Henry Waters: The Examination of Henry Waters 6 October 1696

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Monmouths Ss The Examination- of Henry Waters of the Parish of Penshaw the County of Monmouth aforesaid Taken Before me Thomas Morgan Esquire one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace of the Said County this sixth day of October Anno Regni Domini nei William tertii Regis Anglie et octova Annoque domini 1696.o

The Said Examinant being duely examin'd upon Oath Saith That he being intimately acquainted with Water Harris of Chepstoll in the Said County Mercet the Said Water Harris very much in Debt did about the month of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand Six hundred ninety three Importune this Examinant to manage his Shop and Trade for him effecting thereof he did, then Say that he would make a bill of Sale of all his shop goods & Wares to this Examinant & accordingly this Examinant was then prevailed with to undertake the management thereof and the said Water Harris did then make a Bill of Sales of all his shop goods and Wares to this Examinant who for two months & upwards mannaged his the Said Water Harris his Shop and trade for him During all which time the Said Water Harris did abscond from his Creditors And this Examinant further Saith That in a Weeks time or thereabout after he came to the Said Water Harris his house at Chepstoll aforesaid to manage his concern as aforesaid there came to the Said house one William Hopkins of Michelldeane in the country of Gloucester Pinmaker Brother in Law to the Said Water Harris & continued there a Week or thereabouts at that time, During which time this Examinant being one day in a low room in the Said House & hearing a noise in a Chamber there near him did look into the Said chamber through a hole in the partition that parted the Said chamber from another Room, and did then and there See the Said Wm Hopkins clipping SIlver mony and one Jacob Harris of Chepstoll aforesaid Sadler fileing & rounding the Same after it was clipt. Whereupon this Examinant went up Stairs into the Said chamber but before he had got up Staires the Said William Hopkins and Jacob Harris had hid the Said Silver money and the Instruments they worked with all, saveing a file which the Said Jacob Harris had in his hand fileing of a Shoe buckle however when this Examinant came into the Said chamber he asked the Said William Hopkins & Jacob Harris what they were doing & the Said Jacob Harris made answer you See what we are doing I am fileing my shoe Buckle, Whereunto this Examinant went down Staires and the Said Wm Hopkins and Jacob Harris immediately followed him, and he this Examinant went into a low room in the Said House and this Examinant went about a quarter of an hour after into a yard that belongs to the Said House, and there found some clippings of Silver which he took up & brought in to the Said W.m Hopkins and Jacob Harris and shewed the Same to them telling them this Shews what you were doing, a little While agoe. Whereupon they confessed to this Examinant that they had clipped the Said money as aforesaid and shewed the Clippings and sheares and file they worked withall to this Examinant but desired this Examinant not to discover the Same which he promised to doe.

And this Examinant further Saith That in the Month of July in the year of our Lord one thousand Six hundrd ninety three this Examinant went in Company with the Said William Hopkins, Water Harris, & Jacob Harris towards Bristoll fair which began the five and twentieth day of July in the Same year, and that in their Journey thither they Lodged at an Inn near Bristoll called Katharines Lodg and next morning the Said William Hopkins Jacob Harris and Water Harris got up out of bed before this Examinant and assoon as this Examinant got up he enquired were they were and being told by one of the Servants in the Said Inn that they were in the shuffle board room there he went to the Said shuffle board room door & knocked thereat finding the Same fast bolted or locked Whereupon the Said Water Harris opend the door and then this Examinant went in to the Said shuffle board room and there found & Saw the Said William Hopkins clipping with a pair of Sheares the current coin of <1v> this Kingdom viz.t half crowns, shillings & Six pences, and the Said Water Harris and Jacob Harris fileing them after they were clipt; & this Examinant told them they never would Leave off untill they were hanged to which they answered that they would never be hanged unless this Examinant would do it.

And the Said Examinant further Saith that the Said Water Harris Did then desire this Examinant to carry the Said Money (which they the Said Water Harris William Hopkins & Jacob Harris then & there clipped as aforesaid being twenty pounds) with him to Bristoll, one of the Creditoures of the Said Water Harris and this Examninant desird the Said W. Harris would seal the Same up in a Bag which he accordingly did, and this Examinant did deliver the same so sealed up to the Said George White who accepted thereof.

