 He was promoted to be Clarenceux King of Arms in 1680, after the death of Edward Bysshe.In the last years of Dugdale's life he was displaced as deputy by John Dugdale, which led him and his brother to quarrel with father and son.He was responsible for the visitation of twelve counties in his province between 1681 and 1700 and gave the profits of six as a contribution towards rebuilding the College of Arms, which had been burnt in the Great Fire.