although they were spared the usual horrors of a traitor's death: the King (who was convinced of their innocence) as an act of clemency ordered that they not be hung drawn and quartered, but allowed to hang until they were dead. At the trial of Sir George Wakeman, from 18 July, Dugdale gave evidence against the accused; but he was already falling into discredit (his claim that all Protestants in England were to be massacred if the Plot succeeded was too much even for Lord Chief Justice Scroggs to swallow) 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 there had been talk 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. Nonetheless the evidence of Dugdale, Oates and Turberville was sufficient to secure the conviction and death of Stafford, who was beheaded on 29 December 1680. As the public gradually became more sceptical about the reality of the plot, Lord Aston, who had accidentally launched Dugdale's career as an informer by dismissing him, was able to gain his freedom on bail. Aston never returned to prison, and never stood trial. After the Plot Dugdale was understood to be willing to appear as a witness against the Whig leader Shaftesbury, who had undoubtedly used the Plot for his own political ends, and was seen by the King as his principal opponent. As a first step in bringing down Shaftesbury, Dugdale gave evidence against his fellow informer Stephen College at the Old Bailey, when a verdict of Ignoramus (i.e. we find no case against the accused) was returned by the grand jury, 8 July 1681. At the later trial at Oxford of College (the Crown having simply ignored the grand jury's finding that he had no case to answer), Dugdale swore against him, but came into direct conflict with his old associates like Titus Oates. In October Dugdale vainly complained to the council of Dr. Richard Lower, who stated that he had treated him for an infamous disease, Dugdale