THIS Informant ſaith, That having been employed as a Workman ſeveral times at the Houſe of my Lord Aſton at Tixall in the County aforeſaid, he was ſollicited by Mr. Francis Hind, Steward to the Lord Aſton, to become a Witneſs againſt Stephen Dugdale, late Steward to the Lord Aſton, any way to invalidate or take off his Evidence in relation to the Popiſh Plot, and he ſerved this Informant with a Subpoena to come up to London for that purpoſe, at the late intended Tryal of the ſaid Lord Aſton in June laſt paſt; but before his coming up, the ſaid Mr. Hind, Francis Aſton, Son to the Lord Aſton, and Thomas Sawyear, Servant to the ſaid Lord Aſton, &c. ſent for this Informant into a private Room in the ſ • id Lord Aſton's Houſe; and there told him, That if he would ſwear ſuch things as ſhould be dictated to him by the Perſons aforeſaid, to invalidate or take off the ſaid Dugdale's Evidence, he ſhould have ſuch a Reward as ſhould be to his own content, and not want for Money and Horſe, as might become a man of better Quality than himſelf. And this Informant agreeing to their Propoſals, came up to London accordingly.

They perſwaded this Informant likewiſe to ſwear that Dugdale was a Cheating Rogue, and had cheated this Informant and many more in the Country, whilſt he was the Lord Aſton's Steward. To which this Informant anſwered he would, and ſaith that Hind told him, That if he would do according as they directed him, that he ſhould (beſides the Rewards agreed upon) have his Charges born in coming to Town, in ſtaying here, and going down again. And likewiſe ſaith, that he was to ſwear that James Anſell, (being a Witneſs in ſome things relating to the Diſcovery of the Plot) was a Perjured Rogue, and a Thief, and had perjured himſelf ſeveral times; and all ſuch other things as they ſhould dictate to him when he came up to London, in order to take off both their Evidence. And ſaith thoſe that promiſed to make good his Reward for ſo doing, was Mr. Herbert Aſton, his Lordſhips Uncle, Francis Aſton, Son to the Lord Aſton, and Thomas Sawyear, Servant to the ſaid Lord Aſton.

And this Informant ſaith, That being in London, and my Lord Aſton's Tryal not being come on, he received no more of his Reward but his bare Charges; however they faithfully promiſed him when he had made good what he had promiſed them to ſwear, he ſhould have his full Reward made good to him.

And this Informant ſaith, That in September laſt going up to my Lord Aſton's Houſe, he was made very welcome, and after ſome time was asked by one of the Servants of my Lord Aſton's, where Mr. Dugdale lay; and this Informant told him, at one Richard Perkins next Houſe to his own in Shutborrow, about a Mile diſtant from my Lord Aſton's; the ſaid Servant, after ſome diſcourſe had with this Informant, told him that he might do them good ſervice, and have a good Reward for his pains, if he could deviſe to ſet fire on the Room where Mr. Dugdale lay, and burn him in his Bed. To which this Informant anſwered, that if he ſhould do ſo, he ſhould burn his own Houſe, and endanger the whole Town: To which the Servant replyed, that it were better that his Houſe and the whole Town were burnt, rather than he (meaning Mr. Dugdale) ſhould eſcape, who was a Rogue, and had betray'd his Lords Secrets, with ſeveral other Gentlemen; he at the ſame time telling this Informant, that he ſhould (if he would undertake it) be well rewarded to his own content; but perceiving this Informant not to be very willing, told him he was a Coward, he would not undertake to do ſo good a piece of ſervice. The ſaid Servant at the ſame time went to one Walter Moore, another Servant of my Lord Aſton's, who was to join with this Informant in the ſaid Fact; and this Informant going home, ſaw the ſaid Walter Moore walking about the ſaid Houſe that was ſo to be fired; and this Informant not being willing that ſuch a wicked Act ſhould be done, acquainted one of his Neighbours with it, and ſo a Watch was ſet to preſerve the ſaid Houſe where Mr. Dugdale lay, and all the Town, that night, and all the time after ſo long as Mr. Dugdale ſtayed there: This Informant having likewiſe heard the ſaid Moore ſay, that Dugdale was a Rogue for having betrayed his Lords Secrets: And likewiſe ſaith, that when this Informant was to be a Witneſs for the Lord Aſton, one Samuel Holt who was another Servant of my Lord Aſton's, and alſo one Sawyear, being Subpoena'd up as Witneſſes for my Lord Aſton; they told this Informant, that Mr. Dugdale was a Perjured Rogue, for laying the Plot of the Presbyterians upon the Papiſts, and if they or either of them could meet the ſaid Mr. Dugdale conveniently, they would do his buſineſs for him: And ſaith, That the ſaid Holt had received a ſum of Money for the ſaid ſervice, as likewiſe the ſaid Walter Moore.

And this Informant ſaith, That all thoſe things which were ſo by them, as aforeſaid, dictated to him, were altogether falſe, to any knowledge of this Informant, in relation to the ſaid Mr. Dugdale and the ſaid Mr. James Anſell. And ſaith that ſeveral other Matters and Perſons he knows of that were concerned herein (this Informant being always made privy to moſt of their Contrivances in this nature) that would almoſt hang them, which he is unwilling to diſcover againſt them, for that they are related to him.