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第16节

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supplies of arms had been drawn by the King's army; were forthwith

destroyed。



Dudley fully shared in the dangers and vicissitudes of that trying

period; and bore his part throughout like a valiant soldier。  For two

years nothing was heard of him; until in 1648; when the king's party

drew together again; and made head in different parts of the country;

north and south。  Goring raised his standard in Essex; but was driven

by Fairfax into Colchester; where he defended himself for two months。

While the siege was in progress; the royalists determined to make an

attempt to raise it。  On this Dud Dudley again made his appearance in

the field; and; joining sundry other counties; he proceeded to raise

200 men; mostly at his own charge。  They were; however; no sooner

mustered in Bosco Bello woods near Madeley; than they were attacked

by the Parliamentarians; and dispersed or taken prisoners。  Dud was

among those so taken; and he was first carried to Hartlebury Castle

and thence to Worcester; where he was imprisoned。  Recounting the

sufferings of himself and his followers on this occasion; in the

petition presented to Charles II。 in 1660;*

 'footnote。。。

State Paper Office; Dom。 Charles II。; vol。 xi。 54。

 。。。'

he says; 〃200 men were dispersed; killed; and some taken; namely;

Major Harcourt; Major Elliotts; Capt。  Long; and Cornet Hodgetts; of

whom Major Harcourt was miserably burned with matches。  The petitioner

and the rest were stripped almost naked; and in triumph and scorn

carried up to the city of Worcester (which place Dud had fortified

for the king); and kept close prisoners; with double guards set upon

the prison and the city。〃



Notwithstanding this close watch and durance; Dudley and Major

Elliotts contrived to break out of gaol; making their way over the

tops of the houses; afterwards passing the guards at the city gates;

and escaping into the open country。  Being hotly pursued ; they

travelled during the night; and took to the trees during the daytime。

They succeeded in reaching London; but only to drop again into the

lion's mouth; for first Major Elliotts was captured; then Dudley; and

both were taken before Sir John Warner; the Lord Mayor; who forthwith

sent them before the 〃cursed committee of insurrection;〃 as Dudley

calls them。  The prisoners were summarily sentenced to be shot to

death; and were meanwhile closely imprisoned in the Gatehouse at

Westminster; with other Royalists。



The day before their intended execution; the prisoners formed a plan

of escape。  It was Sunday morning; the 20th August; 1648; when they

seized their opportunity; 〃at ten of the cloeke in sermon time;〃 and;

overpowering the gaolers; Dudley; with Sir Henry Bates; Major

Elliotts; Captain South; Captain Paris; and six others; succeeded in

getting away; and making again for the open country。  Dudley had

received a wound in the leg; and could only get along with great

difficulty。  He records that he proceeded on crutches; through

Worcester; Tewkesbury; and Gloucester; to Bristol; having been 〃fed

three weeks in private in an enemy's hay mow。〃  Even the most

lynx…eyed Parliamentarian must have failed to recognise the quondam

royalist general of artillery in the helpless creature dragging

himself along upon crutches; and he reached Bristol in safety。



His military career now over; he found himself absolutely penniless。

His estate of about 200L。 per annum had been sequestrated and sold by

the government;*

 'footnote。。。

The Journals of the House of Commons; on the 2nd Nov。 1652; have the

following entry:  〃The House this day resumed the debate upon the

additional Bill for sale of several lands and estates forfeited to

the Commonwealth for treason; when it was resolved that the name of

Dud Dudley of Green Lodge be inserted into this Bill。〃

 。。。'

his house in Worcester had been seized and his sickly wife turned out

of doors; and his goods; stock; great shop; and ironworks; which he

himself valued at 2000L。; were destroyed。  He had also lost the

offices of Serjeant…at…arms; Lieutenant of Ordnance; and Surveyor of

the Mews; which he had held under the king; in a word; he found

himself reduced to a state of utter destitution。



Dudley was for some time under the necessity of living in great

privacy at Bristol; but when the king had been executed; and the

royalists were finally crushed at Worcester; Dud gradually emerged

from his concealment。  He was still the sole possessor of the grand

secret of smelting iron with pit…coal; and he resolved upon one more

commercial adventure; in the hope of yet turning it to good account。

He succeeded in inducing Walter Stevens; linendraper; and John Stone;

