William Jenners: The Information of William Jenners of the parish of Halesowen with the county of Salop Naylor 25 April 1699

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The Informacon of William Ienners of the ꝑish of Halesowen with the County of Salop Naylor taken this 25th day of aprill 1699

Who saith That upon the 4th. day f this Instant aprill he this Informt. searched the house of Humphrey Honesty at Halesown Naylor and then and there was found a pair of Flasks Bl{illeg}ancht Copper spaud and other materialls commonly used for making of counterfeit money and upon the 7th. dau of this instant month of Aprill this Informt was told by one Iohn Sparrow (who then lay under sentence of death for counterfeiting of the Current Coyn of this Realme that 2 persons had sworn agt. severall persons to a Iustice of the Peace in Stafford and that Sparrow did design to have the said persons taken up the next week following and the said Sparrow said that he would bring out the man that made the Ginea {sic} Stamps that the false Ginea {sic} was stampt with that was cut in mr. Stowe's Lodging at Stafford the last assizes held there and that one Iohn Bate who likewise laid at the same time a Prisoner under sentence of death for counterfeiting of the Current Coyn of this Realm told this Informt. that Sparrow aforesaid had left out of his Informacon four considerable persons that he had not discoverd. but Bate said he would make Sparrow bring them out for that (as Bate said Sparrow told him his whole mind and yt. Sparrow should conceal nothing that would serve the Governmt. (or words to that effect and that the said Iohn Bate did further tell this Informt. that one Wilkinson had a pair of stamps for Mill'd money (as Bate was told of Harvey's making who was tryed for making false money the last assizes held at Shrewsbury and that mr.      Greenfield of the <93r> ꝑish of Derby in the County of Worcester had another pair of Stamps for milld money and was at work with them at yt. time as Bate said he was told and likewise that Sparrow told him the said Bate (as he said to this Informt) that there was 10 Gineas {sic} tgiven to a Minister (who assisted and prayd. with the Prisoners in Stafford Gaol) to go after the Iudge to Shrewsbury to procure or obtain a Reprieve for Sparrow as this Depont. did then understand by the said Bate and 10 Gineas {sic} to a Councellr. at Law and 10 Gineas {sic} to the Keeper of the Gaol at Stafford to Sollicit likewise the Iudge for a Reprieve for Sparrow aforesaid and the said Iohn Bate further said that himself, his wife mr. Wilcox and Ioseph Hedger can testify agt. Iohn Harvey for making counterfeit mill'd money in Staffordsh and other neighbouring Countreys or words to that effect

And that he hath latly been told by severall persons yt. Benjamin Parks of Rowley of the County of Stafford Henry Wakelam als Wakeaman,      Coley and George Edge of the said parrish of Dudley are Counterfeitrs. of the Current Coyn of this Realme, and yt one William Harris (as he hath been told of the parrish of Halesowen is now removing a considerable way from the place where he doth or latly did live to one that has latly taken him a house that dealt with him formerly in counterfeit money and that tis believed the said person and Harris design to make counterfeit money there and this Informt. is promisst to have notice where the said Harris designes to live and dwell— And that he hath latly heard severall persons in Warwickshire complain that there is a great deal of Counterfeit money put off amongst them and that it daily increaseth and yt he hath heard the like complaint at Daintry in Northamptonshire and likewise at Wapping in the County of Middx and that at Daintry the people said they were forced to get their money looked over by some persons yt understood money well That he hath heard one Iustice Weavr. of the Marvell in the said County of Salop say that the reward of 40ll that is given by act of parliamt. upon the Conviction of False Coyners (or words to that effect) did not answer the end that it was designed for because it gave the Iuryes occasion to think that persons swore falsly to get the Reward of 40l and so by that means Criminalls often escape Iustice and yt. he thought it would be for the publick service to have ye re{illeg}ed of 40l taken off

Will Ienners

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