The Informacon of Wm. Lawrence< no role > of the
Parish of St. Andrews Wardrobe & Elizabeth< no role > his
Wife taken upon Oath ye 24th September 1719 .

Say

That these Informants abt a year aged, making Complaint to Mr
Jos: Sherwood< no role > that they were poor & could not get their living for
want of being free of this City of London , He the sd. Sherwood
sometime after told them these Informants that he had procured
a Copy of one Thos. Lawrence< no role > a Salter wch. was alsoe ye name of
this Informant Williams Father & that if he could procure Six Plays
to swear that he this informt: was the reputed Son of that Thomas
Lawrence< no role > in the Copy menconed he would then obtain his Freedom
That thereupon these Informts. did by Sherwoods direccon apply to
one Gearing a Sollicitor to procure such Evidence who had ten
Shillings of them but never could as he told these Informts get such
Evidence And this Informt Wm. further say's thereupon Mr. Sherwood
& Jno Tilllard< no role > went to ye Salters Company & got this Informant Wm
made free theie And after that came with four persons more to ye
"Chamblain at Guildhall & testified him this Informant William
to be ye reputed son of Thos. Lawrence in ye Copy above written
And thereupon he was admitted into the Freedom of this City
altho' in truth this Informant was not the reputed son of ye sd Thos
nor was his reputed Father ever free of this City to his knowledge or
beleife and these Informts further say sometime after the Chamlain
sent for this Informt. Wm & told him he suspected to had fraudulently
got his Freedom or words to that effect & that unless he would being
better Testimony he ye sd. Chamblain would cause him the sd Wm
to be distranchized Whereupon these Informants did apply to Jos;
Williams< no role > & did agree wth him for Twenty five Shillings to procure
a man to be further Evidence & there upon Joseph Williams< no role > & one
Arundell Powell< no role > did procure one John Jackson< no role > who did come &
testifie before ye Chamberlain that he knew this Informt William
to be ye Son of Thos Lawrence< no role > Salter for wth he this Informt. gave ye
sd Jackson ten Shillings as he had demanded before he was
sworne And Williams & Arundell Powell< no role > had of these Informts.
upwards of thirty Shillings for procuring Jackson to swear

London Septe the 24th 1719 Sworn
before me Jno. Ward< no role > Majt

the mark of [mark] Wm Lawrence< no role >
the mark of [mark] Eliz Lawrence< no role >