James Mace: The Information of James Mace 20 March 1700/1

Middx Westmr } Ss The Information of James Mace taken upon Oath this 20.th day of March 170$\frac{\mathrm{0}}{\mathrm{1}}$.

Who saith that betwixt 9. and 10. months last past he hath been acquainted with Philip Massey alias Roza, & the Said acquantanceship came by reason the Said Roza made & prepared coulours, as Spanish Red, and White. And that about 3. months agoe he this Examinant became very familiar with the said Massey alias Roza upon which he told this Informant, that he could teach him to make Mettals of the weight and colour of Gold, and that he did learn the said Art of a Cosen of his who was a Neopolitan & lived at Paris, & that he had Seene his said Cosen make Several Lewis D'ores of that Metall. But this Examinant doubting the performance thereof, and only a trick to get money from this Informant for the Secrett. he the Said Roza told this Informant that to convince him he would do it, and afterwards would shew it to this Examinant And sometime afterward he this Informant goeing through S.t Andrew-street saw M.rs La Touch Standing at a door, who called unto this Informant, and told him that Mr Massey alias Roza lodged there, whereupon he this Informant went into the said house where he saw the aforesaid Roza, and after some discourse he did shew unto this Informant a peice of the aforesaid Metall, which this Informant told him was nothing but blanchet Copper. And at the same time one Jacob Lyannes (whome he had not Seen before) and now shewn unto him).                                     and the Said Mrs La Touch now a prisner in Newgait were then Present, and the aforesaid Mrs Latouch did paize the Said Metall in her hand and com̄ended it to be like Gold, and the Said Massey and La Touch used Severall Arguments to persuade this Informant that it would pass for Gold. But this Examinant not being satisfied herewith, the Said Massey alias Roza, & the aforesaid Mrs La Touch did promiss to make and prepare another percell of the same sort of Metall and to show it unto this Informant in 8. or 10. days time And he this Informant returning within that Space to the house of the Said Massey, he the Said Massey alias Roza togeather with Mrs La Touch and the aforesaid Jacob Lyanns (being all present) did show to this Informant another peice of Metall more like the Colour of Gold than the former, and then the Said Roza further said he could make the said Mettall answer what weight and Colour he pleased, & this Informant further saith that they being in the Kitching together below staires the same day, and did there see the aforesaid Massey alias Roza cast a Spanish Pistole in the presence of this Informant, and that Mrs La Touch & Jacob Lyannes did assist by blowing the fire which was all that this Examinant Saw at that house.

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And this Informant further upon his Oath saith that about 8. or 10. dayes after wards, the said Roza did remove into another house in George Alley in the Strand, togeather with the aforesaid Mrs Latouch & the Said Jacob Lyannes. And saith that the Said Roza did shew him this Examinant a Furnace in the Garrot of the Said house & that he this Informant did contribute towards the change of Bellows, Flasks, & Mettall, to carry on the practice of counterfeiting the currant coyn of this Kingdom, and that Mrs LaTouch did pay another moity of the Said Change. And saith that after they had thus furnished them selves with Tools & Materialls, that the aforesaid Roza, did then make 5. or 6. counterfeit Spanish Pistoles of the prepar'd mettall as aforesaid by casting them in Spand and Flasks, and that at the same time Jacob Lyannes was present, and Mrs LaTouch came im̄mediately afterwards up Staires, & they were shewn unto her. And this Informant further Saith that at another time he did se the said Roza cast 5. or 6. counterfeit Silver pistoles. And further doth say that some time afterwards the Said Roza did propose to this Informant to make some counterfeit Louis D'ors and accordingly he did cast 2. Then the Said Roza proposed to this Informant that by the same way and Method they might make English counterfeit Money and accordingly, the Said Roza did cast about 20. or 25. Shillings and Sixpences resembling the Currant Coyn of this Kingdome and the Said Lyannes did blow the fire, and when these peices were cast the aforesaid Mrs La Touch came into the aforesaid Garrot And the next day afterwards he this Informant returning to the house of the said Massey alias Roza, the Said Roza & Mrs LaTouch did tell this Examinant, that they had passed or pried away, each of them 2. of the Counterfeit Shillings made as aforesaid, and that the aforesaid Jacob Lyannes did also say, that he went to put one off but that the person he offered it unto, did break it beyween their Teeth. And this Informant further saith that the Counterfeit English Shillings & Sixpences, togeather with the counterfeit Spanish and French pistoles, with the other Tooles and Utensels for the use of Coyning, and which were taken in the Lodgings of this Said Informant were of the makeing and useing of the aforesaid Massey alias Roza, and were left in pledge to this Informant for about 3. Guineas that the said Rosa did owe unto this Examinant.                                    Mace Capt. & jurat anno et die Supradict coram me Jos: Bennett.