Citty of Chester Ss}The ExaiaīonExamination of Joseph Horton Gent taken before Will: Bennett Esqr.Esquire
Mayor of the Citty of Chester & John Williams Esqr.Esquire Deputy Recorder
of the Same Citty upon Tuesday the 17.th day of of October in yethe
15.th year of his Ma.tsMajesties Reign King William yethe 3.d over England &c.
Anno dmi 1699.
Joseph Horton Cittizen and Goldsmith of London but now resident
in the Citty of Chester being ExaīedExamined Saith that on fryday last at night he
Lay at his Country house at Cotton Hook near Chester & came from there
to his house in Chester on Satturday Last about 11. of yethe Clock in yethe Forenoon
and returned thence to Cotton-Hook about Eleaven of yethe Clock in the night of the
the same day and stay'd there till Yesterday being yethe 16.th day of this Instant October and came from thence on foot to his said house in
Chester about 8. of yethe Clock of the fore noon of yethe Same day, and
then haveing Lime sand and Bricks in readiness in yethe Sellar of
the said house he im̄ediately Sett himselfe to Work and made up
Some Mortar, and haveing about 3. days before lay'd yethe Foundaīion of a
Furnace in yethe SdSaid Sellar and raised the Same about 3. brickes
high from the Floethe Morning
and finished and ꝑfectedperfeced the Same with his own hands, by 11. of
the Clock in the forenoon of yethe Same day haveing carried the Worke
also to make up the Mortar with his own hands, And then this
ExaīantExaminant im̄ediately built a fire upon yethe said furnace and put abtabout 50 or 60 pounds
of brass Mettall into Severall potts upon the SdSaid fire, in Order to be
Melted and refined, intending therewith to make some Images of
fine Brass to be used at his said Countrey house at Cotton Hook.
And abtabout 12. or 1. of yethe Clock yethe Same day he went to dinner haveing
the said Potts upon yethe SdSaid fire, and dined on a peice of Porck
haveing no other Company att dinner than his own Children and
Maid Serv.tServant. And further this ExaīantExaminant saith ytthat for abtabout 7. years
last past, he hath been acquainted with one Mr Bery alias Roberts
born and bred in WestmerWestminster as this ExaīantExaminant hath heard and beleives, and
is Intitled to an Estate of 200.£ ꝑ an̄per annum in WestmerWestminster aforesaid (as this ExaīantExaminant
hath also heard and beleives) and yethe SdSaid Mr RobtsRoberts for about 12 months
last past hath usually lived & reseided with this ExaīantExaminant, but this
ExaīantExaminant hath not Seen him at all within 3. dayes last past, and is very ꝑticularlyparticularly certain ytthat he yethe SdSaid RobtsRoberts did not live with ExaīantExaminant
yesterday nor was he concern'd with this ExaīantExaminant in yethe Makeing Setting
up or useing the said furnace in this ExaīantExaminants Sellar, but this ExaīantExaminant
alone after dinner Yesterday attended yethe said Metall in yethe SdSaid Potts, and
about 4. of yethe Clock in yethe Afternoon yethe SdSaid Metall began to Melt, and this
ExaīantExaminant continued attending and Fluxing yethe Same haveing given dirionsdirections
to his SdSaid MaidServant if any body enquired for him to say he was not
at home, because yethe said work required continuall attendance, and
this ExaīantExaminant Expected to have been been employ'd about the Same, the
greatest past of the Last night, but about 6. or 7. of yethe Clock att
night this ExaīantExaminant haveing rec.dreceived Severall Messages from Mr James
Mainwareing ytthat yethe said Mr Mainwareings house was on fire, the ExaīantExaminant
used all the ExpediionExpedition he could to demollish yethe said Furnace & put out
the SdSaid Fire which was thereon, in wchwhich time Severall of yethe SdSaid melting Potts
were broak or overturned and the said Mettall ran into the fire
And whereas a Certain great Brass Engine or Instrum.tInstrument haveing a strong
Iron Screw at the one End of it and yethe other end or Some part
thereof melted away, was found last night upon Search in yethe
Cistern of Water there, This ExaīantExaminant declareth ytthat he never before ytthat time
used or Saw the Same Engine or Instrum.tInstrument nor doth he know how or
by waht means the Same Engine or Instrum.tInstrument was conveyed into yethe Said
Cistern Jos. Horton
Capt apud Civit Cester: die &
an̄o primo Suprad. coram
Wm Bennet Mayor
John Williams Vera Copia Exami ꝑ Roger Comberbach
Cler pacis &c.t