Grace Hemmings: The Deposition of Grace Hemmings of Vine Street by Hatton Gardens 13 October 1698
The Deposition of Grace Hemmings of Vine street by Hatton Gardens 13th. day of October 1698
She saith that Percivall Bignall of Castle street in Southwark and his wife and John Owen now or late of Salisbury Court in White fryers and Ann Smith the wife of John Smith lately convicted for coyning did about 2 years and a half ago work with the said John Smith in counterfeiting the Current Coyn of this Kingdom hammered money at the house of the said John Smith in the Old Change And that Robert Francklin alias Franckland and his wife Iane and Ann Smith the wife of the said John Smith did work togeather with the said John Smith in counterfeiting the New Milld Coyn of this Realm about 3 quarters of a year ago at the common house of the said John Smith and Robt. Franchland in Verginia street in Ratcliffe highway and that Mrs. Elizabeth Lewis has seen them work togeather and lent them an Edger and Mrs. the sister of the said Mrs. Lewis lent them another Edger and the wife of Robt. Franckland used to bring the said Edgers from the said Mrs. Lewis and her sister and carry them back againe after Smith and his Partners had done working and that mrs Lewis and her sister used to put off their money and when they workt in the Old Change Mr. Biganll and his wife used to put off their money She saith also that the said Smith and his wife did about a year ago make Counterfeit Guineas in Essex Court in White Fryers for one Keys alias Case and his wife and she hath heard the said John Smith say that Percivall Bignall's wife had of him new counterfeit Milld money while he the said Smith lived in Essex Court above mentioned and that about 3 or 4 monthes ago the said John Smith and Sarah Cletor and Elizabeth Deare sister of the said Sarah Cletor and also at the house of the said Eliz Deare and that the said John Smith was then averse from working and talk of leaving it off but was solicited by the said Sarah Cletor to teach her and her sister Eliz Dear aforesaid and that what money they made was disposed off by Sarah Cletor <47v> partly to Hans her brother's wife and partly to others and that she hath heard the said John Smith say that he hath workt in coyning at the house of the said Hans The Deponent saith also that she heard John Smith say that he and his wife Owen workt togeather in Baldwins Gardens in a house which Lewis took there for him and to which he removed from Essex Court a litle before he went to Sarah Cletors and that Mrs. Lewis aforesaid had the money which they made there But Deponent did not see them Work togeather there She also saith that Iolm Owen's wife hath seen them work togeather at the Old Change but used not to work with them
Memorandum Robt. Franklin lives or latly did libe in Barbican Square between Barbican and old street at a Schoolmaster's but uses upon Tower hill Ann Smith the Fryday before John Smith was took removed into White Fryars by the lower end of Water Lane John Owen lived latly in Salisbury Court and since in Water Lane Elizabeth Deare lives or lately did live in Feather's Court in Holborn
Source
MINT 15/17/103, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK13 Oct 1698, c. 596 words.