The Information of William Lawrence< no role > of the parish of St:Andrews Wardrobe and Elizabeth< no role > his wife taken upon Oath
the 24th September 1719 .

Say

That these Informants about a Year agoe, making complaint to Mr. Jos:
Sherwood< no role > that they were poor and could not get their Living for want
of being Free of this City of London , He the said Sherwood Sometime
after told them these Informants that he had procured a Coppy of one
Thomas Lawrence< no role > a Salter which was also the Name of this Informt
William's Father and that if he could procure Six persons to Swear
that he this Informant was the reputed Son of that Thos: Lawrence< no role > in
the Coppy mentioned he would then obtain his Freedom, That there upon
these Informants did by Sherwoods direction apply to one Gearing a
Sollicitor to procure such Evidence who had Ten Shillings of them but
never could as he told these Informants get such Evidence And this
Informant William further Sayes thereupon Mr. Sherwood & John
Tillard< no role > went to the Salters Company & got this Informant William made
Free there And after that came with Four persons more to the Chamberlain
at Guild hall and Testified him this Informant William, to be the
reputed Son of Thomas Lawrence< no role > in the Copy above written And
thereupon he was admitted into the Freedom of this City al this intruth
this Informant was not the reputed Son of the said Thomas nor was his
reputed Father ever Free of this City to his knowledge or beleife And these Informts Further
Say sometime after the Chamberlain sent for this Informt; William
and told him he Suspected he had fraudulently got his Freedom or
words to that Effect and that unless he would bring better
Testimony he the said Chamberlain would cause him the said
William to be Disfranchised whereupon these Informants did
apply to Joseph Williams< no role > and did Agree with him for Twenty
Five Shillings to procure a Man to be further Evidence And
thereupon Joseph Williams< no role > and one Arundell Powell< no role > did
procure one John Jackson< no role > who did come and Testifie before
the Chamberlain that he knew this Informant William to be