Elizabeth Bond: The Examination and Information of Elizabeth Bond of St James's parish in Westminster wife of John Bond Bricklayer 15 July 1698

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The Examination and Information of Elizabeth Bond of St James's parish Westminster wife of John Bond Bricklayer 15. Iuly 1698

She sayth that alittle before 2 yeares ago in or about the month of May she sold to Mrs. Iackson alias Labree a dog and 12 of pidgeons and helped to putt them at the house of the said Mrs. Iackson at the Whitingtons Catt in Church lane in the strand and as the Deponent was asking the said Mrs. Iackson in putting them one Mr. Gibbons came into the house boltnight without knocking and asking Mrs. Iackson if her name was Iackson <20r> She answered yes and asked if he would speak with her and he replying yes she went into a litle adjoyning room where there was a Bedd and he followed her and after they had spoke togeather the Deponent heard Mr. Gibbons say he must go up then they came out of that room and Mrs. Iackson trembled with her hands and Iawes and lookt pale and Mr. Gibbons askt her who that woman was meaning the Deponent & she answered that it was a poor woman she bought things that knows noe buisiness then Mr. Gibbons stept to the Chamber door to see if it were lockt and finding it lockt charges the Deponent to let nobody in or out nor to let any body goe up the staires meaning a pair of staires within the room up into the Garret nor to stir her self then he went up staire and Mrs. Iackson followed him and the Deponent heard a knocking upon the floor as it were with the end of a stick or sword and soon heard a lambering and jingling like money or Iron and after a while they came down againe and Mrs. Iackson desired Mr. Gibbons to sitt down and said to him that she hoped he would give her time to send for her friend and looking in a very great concern and consternation she desired the Deponent to go to Bond street for Mr. Obryan who (as the Deponent thinks) was then in custody of a Messenger and to bring Mr. Obryan with her or els she should be undone and she this Deponent not to tell Mr Obryan that any body was with her and when she this Deponent had delivered the message to Mr. Obryan he said he would follow her and as she returned another young Gentleman (who had been at Mrs. Iacksons when the Deponent came to sell her the pidgeons but was gone before Mr. Gibbons came in) followed the Deponent and askt her if the pidgeon pye was ready and when they came to Mrs. Iacksons and saw Mr. Gibbons there he bowed to him saying your servant Mr. Gibbons and when Mr Gibbons had saluted him by his name he askt Mr. Gibbons how Mr. Porter and Mr Lendergrass did and if he would let him see them and Mr Gibons answered that they were very well and that he might see them and then the Gentleman took his leave & went away and Mr Obryan came in and Mrs. Iackson dismist the Deponent. And a day or two after the Deponent calling againe of mrs Iackson to know if she wanted anything, Mrs Iackson replyed noe she had not yet eat the pidgions and then the Deponent askt her what made her be so surprised the other day she answered that she might well be surprized for she must have gone to Newgate and lost her life if she had not given Mr. Gibbons 50ll. and that he stood upon a hundred or two and she had much ado to get him to take 50ll and that she was fain to borrow 20ll ofit of Mr. Bilby a Goldsmith And the Deponent asking her what was the matter she replyed that it was about <20v> writings which a friend had left in her custody and made a place them in the boards and put them in with his or her own hands and them betrayed them to Mr. Gibbons so that he could go to the very place and the Deponent asking if the place was open she said no there was a padlock upon the Boards to lock it down and that Mr. Gibbons knockt upon the boards with his sword to see where they were hollow but needed not have done that for he knew the very place and had told her who it was that betrayed her she said also to the Deponent that she knew not what to do for money for she had laid by a litle Gold to provide for a Child but it was gone and 20ll more which she borrowed of Mr. Bilby and that Gibbons kept in her custody for some tyme till she could get the money she desired the Deponent to ask her brother to lend her 20ll to pay Mr. Bilby but when the Deponents brother could not lend it she sent the Deponent with a silver Tan said to borrow some money upon that

the mark of
Eliz Bond

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Iurat die et anno preedict coram
Is Newton