Rebecca Berry: The Deposition of Rebecca Berry the wife of Edward Berry 11 August 1698

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The Deposicon of Rebecca Berry the wife of Edward Berry taken this 11th. day of augt. 1698

She sayth That abot. a year ago mr. Robt. Lacy and his wife Mary went into Wales with the Royall Oak Lottery by a Pattent which they had for it in 4 Counties and at their returns they both and their servant Thomas Read told the Informt. severall tymes wh. had passed there an ꝑticularly how they coyned money there to put off and that the Spaud with which they cast it was very fine and how they could have made much more but that the woman of the house where they lodged was very prying and inquisitive and how at length the people began to suspect that they made Counterfeit money, and how Mr Irelon sent down to the Mayor of Carmarthen before ye Condemnacon of I Gregory to let him know yt Lacy's wife was taken in putting off Counterfeit money, and thereupon the Mayor of Carmarthen putt the said Lacy into prison till the assizes wn. he was acquitted And how afterwards they went down togeather into Wales as is above menconed untill they began to talk of their being Coyners and how they came away and left the Oak and board for con Lottery behind him. She sayth also yt abot a year and a half ago or above one Solomon Hewett workt in Moorfields for the said Mary Lacy as she hath heard and there Mary Lacy learnt of him and while they workt there the house was searcht and the Tooles taken and Hewit fled and Mary Lacy was taken by Saker in Bedd with abot. 4ll. Counterfeit money in Bed with her, And that by the means of Dun and St. Leger she was made an Evidence and acccused the said Solomon Hewet and his brother David Hewet and David's wife and Sarah <9r> Adams the Mrs. of Solomon Hewet but none of them were taken as Solomon Hewett who made his escape. And that she hath heard yt Ioseph Brooker taught Solomon Hewet to coyn. She saith also that last spring the said Lacy and his wife took a house (as she thinks) in ye City For coyning but the woman of the house dyeing they did not go into that house. She saith that they dessigned to coyn Gineas {sic} in that house but being dissapointed {sic} by the death of the woman of that house the said Lacy afterwards tryed in another house to coyn Gineas {sic} of Copper wy{illeg} but could not make it run and then sent the Deponts. Husband to Keyes to get ym done, and thereupon Keyes got Iohn Smith to make them She sayth also that abot. 3 months ago Thomas Read the servant of Mr Lacy brought to the Depont. 6 shillings in counterfeit Mill'd shillings made of block Tinn, and not long after Mr. Lacy above menconed brought to ye Depont. six shillings more in like shillings and sixpences. Some of which are now produced by the Depont. she saith also that she heard Mr. Lacy say that he had orderd Thomas Read to make no more of that money, and that the Tools were all removed away but a litle {sic} pair of Flasks which he had left wth Mrs Read

Rebecca Berry

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