Katherine Carter: The Information of Katherine Carter the wife of Thomas Carter now prisoner in Newgate 21 February 1698/9
The Information of Katherine Carter the wife of Thomas Carter now prisoner in newgate 21th. February 169
She saith that about Iune or Iuly last she had of William Chaloner now prisoner in Newgate severall parcells of Counterfeit mill'd Shillings which seemed to be made of pewter vizt. at one time 12s. at another time 2s. at another time 5s and at other times other summs ammounting in all to about 20 or 30 such Shillings and that he told her that he made them himself and that before he made them he told the Informant that he was to make an 100℔ in Dutch money for a Merchant and for that purpose he borowed a room of the Informant to work in and desired the Informant to get some Charcoale for him and accordingly the Informant took in half a bushell of Charcoale for him and he made a mould of a certain past dryed and hardened like potters Ware to cast <57r> a new sort of Dutch money in and the Informant saw the said mould in the said room in Chaloner's custody (who was then in the room) and saw him cast a piece of Dutch money in the said mould and finish that and others which he had cast before and the Deponent received two of them from him and have them to a Gentleman to shew them to the Merchant for a specimen And the said Chaloner then told the Informant that he intended to make smy another mould for shillings and about a week after gave the Informant the Shillings above mentioned or some of them and said that they were dangerous or else he could make them as well as they were in the Tower
And the Deponent saith further that the said Chaloner about the same time began to grave the plate for mault Tickets and the Deponent gave a shilling to buy a piece of leather to make a sand bagg and when he had scratcht the plate with flourishes and letters he left it in the Deponents custody for 3 or 4 daies and then workt upon it againe and made the letters and flourishes smooth and gave it again to the Deponent to keep for him and the lines lookt black as if some papers had been printed off and after the Deponent had kept the plate 3 or 4 daies she removed to another Lodging and delivered the said Plate to the said Chaloner
The Deponent saith further that for the 12s. above mentioned she gave the said Chaloner 8s. of good money And that between 7 and 8 years ago she had two or 3 Counterfeit French pistolls of the said William Chaloner to put off and gave him 14s. a piece for tham and about 6 or 7 years ago she had severall parcells of Counterfeit Guineas of the said William Chandler and gave him for them sometimes 12s. a piece sometimes less they being not so well done as the pistolls and that she hath heard the said Chaloner speak of his making the said Guineas and said that he made them at his brother Io Gavener's house and that the said Chaloner once left in the Deponents custody the Head Guinea Dye with which he coyned the Guineas and Chaloner commending the Dye said that it was worth 500℔, and being askt who graved it said that Taylor the Engraver had in hand but could not do it effectually and so he (Chaloner) was fain to finish it himself Afterwards the said Chaloner calling for the said Dye or stamp said that he was to let one Nicholas Salber have some Guineas to carry down into the Countrey and the Deponent saith further that Mary Ball her maid servant saw the said Challoner the summer give her his Deponent two of the pewter shillings above mentioned + Soon after the Deponent gave one of them to said Maid servant to charge And the Deponent believes that the said Mary Ball hath had of her 8 or 9 of those shillings to put off And the Deponent saith further that she hath received of the said Chaloner severall parcells of Counterfeit to put off and continued to receive such monies off him till the May before the hammered monies began to be called in that is bill last May was 2 yeares
the mark of Kath Carter
Source
MINT 15/17/120, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK21 Feb 1698/9, c. 748 words.