merchant; both of Bristol; to join him as partners in an ironwork;

which they proceeded to erect near that city。  The buildings were well

advanced; and nearly 700L。 had been expended; when a quarrel occurred

between Dudley and his partners; which ended in the stoppage of the

works; and the concern being thrown into Chancery。  Dudley alleges

that the other partners 〃cunningly drew him into a bond;〃 and 〃did

unjustly enter staple actions in Bristol of great value against him;

because he was of the king's party;〃 but it would appear as if there

had been some twist or infirmity of temper in Dudley himself; which

prevented him from working harmoniously with such persons as he

became associated with in affairs of business。



In the mean time other attempts were made to smelt iron with

pit…coal。  Dudley says that Cromwell and the then Parliament granted a

patent to Captain Buck for the purpose; and that Cromwell himself;

Major Wildman; and various others were partners in the patent。  They

erected furnaces and works in the Forest of Dean;*

 'footnote。。。

Mr。 Mushet; in his 'Papers on Iron;' says; that 〃although he had

carefully examined every spot and relic in Dean Forest likely to

denote the site of Dud Dudley's enterprising but unfortunate

experiment of making pig…iron with pit coal;〃 it had been without

success; neither could he find any traces of the like operations of

Cromwell and his partners。

 。。。'

but; though Cromwell and his officers could fight and win battles;

they could not smelt and forge iron with pit…coal。  They brought one

Dagney; an Italian glass…maker; from Bristol; to erect a new furnace

for them; provided with sundry pots of glass…house clay; but no

success attended their efforts。  The partners knowing of Dudley's

possession of the grand secret; invited him to visit their works; but

all they could draw from him was that they would never succeed in

making iron to profit by the methods they were pursuing。  They next

proceeded to erect other works at Bristol; but still they failed。

Major Wildman*

 'footnote。。。

Dudley says; 〃Major Wildman; more barbarous to me than a wild man;

although a minister; bought the author's estate; near 200L。 per

annum; intending to compell from the author his inventions of making

iron with pitcole; but afterwards passed my estate unto two barbarous

brokers of London; that pulled down the author's two mantion houses;

sold 500 timber trees off his land; and to this day are his houses

unrepaired。  Wildman himself fell under the grip of Cromwell。  Being

one of the chiefs of the Republican party; he was seized at Exton;

near Marlborough; in l654; and imprisoned in Chepstow Castle。

 。。。'

bought Dudley's sequestrated estate; in the hope of being able to

extort his secret of making iron with pit…coal; but all their

attempts proving abortive; they at length abandoned the enterprise in

despair。  In 1656; one Captain Copley obtained from Cromwell a further

patent with a similar object; and erected works near Bristol; and

also in the Forest of Kingswood。  The mechanical engineers employed by

Copley failed in making his bellows blow; on which he sent for

Dudley; who forthwith 〃made his bellows to be blown feisibly;〃 but

Copley failed; like his predecessors; in making iron; and at length

he too desisted from further experiments。



Such continued to be the state of things until the Restoration; when

we find Dud Dudley a petitioner to the king for the renewal of his

patent。  He was also a petitioner for compensation in respect of the

heavy losses he had sustained during the civil wars。  The king was

besieged by crowds of applicants of a similar sort; but Dudley was no

more successful than the others。  He failed in obtaining the renewal

of his patent。  Another applicant for the like privilege; probably

having greater interest at court; proved more successful。  Colonel

Proger and three others*

 'footnote。。。

June 13; 1661。  Petition of Col。  Jas。  Proger and three others to the

king for a patent for the sole exercise of their invention of melting

down iron and other metals with coal instead of wood; as the great

consumption of coal 'charcoal ?' therein causes detriment to

shipping; &c。  With reference thereon to Attorney…Ge

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