Stephen Dugdale
Encyclopedia
Stephen Dugdale was an informer, and self-proclaimed discoverer of parts of the Popish Plot
(in reality a fabrication). He perjured himself on numerous occasions, giving false testimony.
. In 1677 Dugdale was steward to Walter Aston, 2nd Lord Aston of Forfar
at Tixall
, Staffordshire
, where he cheated the workmen of their wages. In July or August letters arrived connected with the plot. Jesuits and the Catholic lords were said to be deeply implicated. Meetings at Tixall followed in August and September 1678, and the death of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey was discussed. By September Dugdale found himself about to be dismissed for embezzlement and general misconduct. He spoke to the justices of the peace, when they issued warrants for the apprehension of George Hobson and George North. Although he professed to have broken open letters from Paris to Evers and others, he had little but hearsay evidence, and pretended to have destroyed the most dangerous documents on the eve of his departure. He gave evidence against the 'five popish lords' (Lord Stafford
, Earl of Powis, Lord Arundell of Wardour
, Lord Belasyse
and Lord Petre
) in October 1678. On 24 December 1678 he swore an information before Thomas Lane and J. Vernon in Staffordshire. His initial reception by the Government was favourable : he was intelligent, educated and well-spoken, in marked contrast to Titus Oates
. His testimony, in the early stages, was so plausible that even Charles II
, a sceptic, " began to think there was somewhat in the Plot "; while Chief Justice William Scroggs
found him entirely convincing. By the time his unsavoury past came to light he had done a great deal of harm.
He charged John Tasborough and Mrs. Ann Price with soliciting him to sign a paper of recantation of his evidence, and offering him £1,000 reward for it. In February 1679 these persons were tried and convicted at the king's bench
; Price had been Dugdale's fellow-servant and sweetheart at Tixall. Afterwards Dugdale led a shifty, vagabond life, giving evidence and writing pamphlets, at first associating chiefly with William Bedloe
, Oates, and Edward Turberville
, but eventually turning against Stephen College
and confronting Oates. At the trial of the five Jesuits (Thomas Whitebread, William Barrow
alias Harcourt, John Fenwick
, John Gavan
, and Anthony Turner, from 13 June 1679) Dugdale charged two of them with consulting to bring about the assassination of Charles II. He charged Whitebread with writing a letter providing for the entertainment of 'good stout fellows,' namely the four Irish 'ruffians' who were reported to be hired for the regicide. Next day, 14 June, at the trial of Richard Langhorn the barrister, Dugdale was a chief witness for the prosecution. At the trial of Sir George Wakeman, from 18 July, Dugdale swore evidence; but he was already falling into discredit, and an acquittal followed. He swore, on the second day of Lord Stafford's trial, 1 December 1680, that the accused had been present at the 'consults' at Tixall in September 1678, and also at Abnett's house in Stafford, where talk had been about slaying the king, and that on the 20th or 21st Stafford offered him £500 to commit the crime. The prolonged dispute at the trial was chiefly concerning dates. But it came to light that Dugdale had tried to bribe other persons to give false evidence against Stafford and other persons.
He was understood to be willing to appear against Shaftesbury, and gave evidence against Stephen College at the Old Bailey
, when a verdict of Ignoramus was returned, 8 July 1681. At the later Oxford trial of College, Dugdale swore against him, but came into direct conflict with his old associates. In October Dugdale vainly complained to the council of Dr. Richard Lower, who stated that he had treated him for an infamous disease, Dugdale having sworn at College's trial that his previous illness had been caused solely by the Catholic having tried to poison him. Lower and the apothecary proved the case, and the council dismissed the false witness 'not to trouble them any more.' Dugdale then caused a Captain Clinton to be apprehended, 28 December 1681, for defaming him, but the council set Clinton at liberty on bail.
Dugdale died a day or two before 26 March 1683. Secretary of State Leoline Jenkins
had a report that both Edward Turberville and Dugdale gave way to drink, and in their delirium tremens
imagined spectres and died miserably.
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
(in reality a fabrication). He perjured himself on numerous occasions, giving false testimony.
Life
He was a Catholic convert, in 1657 or 1658, and then met Francis Evers, a Jesuit, in StaffordshireStaffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. In 1677 Dugdale was steward to Walter Aston, 2nd Lord Aston of Forfar
Walter Aston, 2nd Lord Aston of Forfar
Walter Aston, 2nd Lord Aston of Forfar was a son of Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar, and Gertrude Sadleir of Standon.In 1639, he succeeded his father as Lord Aston of Forfar in the peerage of Scotland...
at Tixall
Tixall
Tixall is a small village and former civil parish in the English county of Staffordshire lying on the western side of the Trent valley between Rugeley and Stone, Staffordshire and roughly 4 miles east of Stafford...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, where he cheated the workmen of their wages. In July or August letters arrived connected with the plot. Jesuits and the Catholic lords were said to be deeply implicated. Meetings at Tixall followed in August and September 1678, and the death of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey was discussed. By September Dugdale found himself about to be dismissed for embezzlement and general misconduct. He spoke to the justices of the peace, when they issued warrants for the apprehension of George Hobson and George North. Although he professed to have broken open letters from Paris to Evers and others, he had little but hearsay evidence, and pretended to have destroyed the most dangerous documents on the eve of his departure. He gave evidence against the 'five popish lords' (Lord Stafford
William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford
Blessed William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford was the youngest son of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, and his wife, the former Alethea Talbot. He was a supporter of the Royalist cause before being implicated in the Popish Plot and executed for treason...
