Hen: Smithson