Robert Lacy: The Examination of Robert Lacy late of Newstreet in the Parish of St Brides London Mercer 13 August 1698

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The Examinacon of Robt. Lacy late of Newstreet in ye Parish of St. Brides London Mercer taken this 13 day of August Anno Dni 1698

Who sayth That in or abot. Iune or Iuly 1697 one mr. Geo: Owen of Norbutt in the County of Pembrooke in the Dominion of Wales Mercer came with this Informt. out of Wales to the City of Lond. and did then desire this Informt. to bring him acquainted with some body yt. could make false and counterfeit money, and this Deponent's wife and the said Owen became acquainted togeather and by that means the said Owen invited her into the Countrey of Wales in order to carry on his Dessign of making false and counterfeit money, and this Informt. and his said wife went into Wales with the said Owen in order to make false money as aforesaid and in October last past this Informt. saw the said Geo Owen Griffith morgan of the said Norbutt Victuallr. and Thomas Read counterfeit the Current Coyn of this Kingdom by casting shillings at the said Griffiths Morgans house and the wifes of the said Owen and Morgan were privy to and acquainted with the practises aforesaid and as the said owen told this Informant that severall ꝑsons were to take and pay away the false money vizt one Mr. pritchard steward to one Sr. Geo Barley Arthur Foley one mr Edwards of Harford West and one Mr. Owen unckle to the sd. owen and one Mr. Crow this Informt. further sayth that abot 4 yeares ago one Evan Iohn of Islington did in the sight of this Depont counterfeit the Currt. Coyn of this Kingdom by stamping shills and sixpences at his own house at Islington he made the false money with Dyes that he engraved himself as he told this Informt. And that abot. a year a {sic}goand a half ago one Solomon Hewett who lived at the Swan ale house in Burchin Lane London and David Hewett his brother offerd to sell to this Informt. counterfeit mony and told this Informant that they made it themselves

This Informt. further sayth that abot. 4 months ago one Edward Berry who keeps the Fountain al house near the Barge house in Lambeth ꝑish in the County of Surrey desired this Informt. to get him 200 false Gineas {sic} made for him in order as he said to pay away to a friend or Confederate before Witness and afterwards the said Confederate was to be robb.d of them and then sue the hundred for the same and bring the ꝑson that saw them paid as a witness to prove the payment thereof but this Informt did not procure the said Berry any <11r> false Gineas {sic}, but the said Berry did afterwards procure a great many false Gineas {sic} and as Berry told this Informt. did convert the same to the use aforesd.— And that in April last one mr. Read aforesd and mary Bush of Highgate widdow did in the presence of this Depont. counterfeit the Currt. Coyn of this Kingdom by casting shills. & some half Crowns at the house of the said mary Bush This Informt further sayth that abot. 4 or 5 months ago the said Berry did desire the said Mr Read to make false Crowns and half Crowns and said that he had a friend that could edge them and if he coyned them well the said Berry would take as many of his hands as he and Freiends {sic} could make

Robt. Lacy