, Earl of Powis, Lord Arundell of Wardour
Henry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour
Henry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour, PC was a Peer of England during the 17th century, and the most famous of the Lords Arundell of Wardour. He served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Steward, and was appointed to the Privy Council...
, Lord Belasyse
John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse
John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse PC was an English nobleman, soldier and Member of Parliament, notable for his role during and after the English Civil War.-Early life:...
and Lord Petre
William Petre, 4th Baron Petre
William Petre, 4th Baron Petre was an English peer, a victim of the Popish Plot.Petre was the eldest son of Robert Petre, third Baron Petre , and Mary , daughter of Anthony-Maria Browne, second Viscount Montagu, who had been arrested in connection with the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.Petre was openly a...
) in October 1678. On 24 December 1678 he swore an information before Thomas Lane and J. Vernon in Staffordshire. His initial reception by the Government was favourable : he was intelligent, educated and well-spoken, in marked contrast to Titus Oates
Titus Oates
Titus Oates was an English perjurer who fabricated the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II.-Early life:...
. His testimony, in the early stages, was so plausible that even Charles II
Charles II
Charles II may refer to:* Charles the Bald , king of the West Franks and Holy Roman Emperor* Charles II of Naples * Charles II of Alençon * Charles II of Navarre * Charles II, Duke of Lorraine...
, a sceptic, " began to think there was somewhat in the Plot "; while Chief Justice William Scroggs
William Scroggs
Sir William Scroggs , Lord Chief Justice of England, was the son of an Oxford landowner; an account of him being the son of a butcher of sufficient means to give his son a university education is merely a rumour....
found him entirely convincing. By the time his unsavoury past came to light he had done a great deal of harm.
He charged John Tasborough and Mrs. Ann Price with soliciting him to sign a paper of recantation of his evidence, and offering him £1,000 reward for it. In February 1679 these persons were tried and convicted at the king's bench
King's Bench
The Queen's Bench is the superior court in a number of jurisdictions within some of the Commonwealth realms...
; Price had been Dugdale's fellow-servant and sweetheart at Tixall. Afterwards Dugdale led a shifty, vagabond life, giving evidence and writing pamphlets, at first associating chiefly with William Bedloe
William Bedloe
William Bedloe was an English fraudster and informer, born at Chepstow.He appears to have been well educated; he was certainly clever, and after moving to London in 1670 he became acquainted with some Jesuits and was occasionally employed by them...
, Oates, and Edward Turberville
Edward Turberville
Edward Turberville or Turbervile was a Welsh informer, who perjured himself in support of the alleged Popish Plot.-Life:His father was from Sker, Glamorganshire. Edward Turberville, a younger son, was brought up a Roman Catholic, his elder brother Anthony being a monk at Paris...
, but eventually turning against Stephen College
Stephen College
Stephen College was an English joiner, activist Protestant, and supporter of the perjury underlying the fabricated Popish Plot. He was tried and executed for high treason.-Life:...
and confronting Oates. At the trial of the five Jesuits (Thomas Whitebread, William Barrow
William Barrow (Jesuit)
Blessed William Barrow was an English Jesuit, executed as a result of the Popish Plot, a fabricated story. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929. By a papal decree of 4 December 1886, this martyr's cause was introduced, but under the name of "William Harcourt"...
alias Harcourt, John Fenwick
John Fenwick (Jesuit)
Blessed John Fenwick, real surname Caldwell was an English Jesuit, executed at the time of the fabricated Popish Plot. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI.-Life:...
, John Gavan
John Gavan
Blessed John Gavan was an English Jesuit and victim of the Popish Plot, wrongfully executed for conspiracy to murder Charles II. He was beatified in 1929.- Life :...
, and Anthony Turner, from 13 June 1679) Dugdale charged two of them with consulting to bring about the assassination of Charles II. He charged Whitebread with writing a letter providing for the entertainment of 'good stout fellows,' namely the four Irish 'ruffians' who were reported to be hired for the regicide. Next day, 14 June, at the trial of Richard Langhorn the barrister, Dugdale was a chief witness for the prosecution. At the trial of Sir George Wakeman, from 18 July, Dugdale swore evidence; but he was already falling into discredit, and an acquittal followed. He swore, on the second day of Lord Stafford's trial, 1 December 1680, that the accused had been present at the 'consults' at Tixall in September 1678, and also at Abnett's house in Stafford, where talk had been about slaying the king, and that on the 20th or 21st Stafford offered him £500 to commit the crime. The prolonged dispute at the trial was chiefly concerning dates. But it came to light that Dugdale had tried to bribe other persons to give false evidence against Stafford and other persons.
He was understood to be willing to appear against Shaftesbury, and gave evidence against Stephen College at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
, when a verdict of Ignoramus was returned, 8 July 1681. At the later Oxford trial of College, Dugdale swore against him, but came into direct conflict with his old associates. In October Dugdale vainly complained to the council of Dr. Richard Lower, who stated that he had treated him for an infamous disease, Dugdale having sworn at College's trial that his previous illness had been caused solely by the Catholic having tried to poison him. Lower and the apothecary proved the case, and the council dismissed the false witness 'not to trouble them any more.' Dugdale then caused a Captain Clinton to be apprehended, 28 December 1681, for defaming him, but the council set Clinton at liberty on bail.
Dugdale died a day or two before 26 March 1683. Secretary of State Leoline Jenkins
Leoline Jenkins
Sir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
had a report that both Edward Turberville and Dugdale gave way to drink, and in their delirium tremens
Delirium tremens
Delirium tremens is an acute episode of delirium that is usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol, first described in 1813...
imagined spectres and died miserably.