John Hutton: The Examination of John Hutton 29 March 1699

The Examinacon of John Hutton of Wolvershampton in the County of Stafford Shoemaker taken upon oath before me at Stafford the 29th day of March                     1699

This Examinant Saith yt he between Michalday & Christmas last Saw . .            & Thomas Marten of Holme wife wash boyle and guild five or 6 pieces called Guineas & Saw ye {illeg}same woman run down Silver into the Shape of a Guinea now currt in England and this Examint working iron work at a village called Caverswall near to the hill called holme both in Staffordsh and being expert in engraving upon Iron and Steel, And the Sd Martens knowing thereof she and her father Thomas Allva proposed to put a boy of their acquaintance to this Examt to learn the art of engraving upon Iron and Steel and upon that occasion was oft at the Sd Thomas Martens house, and was ꝑmitted to the Said Martens wife to wash, file and guild as aforeSd and this Examt {illeg} at the times aforesaid saw the Said Martens wife have and use Spaud and an Edging Instrumt to edge Guineas & Shillings wth, And this Examt further saith yt abot 5, or 6 months Since he Saw Thomas Lees of Wetley Moore and Margaret his sister coyn Shillings and Guineas and Saw them have & use a stampt or Dye which they use in in {sic} makeing the Shillings and them use an Instrument in makeing the guineas & Shillings and the Said Tho: Lees and Margt Lees proposed to this Examt to teach a bastard boy of the Sd Margaret Lees in the Art of engraving and by that means this Examt saw the said Thomas Lees and his Sd Sister coyn the Said Guineas and Shillings, and Saw the Said Instrument and Saw the Sd Tho: Lees and Margaret Lees at the Sd time mix Silver with copper and that they put Arsneik to the Copper and bean flowr. and then the Copper was white like Silver And that five or 6 monthes Since he Saw John Hartley of the ꝑish of Carewall Naylor coynmill'd shillings and half Crowns to the value of 4.£ and andth athe he {sic} melted the Copper first and then coverd it with Silver, and yn Saw him use a Mill for Milling the half Crownes and yt he used Stamps and edging Instruments for the making the Shillings. 29 Mariij 99                                    John Hutton

Jurat apud Stafford in Com Stafford coram me Edwd Foden