William Nevill: The Information of William Nevill 5 June 1704
Lancaster Ss. The Information of Willm Nevill taken upon Oath (he liveing at Leversey in this County Weaver) June 5.th 1704
Who Informeth and Saith that he being informed about 2. years agoe that one John Crawshaw of Barrowfold about 6. miles from Skipton in the County of York Smith could make and did forge dyes for Stamping of money, and did also make the stamp or impression thereupon, this Informant was desireous to be acquainted with the Said Crawshaw, and for that purpose went to his house, and after that this Informant had told him what character he had heard of him, and this Informants inclination being that way, he was free with this Informant and own'd that he had lately made a pair of Stamps or dyes, for one James Holden of Skipton aforesaid Weaver for stamping halfe Crowns, as alsoe a Mill for milling or lettering half Crowns upon the Edges, and the Said Crawshaw at the same time shewed to this Informant halfe a Crown which he said he had Stamped with the Said Instruments And the Said Crawshaw understanding that this Informant was a trader and could put off money he told this Informant that if about a month afterwards, this Informant would come to him he would let him have 10.£ in Counterfeit money for <1v> Seaven pounds Good money, but this Informant never went again to the Said Crawshaw, but was shortly after com̄itted to the Goale of Lancaster on suspicion of Fellony, but upon his tryall being acquitted the next assizes (now about a year agoe) this Informant went over to Dublin where this Informant continued untill Aprill last past. and comeing over to Leverpoole in this County about a week before last May day from thence this Informant repaied to the house of James Holding aforesaid The Said Holding before this Informant went over into Ireland haveing shewed him the Instruments which the Said Crawshaw had made for him as aforesaid which he said he liked very well, and after he this Informant had continued some dayes at Holdings house he was very free in owning what coūterfeit moneys he had lately made, and in particular on thursday the 4th of May last fetched out his Instruments for coyning, and Setting a Crucible on the fire, in his own house, he putting therein a peice of Silver in Bullion & some brass or Copper halfpence togeather he melted them down, and then pouring the metall into a Socket or instrument for that purpose, cast (in this Informants presence) a blank peice of the bigness of a halfe Crown, but without the Edging upon it, and then putting it into his mill he made the letters on it, and then putting it into his Dyes Stamped upon it the Impression of a good halfe Crown and on the same day and place, this Informant did see the Said James Holding in like manner make nineteen more of the like Counterfeit halfe Crowns and putting them all togeather into a pann where was white Argill Allom Salt Peter and com̄on Salt which after being boyl'd for some time, they had the perfect colour of the current Coyn all which was done in the presence of this Informant And after that the Said Holden gave unto this Informant tenn of those twenty new counterfeit halfe Crowns, and at the same time told this Informant that if he would bring him 5.£ of good money within a week or ten days, he would deliver Seaven pounds ten shillings more of the like counterfeit money. And about Saturday after that this Informant had left Holdings house and the day after this Informant came to his own house at Leversey (where he stay'd with his own wife untill Tuesday following the 9.th of may, and that day goeing to the house of John Ellison of Overdarwelle (with whome this Informant had a former acquaintance) and after some discourse betwixt them (vizt) about thursday the 11.th of May, he shewed this Informant his Flasks and Spawd wherein he cast counterfeit money; his Spawd being as he shew'd this Informant made up of Allabaster finely pounded, and sifted, and putting to it bole Armonack and the whites of Eggs made a past of it, and putting that into the Flask made upon it the impression of a halfe crown and after bakeing the Spand on the fire till it was very redd hott, he then run his Metall into it, and cast a Crown, but without letters on the Edge, which he afterwards made with a Mill, he also had for that purpose, and in like manner this Informant saw the said Ellison cast about 20.s and 10. halfe Crownes and he telling this Informant that he had not a good way of colouring them this Informant told him of the Ingredients above mentioned, which he the day <2r> after sent for to Preston, and boyling the said Crowns and Shillings in it liked them very well, the said Ellison told this Informant that one John Physick of Overdarwell a Smith made his Flasks, but his Mill he said was one Henry Astleys near Billings near Blackburn in this County a dealer in Fustions, That on Satturday the 13.th of May the said Henry Astley, came to the aforesaid John Ellison's house with about 16. Stamped Shilling but without any Nicks on the Edges, which Astley said he had made at his own house, but by reason of some company that was there he had not an opportunity to Finish them, but threw them down upon the Table in Ellison's house, after that the Said Astley and Ellison went to work and that night cast severall halfe Crowns and Milled them, and boyled them as aforesaid, and of that money the Said Astley took away about 6. of the halfe Crowns, and about 20. of the Shillings, which he said was to pay off at Blackburn the Monday following. But the Said Ellison Astley and this Informant pearting in a fright about day break on sunday morning the 14th of May last, this Informant brought away with him the aforesaid Sixteen unedged Shillings thither brought by Henry Astley as aforesaid and goeing to his own house at Leversesy that day, where continued, till last Wednesday the 31.st of may when the Constable of Leversey apprehended this Informant and Searching his pocket found the aforenamed 16 counterfeited unfinished Shillings and with them brought this Informant before Mr Justice Foster of Preston who com̄itted this Informant to Lancer Goale. This Informant further saith that the abovesaid James Holding of Skipton hides his stamps and mill in a hole in the Chimney Range of his house (in Skipton where he now dwells) covered with a stone, but his handvice ham̄er and Files generally lye upon a cupboards head comeing into the house.
And further saith that when this Informant last parted with James Holding, he desired this Deponent to tell one Thomas Holden, of Liversey Weaver that he had broak his word with him in not bringing him the money he owed him in Exchange for counterfeit money, which the Said Thomas had received of the aforesaid James Holding; which this Informant did tell the said Tho.s Holding accordingly, who owned he was to give him 11.£ or 12£ of good money but said he would goe over to him Shortly.
And this Informant further saith that Henry Astley told this Informant that besides the Mill before mentioned, he had also a pair of Crown Stamps, and said that he bought them of James Walmsby late near Moulding-water blacksmith (who is now gone into Ireland) and of one Ric.d Annesworth, now of Lockholse in this County of Lanc.er giveing either of them 50.s a peice for the Said Crown Stamps. Willm his mark Nevill Capt et jurat anno et die Suꝑpdict apud Lancer in Com Lancast.er coram nobis Cha: Rigby Tho: Sherston
Source
MINT 15/17/486, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK5 June 1704, c. 1,335 words.