Citty of Chester Ss}ExaminaionsExaminations taken upon Oath before William Bennett Esqr.Esquire Mayor
and Henry Lloyd Alderman, his Ma.tiesMajesties Justices of yethe peace for
the County of yethe said Citty of Chester, upon fryday the 20.th day of Octob
in yethe 11.th Year of yethe Raign of His Ma.tyMajesty King William yethe 3.d over EngldEngland
&c.t Anno Dni 1699.
John Fallows of Preese in the County of Salop Yeom̄Yeoman aged 21. Years or thereab.
(son of George Fallows of Preese aforesaid Chair maker) ExaiedExamined upon Oath
saith ytthat he hath lived for about 5. Years as a Servant with John Morgan
of Preese aforesaid Inn holder at the Sign of the Red lyon there
till his said Master dyed ab.tabout 3. Weeks agoe, Since wchwhich time this ExaīantExaminant
hath lived with his SdSaid Father in Preese aforeSdSaid And was Sent by his SdSaid
Father yesterday from Preese aforesaid wthwith a Horse load of Chairs
to Mr John Tudor Tinplate Worker in Chester and came to yethe SdSaid Citty about
5. a Clock yesterday in the afternoon haveing never been in yethe said Citty
before, And yethe SdSaid Mr Tudor told this ExaīantExaminant he might have time to See
the Town this Morning before he returned to Preese, Whereupon this ExaīantExaminant
went out this morning early down to yethe bridge and thence to yethe Castle of
Chester, and haveing looked about him there a little While he went from
thence upon the Citty Walls to a certain Tower (which he hath Since heard is call'd is called the New Tower.) And Seeing a Ship in building upon
the Sands he went down to view it, haveing never Seen a Ship before
and as he returned thence between 7. & 8. a clock this present Morning
he espyed a Bag lying upon the Sands about a Yard from yethe said
River, and ab.tabout 20. Roods below yethe SdSaid New Tower, and when he came to
it finding it was not Tyed att yethe Top He first opened it wthwith his Stick, and
afterwards put his hand into it, and found therein Some Tooles &
Instrum.tsInstruments wchwhich he thought were made for Coyning of Money, and
while he was considering what to doe therewith, three other persons
who were walking upon the Said Sands towards this ExaīantExaminant, and
being now present call themselves John Yeoman Robt Buckley and
Sam.ll Davies asked this ExaīantExaminant what he had found there, who
made answer ytthat he thought there were Something for Coyning of
Money, whereupon yethe SdSaid Mr Yeoman Mr Buckley & Mr Davies, and this ExaīantExaminant Searched yethe said Bag, and found therein the 5. Iron Instrum.tsInstruments
now produced. One of wchwhich is a boc with 4. Screws in it togeather with
15. punches for letters now produced and One of the 3. dyes wchwhich are
now also produced and Impressed in Wax on yethe Margent of this paper
but this ExaīantExaminant knows not wchwhich of yethe SdSaid dyes was found in yethe said Bag
the other 2. Dyes being also then found by the said Three Persons above
named Loose in yethe said River near yethe same place, And this ExaīantExaminant
and yethe said 3. other Persons looking ab.tabout them them further in yethe Said River
Saw another lesser Bag in yethe said River ab.tabout 3. Yards from yethe Shoar
upon wchwhich, this ExaīantExaminant stepped into yethe said River & with a Hook Stick drew
yethe said lesser Bag out of yethe said River, wchwhich being im̄ediately opened, was
found to contain Two brass Instrum.tsInstruments now produced (each of them
haveing Six Iron Screws) and one other Instrum.tInstrument of Iron now also
produced, And this ExaīantExaminant further Saith that he knows not when
how nor by whome yethe said Instrum.tsInstruments nor any of them were conveyed
to yethe places aforeSdSaid where they were so found, nor hath he ever Seen
any Such Things before. John Fallows