And this Examinant further Sayth, that before the end of the Said fair this Examinant together with the Said Mr Hopkins and Jacob Harris returned to the Said Inn, where the Said Water Harris had continued while they were in the Said fair) and thence the Said William Hopkins Water Harris and Jacob Harris & this Examinant came to Cheptstoll aforesaid the next day, and further Saith that within the Space of a Month or thereabouts after his return from the Said fair to Chepstoll aforesaid & saw at Severall times the Said Water Harris & Mary his Wife clipping the current coin of this kingdom in his Said House at Chepstoll aforesaid, which they never endeavoured to conceal from this Examinant

And further saith that within the Space of a months or thereabouts after his return from the Said fair, he Saw the Said William Hopkins & Water Harris clip the current coin of this Kingdom in the Said Water Harris his house afterwards melt the clippings of the Said coins therewith coin new Money in Imitation or resemblance of hammer'd half Crownes.

And this Examinant further Saith That Some few dayes after he had Seen the Said William Hopkins Water Harris clipping & coining as aforesaid he the Said Water Harris did desire this Examinant to go with him to Michellsdeane aforesaid where this Examinant did accordingly go with the Said Water Harris and Lodged there at the Said William Hopkins his house, and then and there Saw the Said William Hopkins his Wide Clip, with a pair of Sheares the current coin of this Kingdom And this Examinant saith That the next day after this Examinant & the Said Water Harris came to Michelldeane as aforesaid the Said Water Harris demanded Some mony from the Said William Hopkins, as a debt due to him whereunto the Said Wm Hopkins answered that he had none then but that he would have Some by the next day and the Said William Hopkins told this Examinant That he must that night coin Some mony to pay the Said Water Harris,



And further saith, That the Said William Hopkins went in the beginning of that night with one William Cutler of Michelldean aforesaid Pinmaker, int the Said William Cutlers house, and told this Examinant that he would return in an hours time but did not, Which made this Examinant to goe to the Said Wm Cutlers house (being over against the Said William Hopkins his house) to see for the Said William Hopkins, and looking into a low room in the Said William Cutlers house in through the Window there he Saw the Said William Hopkins & William Cutler Setting a Crucible on a fire in the Said room and afterwards takeing itt off The fire and pouring what was therein into a Mould, and then this Examinant returned to the Said William Hopkins his house, and did not See the Said William Hopkins till next day when he paid ten shillings to the Said Water Harris which he said he and the Said William Cutler had coined the night befoe.

And this Examinant further Saith That the Said Walter Harris did then at Michelldeane aforesaid Inquire for one George Giles of the County of Hereford Gent: (to whom this Examinant had before that time seen the Said Water Harris deliver Some Clippings of Silver) and the Said Water Harris was then told that he might find him at a Village called Legg being about a Mile from Michelldean aforesaid, where the Said Water Harris & this Examinant immediately went and found in an Inn there the Said George Giles & one James Boyle of Leg aforesaid Smith and after that this Examinant the Said George Giles & James Boyle had been there together about halfe and houre) the Said Water Harris being then gone forth) the Said George Giles asked the Said James Boyle whether he had any <2r> mony. Whereunto the Said James Boyle answered that he had none then ready, Why then replyd the Said George Giles go & get me some & thereupon the Said James Boyle went forth and in an houres time returned with Six half Crownes, which this Examinant takeing in his hand asked the Said James Boyle whether he had made the Same So Soon, to which the Said James Boyle answered no, but that he had finisht them Since he went forth which Six half Crowned the Said James Boyle delivered to the Said George Giles.

And this Examinant further Saith, that about the month of Novembr in the Said Year one thousand Six hundred ninety three, he this Examinant} haveing then left the mannagem.t of the Said Water Harris his Concern) did go to a fair kept then at Michelldean aforesaid and haveing occasion to Speak with the Said James Boyle Did then in his return from Michelldean aforesaid call at Leg aforesaid at the said James Boyle his house and inquired for the Said James Boyle and his Now Wife directed this Examinant to him to a Chamber in his Said house where this Examinant going found the Said George Giles with a pair of Shears Clipping the current Coin of this Kingdom and the Said James Boyle fileing and rounding the Same and this Examinant the Said George Giles and James Boyle came then down Sraires to the Said James Boyle his shop where this Examinant Seeing a pair of Sheares asked the Said George Giles who the Same Was for to which the Said George Giles made answer That it was designed for William Morgan late of Chepstoll aforesaid, who now as this Examinant is informed) Collects the duties charged upon earthen Wares & tobacco pipes within the Said County of Monmouth And the Said George Giles then told this Examinant that the Said Wm Morgan had Sold Some Clippings of Silver to the Said George Giles.
                                         Henry Waters

Jur die & Ano Supradict coram me           Tho Morgan