William Nevill: The Information of William Nevill 5 June 1704
Lancaster Ss. The Informaion of Willm Nevill taken upon Oath (he liveing at Leversey in this County Weaver) June 5.th 1704
Who Informeth and Saith that he being informed ab.t 2. years agoe that one John Crawford Crawshaw of Barrowfold ab.t 6. miles from Skipton in the County of York Smith could make and did forge dyes for Stamping of money, and did also make the stamp or impression thereupon, this Inform:t was desireous to be acquainted with the Sd Crawshaw, and for that purpose went to his house, and after that this Inform:t had told him what character he had heard of him, and this Inform:ts inclination being that way, he was free with this Inform:t and own'd that he had lately made a pair of Stamps or dyes, for one James Holden of Skipton aforesd Weaver for stamping halfe Crowns, as alsoe a Mill for milling or lettering half Crowns upon the Edges, and the Sd Crawshaw at ye same time shewed to this Inform:t halfe a Crown wch he said he had Stamped with the Sd Instrum.ts And the Sd Crawshaw understanding that this Inform:t was a trader and could put off money he told this this {sic} Inform:t yt if about a month afterwards, this Inform:t would come to him he would let him have 10.£ in Counterfeit money for <1v> Seaven pounds Good money, but this Inform:t never went again to the Sd Crawshaw, but was shortly after com̄itted to the Goale of Lancaster on suspicon of Fellony, but upon his tryall being acquitted the next assizes (now about a year agoe) this Inform:t went over to Dublin where this Inform:t continued untill Aprill last past. and comeing over to Leverpoole in this County about a week before last May day from thence this Inform:t repaied to the house of James Holding aforesd The Sd Holding before this Inform:t went over into Ireland haveing shewed him the Instruments wch the Sd Crawshaw had made for him as aforesd which he said he liked very well, and after he this Inform:t had continued some dayes at Holdings house he was very free in owning what coūterfeit moneys he had lately made, and in ꝑticular on thursday the 4th of May last fetched out his Instrumts for coyning, and Setting a Crucible on the fire, in his own house, he putting therein a peice of Silver in Bullion & some brass or Copper halfpence togeather he melted them down, and then pouring the metall into a Socket or instrumt for that purpose, cast (in this Inform:ts presence) a blank peice of the bigness of a halfe Crown, but without the Edging upon it, and then putting it into his mill he made the letters on it, and then putting it into his Dyes Stamped upon it the Impression of a good halfe Crown and on the same day and place, this Inform:t did see the Sd James Holding in like manner make nineteen more of the like Counterfeit halfe Crowns and putting them all togeather into a pann where was white Argill Allom Salt Peter and com̄on Salt which after being boyl'd for some time, they had the perfect colour of ye current Coyn all which was done in the presence of this Inform:t And after that the Sd Holden gave unto this Inform:t tenn of those twenty new counterfeit halfe Crowns, and at the same time told this Inform:t that if he would bring him 5.£ of good money within a week or ten days, he would deliver Seaven pounds ten shillings more of the like counterfeit money. And about Saturday after yt this Inform:t had left Holdings house and the day after this Inform:t came to his own house at Leversey (where he stay'd with his own wife untill Tuesday following the 9.th of may, and yt day goeing to ye house of John Ellison of Overdarwelle (wth whome this Inform:t had a former acquaintance) and after some discourse betwixt them (vizt) about thursday the 11.th of May, he shewed this Inform:t his Flasks and Spawd wherein he cast counterfeit money; his Spawd being as he shew'd this Inform:t made up of Allabaster finely pounded, and sifted, and putting to it bole Armonack and the whites of Eggs made a past of it, and putting that into the Flask made upon it the impression of a halfe crown and after bakeing the Spand on the fire till it was very redd hott, he then run his Metall into it, and cast a Crown, but without letters on the Edge, wch he afterwards made with a Mill, he also had for that purpose, and in like manner this Inform:t saw the said Ellison cast about 20.s and 10. halfe Crownes and he telling this Inform:t that he had not a good way of colouring them this Inform:t told him of the Ingredients above mentioned, which he the day <2r> after sent for to Preston, and boyling the said Crowns and Shillings in it liked them very well, the said Ellison told this Inform:t that one John Physick of Overdarwell a Smith made his Flasks, but his Mill he said was one Henry Astleys near Billings near Blackburn in this County a dealer in Fustions, That on Satturday the 13.th of May ye said Henry Astley, came to the aforesd John Ellison's house with about 16. Stamped Shilling but without any Nicks on the Edges, wch Astley said he had made at his own house, but by reason of some company that was there he had not an opꝑtunity to Finish them, but threw them down upon the Table in Ellison's house, after that the Sd Astley and Ellison went to work and that night cast severall halfe Crowns and Milled them, and boyled them as aforesaid, and of that money the Sd Astley took away ab.t 6. of the halfe Crowns, and about 20. of ye Shillings, wch he said was to pay off at Blackburn aforesaid the Monday following. But the Sd Ellison Astley and this Inform:t pearting in a fright ab.t day break on sunday morning the 14th of May last, this Informant brought away with him the aforesd Sixteen unedged Shills thither brot by Henry Astley as aforesd and goeing to his own house at Leversesy that day, where continued, till last Wednesday the 31.st of may when the Conble of Leversey apprehended this Inform:t and Searching his pocket found the aforenamed 16 counterfeited unfinished Shillings and with them brot this Inform:t before Mr Justice Foster of Preston who com̄itted this Inform:t to Lancer Goale. This Inform:t further saith that the abovesaid James Holding of Skipton hides his stamps and mill in a hole in the Chimney Range of his house (in Skipton where he now dwells) covered with a stone, but his handvice ham̄er and Files generally lye upon a cupboards head comeing into the house.
And further saith that when this Inform:t last parted with James Holding, he desired this Depon.t to tell one Thomas Holden, of Liversey Weav. that he had broak his word with him in not bringing him the money he owed him in Excha: for counterfeit money, wch the Sd Thomas had recd. of the aforesd James Holding; wch this Inform:t did tell the said Tho.s Holding accordingly, who owned he was to give him 11.£ or 12£ of good money but said he would goe over to him Shortly.
And this Inform:t further saith that Henry Astley told this Inform:t that besides the Mill before mentioned, he had also a pair of Crown Stamps, and said that he bought them of James Walmsby late near Moulding-water blacksmith (who is now gone into Ireland) and of one Ric.d Annesworth, now of Lockholse in this County of Lanc.er giveing either of them 50.s a peice for ye Sd Crown Stamps. Willm his mark Nevill Capt et jurat anno et die Suꝑpdict apud Lancer in Com Lancast.er coram nobis Cha: Rigby Tho: Sherston
Source
MINT 15/17/486, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK5 June 1704, c. 1,335 words.