Anthony Richardson: The Information of Anthony Richardson 20 May 1704

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Com Lancaster Ss. The Informaion of Anthony Richardson of Craighton in Almonderness in the said County whitesmith taken upon Oath May 20.th 1704

Who upon his Oath saith yt about 12. years agoe (was last Michmas ) this Inform:t being at Brough fair in the County of York he there by acaident fell into company with John Arry als Verey, who haveing before this time been told (as this Inform:t understood) by one Carberry an Irishman, that this Inform:t had been imploy'd in makeing of Stamps or Dyes for counterfeiting money gave this Inform:t Orders to make or forge for him blank dyes for stamping shillings which this Inform:t did make, and about 3. months afterwards delivered them to the said Verey's own hand near unto Dolphinham Mills in Nether-Wyesdale in this County, for which the Sd Verey ꝑd this Inform:t 10.s he at the same time telling this Inform:t that one Crag (since dec.d would engrave the Sd Stamps for him, and about $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ a year after that, the Sd Verey came over to this Inform:ts house, (with one James Grahm of Thornham) and told this Inform:t that the said Cragg had engraved the stamps which proved very good Ones, and that they two had coyn'd a great deale of money with them and liked them very well.       That from that time untill about 4. years agoe this Inform:t had no dealings with the Sd Verey[Editorial Note 1] bro.t to this Inform:ts house a pair of stamps or dyes ready engraved by the said Cragg (as Verey said) for stamping or counterfeiting broad peices in the Similitude of the Jacoby broad peice of Gold, and the Sd Verey haveing also with him severall Copper half pence, did at this Inform:ts Shop beat them out to the consistemcy of (for breadth and thickness) wth the Jacoby peice, and then in this Inform:ts Sight and presence, Stamp't 5. or 6. of them, and also at the same time Gilt or washed them over with Gold, wch he the said Verey brought with him, leaveing one of them with this Inform:t wch he passed off (by way of loane) to one Will. Slackers of black burton in the County of York (the Sd Slackers knowing it to be Counterfeit) but he never pay'd this Inform:t for it as thô he Since owned he passed it for good.      And this Inform:t further Saith that ab.t Christmass last was 3. years agoe, the Sd Verey brought to the number of 20. or thereabouts, of the same sort of of {sic} Counterfeit broad peices ready Stamped (but not Gilt) to this Inform:ts house, and there in this Inform:ts Sight and presence did gilt them over as before, and at his going away at that time, he also left one of those counterefeit Jacobus peices with this Inform:t which this Inform:t lent to one Will _ _ _ _ _ to pass off, but was p.d for the same, which was all the dealings this Inform:t ever had with the said Airey als Verey in that kind; but dureing the time aforesd this Depon.t hath often heard ye said Speak of Henry Horsfaile of Lancr Chymist, and of his dealings and acquaintance wth the Sd Horsfaile, and once ꝑticularly this Inform:t remembers he heard the said Verey say, that the Sd Horsfaile and one Michall Lawson, were fallen out, and that the Sd Horsfaile would cut no more for ye Sd Lawson (which this Inform:t understood to be cutting of Stamps or dyes for counterfeiting of money) And at another <1v> time the Sd Verey told this Inform:t that himselfe and the Sd Horsfaile were also falen out, and therefore the Sd Verey desired leave of this Inform:t to send blank dyes in the Inform:ts name to Horsfaile to be cutt wch he this Inform:t consented unto, and this Informant hath heard the Sd Verey say that he delivered two peices of Counterfeit broad Gold to one Burrows als Emerson to put off:

This Inform:t further saith that before his first acquaintance with Verey, this Inform:t forged Severall blank Stamps or Dyes for Shillings and Sixpences (which this Inform:t delivered into the hands of of {sic}) for the above named Carberry as also to one Thomas Jackson of Cutshaw within Wyersdale in this County whome this Inform:t has heard is now in Ireland.       This Inform:t has also made blank Dyes or Stamps for Severall other persons who are either dead or, removed out of this County but now he remembers none of them.                                         Antho: Richardson Capt et jurat &ct. Coram Charles Rigby