Mary Adams: The Information of Mary Adams the wife of James Adams of Kings Street in Bloomsbury Doctor of Physick 7 July 1698

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The Information of Mary Adams the wife of James Adams of Kings street in Bloomsbury Doctor of physick 7 Iuly 1698

She saith that a little before Michaelmas was a twelve month her brother Henry Atkinson and Iane Biggs alias Deverall alias Atkinson being prisoners in the Gatehouse for coyning Mrs. Porter of the Queens Head Inn in the Burrough of Southwark carried the Deponent in a Coach to the house of Mr. John Gibbans by Charing Cross telling her that the said Gibbons had a great interest in mr. Dan and mr. St. Leger and and could command them to use their endeavour to take Evidence against her brother and that there must be money to do it but she must first speak with Gibbons to know of him how the business must be mannaged. Accordingly she there spake with Gibbons in private and what past between them the Deponent did not hear she sayth also that they Dined there and before Dinner one Mr. Roger Cogswell came in and went into a room with Gibbons and mrs Porter to talk togeather the said Cogswell being a great acquaintance of them both and afterwards both Coggswell and mrs. Porter said to the Deponent that there would be nothing done without money and the Deponent told them that money should not be wanting if that would save her brother she sayth also that Mr. Gibbons seemed then shy of trusting her with their secretts but yet told her in generall that he would do her brother all the service that lay in his power and that she and Mrs. Porter went from Mr. Gibbons's to the Gatehouse and so soon as she had seen her brother Henry Atkinson there she went away and left Mrs. Porter there to acquaint her brother how things stood

The Deponent sayth also that a few dayes after she went with mrs Porter to mr. Roger Cogswells above mentioned at the Rose and Crown ale house in the park near the Mint in Southwark and there mr. Cogswell said that there would be nothing done without that summ and the Deponent asking what <19r> summ mrs Porter answered 80℔. and then naming what money she had already and owning that she had received a hundred pounds of that Deponent's brother in clipt money she said that she had laid out a great deale of it allready and that she would go to mr. Coles the Goldsmith to get 10℔ of him She sayth that so that afterwards she and Mrs. Porter going to the Gatehouse to see her brother saw one Mr. Southward in the street and mrs Porters sent that Coachman to call him to them and told the Deponent that he could do her brother great service and thereupon the Deponent began an acquaintance with the said Southward and a few dayes after went with him to Mr St Legers house near the Red Lyon square and thereafter St. Leger had spoke with Southward he told the Deponent that he would do all he could for her brother and lay it as heavy as he could upon the woman (meaning Mrs. Biggs) and that he did not fear but he would come off And St. Legers wife spake to the Deponent to the same purpose.

She sayth also that afterwards meeting Mr. Southard at that Gatehouse he prepared to lay down Twenty seaven pound upon the Deponent's Note to make up the 4 score pounds which they demanded before any thing could be done, and that the Deponent scrupling to do it Mr. Biggs above mentioned reflected upon her as if she loved her brother so little that she had rather see him perrish then part with so small a summ to save him and thereupon the Deponent did give a Note to the said Southard for that summ and then about that time the Deponent and mr. Southward goign to mr. Gibbons's mr. Gibbons told her that she needed not to fear for he would warrant that her brother would do well

The Deponent sayth also that she went one morning with Mrs Porter to Mr. Coles the Goldsmith to see if they could get 10℔. of him but found him not at home. She sayth also that she heard mrs Porter say that of the 100℔. which her brother left in her hands she had sold 20℔. for 10℔ odd money and that besides it had cost a great deale of money in going up and down

The Deponent sayth also that Mrs. Porter represented to her that the 80℔ which she insisted upon to be raised for saving her brother and Mrs. Biggs should be kept by her and her and her friends if they escaped but if one of them only escaped then 40 should be kept and 40℔ returned back to the part escaping and if both were condemned the whole should be returned to their order

The Deponent sayth also that after the Condemnation of her said brother and Mrs. Biggs she went to mr Roger Cogswell who (as mrs Porter had told the Deponent was to have the mannagment of the 8ll. and desired him to send her brother Some part of the moneys and he sent him one time either 9 or 11 Guineas and another time 5 but afterwards refused to lend any more          The Deponent sayth also that she was twice at St. Legers house and the <19v> the 2d time St. Legers wife opened a trunck full of plate and shewed it to the Deponent and shewed her also a PiecePiell of rich Flanders Lace and other things of Value which made the Deponent wounder she be found in so mean a house

Mary Adams