The Deposiction of InoJohn. Pithall of Norwich Court ever agt.against the May poll in the Strand East Smithfield taken this 9th. day of IJuly 1698

He saith that he hath known F:erdinando Croudson these 5 yeares and yt.that abot.about 4 yeares ago he saw the said Croudson at Eggermond abotabout 4 miles from Whit:ehaven, and that he the said Croudson had ynthen counterfeit money (atlestat least 5s) newly cast in imitaction of old hammerdhammered money And yt.that abot.about a fortnight ago the said Croudson came to the Deponts.Deponents house being latly come frofrom Holland and had then Two Counterfeit Dollaws and two counterfeit English shillings mill'd money, and acknowledged to the DepontDeponent that he made them himselfe and put severall Mixtures into them And that on Thursday was a Fortnight he came againe to the Deponent's house, and on Saturday following being the 25th. day of IJune he sent the Depont.Deponent to the Black Lyon in Foster Lane to buy a pair of Iron Flasks for which the Depont.Deponent gave 1s. 6d. and that the night before the Deponent fetcht abot.about 2 quarts of sand to cast in from Mr. Scotts the Corner house going into Sr. William Warren's square near King Edward stairs in Wapping And that on the said Saturday was a fortnight he melted down a small parcell of Dutch money and cast five English counterfeit Milld shillings. And the same night he sent yethe Depont.Deponent to a pewterer to buy half a pound of Block Tinn and a quartr.quarter of a pound of Tin-glass and melt:ed the same in a Crucible and poured the metal into a Mold made with the Flasks and sand above menctioned and that he thus cast at lestleast 4 times making 6 counterfeit shillings at a time and yethe DepontDeponent saw him cast and edge the said Counterfeit shillings and Mold the Flasks in which he cast them and that he also saw him case the 5s. above menctioned and that he edged the sdsaid counterfeit money with a File

The Depont.Deponent sayth also that on W:ednesday was Tonnight he saw the said Croudson wash over with Aqua Fortis a Silver GineaGuinea which he said he brought from Holland and then ruff it over with Quick Silver and dry it upon charcole fire and the GineaGuinea turned yellow like good gold and that he took the Quick silver out of a Chest which he said he brought from Holland He saith also yt.that the said Croudson told the Depont.Deponent yt.that he had been Prisoner in Chester, and made his escape by giving the Keeper a Brick of 30 GineasGuineas

He saith also yt.that a Chest and portmanue found in yethe DepontsDeponents house with files Metalls and other things things in them belongd.belonged to yethe said Croudson and that he saw the said Croudson put into yt.that chest yethe File with which he edged the false money above menctioned

He saith also that a counterfeit shilling which he dropt in the hosue of Sr.Sir Robt. IJeffreys was made by the said Croudson

He saith also ytthat abot.about 3 yeares ago he received counterfeit mony of Thomas Pithall of Broughton beyond Cartnall Sands in Lancashire and yt.that the said Tho Pithall and Croudson were Fellow Shop Keepers at the said Broughton near Dutton Bridge

The Depont.Deponent saith also that a green bagg of Coyning Tooles found by Chest:er Castle the said Croudson did own to be his and ytthat if he had b:e:en there he would have thrown them into the Ditch of the castle

The DepontDeponent saith also ytthat he hath heard the sd.said Croudson speak of one Thomas Nelson as a coyner who is now in custody to be tryed next assizes at Lancaster