Jonathan Fowkes: The Information of Jonathan Fowkes of the parish of St Andrew Holborn the County of Middlesex Gunsmith 24 January 1698
The Information of Ionathan Fowkes of the parish of St. Andrews Holborn in the County of Middlesex Gunnsmith taken upon Oath before the Honourable Sir Salathiell Lovell Knight Serjeant at Law and Recorder of the City of London 24 January 1698 as followeth
This Informant saith that one John Hollyday and Sarah who lives with him as his wife lodging in the house wherein this Informant dwels situated at or near Hockley in the hole situate in the said parrish of St. Andrews Holborn the said Hollyday + Sarah his pretended wife are generally up + privatly at work with a Charcoal fire and melting potts about 3 or 4 of the clock in the morning, and this Deponent hath seen the said Hollyday melting in the Cellar of the said house, + once askt him what it was who answered, it was brass but never would let this Informant know what use made of it + the said Hollyday and his said Companion do rarly work or stay at home in the day but are most commonly abroad and associate themselves with people of very ill fame in houses of suspicion and the said Sarah hath often times said in the Informants hearing that her husband got money enough in a morning to keep them a month and that she could mould as well as any body and they have put away false money in the neighbourhood there + some such money that they have offered having been refused they have been forced to exchange the same By all which this Informant verily believes the said Hollyday and his `said pretended wife do follow the Trade of coyning false money in the said house and that they might be easily apprehended in the fact and their Impliments + Tooles for doing thereof seized + secured
Source
MINT 15/17/138, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK24 Jan 1698, c. 326 words.