THE INFORMATION OF Thomas Lander OF Shutborrow in the County of Stafford, Another of the Witnesses in the TRIAL OF The late Lord Stafford, As it was taken upon Oath  
By Edmund Warcup, Esquire; one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and City and Liberties of Westminster, on the 24 th' day of December, 1680.  
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street, MDCLXXXI.   

THE INFORMATION OF Thomas Lander OF Shutborrow in the County of Stafford, Taken upon Oath the 24 th' of December, 1680. before me Edmund Warcup, Esquire, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and City and Liberties of Westminster, as followeth; viz.  
THIS Informant saith, That having been employed as a Workman several times at the House of my Lord Aston at tixal in the County aforesaid, he was solicited 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 Trial of the said Lord Aston in June last passed; 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, etc. 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 persuaded 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 Lordship's 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 Trial 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 replied, 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 betrayed 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 Moor, 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 Moor 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 Moor 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 Moor.  
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.  
Thomas Lander.  
Jurat. cor. me  
Edmond Warcup.   

Dec. 25. 1680.  
I Do appoint Tho. Simmons, and no other, to Print this my Information, Witness my Hand,  
Thomas Lander.  
FINIS.