John Ignatius Lawson: The Information of John Ignatius Lawson now Prisoner in Newgate 3 April 1699

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The Information of John Ignatius Lawson now Prisoner in Newgate 3d. Aprill 1699

Hee saith that Phillip Williams and Blanch his wife have severall times from this time 12 month till about 4 monthes agoe feagued counterfeit Crownes half Crownes + shillings newly made by casting in imitation of the Current mill'd Coyn of this Kingdom and that they sometimes feagued them at the Deponent's house in Boswell Court by Temple Barr and sometimes at their own house in Katherine Wheel ally in White Chappell and that thee feague was of a brown colour + of the consistence of Balsom and made there fingers very black and that the said Williams and his wife have severall times within this 12 months scraped of the Scepters + Crownes which are on King James's Irish shilling and then feagued them at their house aforesaid and put them away for shillings And that the said Mr. Williams and his wife hath received from the Deponent counterfeit Spanish pistolls at 5, 6, or 7s a piece severall times from Candlemas was a 12 month till about 3 months ago.

This Informant further saith that William Chaloner being his Chamber Fellow this Winter in Newgate owned to him that he had coyned 30000 Guineas or above and that he graved the Plate for Mault Tickets and was to grave another for 100l Tickets and could do a plate in 4 or 5 hours time & that no man in England could grave them better then he and that he designed to go over into Holland and to counterfeit Lombard Tickets and Bank Notes and that he agreed with the Deponent to give him the above mentioned Plate for a french Pistoll and 40s. in Silver and 10ll the Munday after and that Abbot had been concerned but how & when he did not say and that he was to go with Abbot and some others on shipboard and make Spanish Gold and the money of other Countreys in the straits and there put it off And that Chaloner was very fearfull least Katherine <81v> Carter should come against him and courted Mr. Carter very much to come over and joyn with him And that he could wash out writing + counterfeit any hand and taught Price to take out writing and that no man could take out writing or counterfeit hands better then he And that Jack Grosvenr. and his sister a parson's widdow and Peck and Holloway in Scotland and his wife and brother John Holloway could come against him And that when the sessions came and if he found himself in danger he would pretend himself sick otherwise he would be well and take his tryall

John Igna Lawson

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