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 Information of William Ienners of the parish 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 Informant searched the house of Humphrey Honesty at Halesown Naylor and then and there was found a pair of Flasks Blancht Copper spaud and other materialls commonly used for making of counterfeit money and upon the 7th. dau of this instant month of Aprill this Informant was told by one John Sparrow (who then lay under sentence of death for counterfeiting of the Current Coyn of this Realme that 2 persons had sworn against 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 Guinea Stamps that the false Guinea was stampt with that was cut in mr. Stowe's Lodging at Stafford the last assizes held there and that one John 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 Informant that Sparrow aforesaid had left out of his Information four considerable persons that he had not discovered but Bate said he would make Sparrow bring them out for that (as Bate said Sparrow told him his whole mind and that Sparrow should conceal nothing that would serve the Government (or words to that effect) and that the said John Bate did further tell this Informant 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> parish of Derby in the County of Worcester had another pair of Stamps for milld money and was at work with them at that time as Bate said he was told and likewise that Sparrow told him the said Bate (as he said to this Informant) that there was 10 Guineas given to a Minister (who assisted and prayed with the Prisoners in Stafford Gaol) to go after the Iudge to Shrewsbury to procure or obtain a Reprieve for Sparrow as this Deponent did then understand by the said Bate and 10 Guineas to a Councellor at Law and 10 Guineas to the Keeper of the Gaol at Stafford to Sollicit likewise the Iudge for a Reprieve for Sparrow aforesaid and the said John Bate further said that himself, his wife mr. Wilcox and Ioseph Hedger can testify against John Harvey for making counterfeit mill'd money in Staffordshire and other neighbouring Countreys or words to that effect

And that he hath latly been told by severall persons that Benjamin Parks of Rowley of the County of Stafford Henry Wakelam alias Wakeaman,      Coley and George Edge of the said parrish of Dudley are Counterfeiters of the Current Coyn of this Realme, and that 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 Informant 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 that he hath heard the like complaint at Daintry in Northamptonshire and likewise at Wapping in the County of Middlesex and that at Daintry the people said they were forced to get their money looked over by some persons that understood money well That he hath heard one Iustice Weaver of the Marvell in the said County of Salop say that the reward of 40ll that is given by act of parliament 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 that he thought it would be for the publick service to have the re{illeg}ed of 40l taken off

Will Ienners

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