Robert Lawrence: The Information of Robert Lawrence 25 October 1703

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 15/17/451, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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  - 23 July 2019
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Wilts Ss The Information of Rob:^t Lawrence of Calne in the said county of Wilts Glazier who upon his oath saith

That Robert Hort of Calne in this county Malster did about 3 quarters of a year ago in his said Robert Horts dwelling house att Calne aforesaid shew to this informant a base & counterfeit peice in imitation of a 5. shilling peice of the currant coine of this realm. and at the same time told this informant that the said peice was of his the Said Robert Horts own making, & that he had for severall years before the late regulation of the coyn made counterfeit money and particularly french three pences, and that two being afterwards att the house of one William Clerk of Studly the Said Rob^t: Hort did then and there deliver to this informant that or such another counterfeit peice and desired this informant to offer it in payment for the reckoning there, (it being a publick house) and this informant farther saith that about seven weeks since he being in a chamber in the house of the said Robt: Hort did in the window of the Said chamber see about 3. or 4.^£ by tale of counterfeit money in imitation of shillings & crown peices of the currant coyn of this realm, that that the greatest part of it was at that time very black, butt he did see the Said Rob^t: Hort take one of those peices and rubbing it with dirt did bring it to a colour like silver, and also take severall of them and break them with his fingers into severall peices, the metall what ever it was, being very brittle, and this Informant further sayth that he did at the same time see in the Said chamber a wooden box with a fine powder in it which seemed to this informant to be chalk and that the Said Box & chalk were for casting of counterfeit money or some such use as this informant beleives, there being a hole at one end for the metall to be poured in att, and that too, appearing to have been burnt by the hott metall, and for that the Said Rob^t: Hort hath been used frequently to borrow a melting laddle of this informant and this informant further saith that he did att the time that he was in the Said Rob^t: Horts chamber as is aforesaid see the {Said} Rob^t: Hort take one of the peices made in imitation of shillings and with a knife cutt & make the grainings round about the edges of the same peice and this informant saith that the Said Rob^t: Hort when he shewed the first 5 shilling peice as is aforesaid, did tell this informant that he should come and see him coyn money and make some peices himself that he might be as far concerned in it as the said Robert Hort, and that then neither of them could hang one another being only two concerned and farther that he did find in and bring away from the said Robert Horts house a peice of mettall like silver & the peice made in imitation of a Shilling the graining of the edge of part whereof he this informant did see the Said Robert Hort make as is aforesaid and delivered them both to Edward Townsend of Calne aforesaid Grocer Rob^t: Lawrence Jurat 25^th die octob: anno 1703 corā me Hen: Chivers