Lancaster Ss. The InformaionInformation 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 ab.tabout 2. years agoe that one John Crawford Crawshaw of Barrowfold ab.tabout 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 Inform:tInformant was desireous to be acquainted with the SdSaid Crawshaw, and for that purpose went to his house, and after that this Inform:tInformant had told him what character he had heard of him, and this Inform:tInformants inclination being that way, he was free with this Inform:tInformant and own'd that he had lately made a pair of Stamps or dyes, for one James Holden of Skipton aforesdaforesaid Weaver for stamping halfe Crowns, as alsoe a Mill for milling or lettering half Crowns upon the Edges, and the SdSaid Crawshaw at yethe same time shewed to this Inform:tInformant halfe a Crown wchwhich he said he had Stamped with the SdSaid Instrum.tsInstruments And the SdSaid Crawshaw understanding that this Inform:tInformant was a trader and could put off money he told this this Inform:tInformant ytthat if about a month afterwards, this Inform:tInformant would come to him he would let him have 10.£ in Counterfeit money for Seaven Seaven pounds Good money, but this Inform:tInformant never went again to the SdSaid Crawshaw, but was shortly after com̄itted to the Goale of Lancaster on suspiconsuspicion of Fellony, but upon his tryall being acquitted the next assizes (now about a year agoe) this Inform:tInformant went over to Dublin where this Inform:tInformant continued untill Aprill last past. and comeing over to Leverpoole in this County about a week before last May day from thence this Inform:tInformant repaied to the house of James Holding aforesdaforesaid The SdSaid Holding before this Inform:tInformant went over into Ireland haveing shewed him the Instruments wchwhich the SdSaid Crawshaw had made for him as aforesdaforesaid which he said he liked very well, and after he this Inform:tInformant had continued some dayes at Holdings house he was very free in owning what coūterfeit moneys he had lately made, and in ꝑticularparticular on thursday the 4th of May last fetched out his InstrumtsInstruments 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 instrumtinstrument for that purpose, cast (in this Inform:tInformants 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 Inform:tInformant did see the SdSaid 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 yethe current Coyn all which was done in the presence of this Inform:tInformant And after that the SdSaid Holden gave unto this Inform:tInformant tenn of those twenty new counterfeit halfe Crowns, and at the same time told this Inform:tInformant 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 ytthat this Inform:tInformant had left Holdings house and the day after this Inform:tInformant came to his own house at Leversey (where he stay'd with his own wife untill Tuesday following the 9.th of may, and ytthat day goeing to yethe house of John Ellison of Overdarwelle (wthwith whome this Inform:tInformant had a former acquaintance) and after some discourse betwixt them (vizt) about thursday the 11.th of May, he shewed this Inform:tInformant his Flasks and Spawd wherein he cast counterfeit money; his Spawd being as he shew'd this Inform:tInformant 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 $\frac{1}{2}$ Crown, but without letters on the Edge, wchwhich he afterwards made with a Mill, he also had for that purpose, and in like manner this Inform:tInformant saw the said Ellison cast about 20.s and 10. halfe Crownes and he telling this Inform:tInformant that he had not a good way of colouring them this Inform:tInformant told him of the Ingredients above mentioned, which he the day after after sent for to Preston, and boyling the said $\frac{1}{2}$ Crowns and Shillings in it liked them very well, the said Ellison told this Inform:tInformant 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 yethe said Henry Astley, came to the aforesdaforesaid John Ellison's house with about 16. Stamped Shilling but without any Nicks on the Edges, wchwhich Astley said he had made at his own house, but by reason of some company that was there he had not an opꝑtunityopportunity to Finish them, but threw them down upon the Table in Ellison's house, after that the SdSaid 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 SdSaid Astley took away ab.tabout 6. of the halfe Crowns, and about 20. of yethe Shillings, wchwhich he said was to pay off at Blackburn aforesaid the Monday following. But the SdSaid Ellison Astley and this Inform:tInformant pearting in a fright ab.tabout day break on sunday morning the 14th of May last, this Informant brought away with him the aforesdaforesaid Sixteen unedged ShillsShillings thither brotbrought by Henry Astley as aforesdaforesaid and goeing to his own house at Leversesy that day, where continued, till last Wednesday the 31.st of may when the ConbleConstable of Leversey apprehended this Inform:tInformant and Searching his pocket found the aforenamed 16 counterfeited unfinished Shillings and with them brotbrought this Inform:tInformant before Mr Justice Foster of Preston who com̄itted this Inform:tInformant to Lancer Goale. This Inform:tInformant 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.