Mr。ParkshousewasoneoftheesquirestoSirFerdinandoDudleythelegitimatesonoftheEarlofDudleyWhenhewasmadeKnightoftheBath。SirFerdinando’sonlydaughterFrancesmarriedHumbleWard，sonandheirofWilliamWard，goldsmithandjewellertoCharlestheFirst’squeen。HerhusbandhavingbeencreatedabaronbythetitleofBaronWardofBirmingham，andFrancesbecomingBaronessofDudleyinherownrightonthedemiseofherfather，thebaroniesofDudleyandWardthusbecameunitedintheireldestsonEdwardintheyear1697。”hadafowling-guntheremadeofthePit-coleiron，”whichwas”wellapproved。”Therewasthereforeeveryprospectofthenewmethodofmanufacturebecomingfairlyestablished，andwithgreaterexperiencefurtherimprovementsmightwithconfidencebeanticipated，whenasuccessionofcalamitiesoccurredtotheinventorwhichinvolvedhimindifficultiesandputaneffectualstoptotheprogressofhisenterprise。
Thenewworkshadbeeninsuccessfuloperationlittlemorethanayear，whenaflood，longafterknownasthe”GreatMay-dayFlood，”
sweptawayDudley’sprincipalworksatCradley，andotherwiseinflictedmuchdamagethroughoutthedistrict。”AtthemarkettowncalledStourbridge，”saysDud，inthecourseofhiscuriousnarrative，”althoughtheauthorsentwithspeedtopreservethepeoplefromdrowning，andoneresolutemanwascarriedfromthebridgethereintheday-time，thenetherpartofthetownwassodeepinwaterthatthepeoplehadmuchadotopreservetheirlivesintheuppermostroomsoftheirhouses。”Dudleyhimselfreceivedverylittlesympathyforhislosses。Onthecontrary，theiron-smeltersofthedistrictrejoicedexceedinglyatthedestructionofhisworksbytheflood。Theyhadseenhimmakinggoodironbyhisnewpatentprocess，andsellingitcheaperthantheycouldaffordtodo。Theyaccordinglyputincirculationallmannerofdisparagingreportsabouthisiron。
Itwasbadiron，notfittobeused；indeednoiron，exceptwhatwassmeltedwithcharcoalofwood，couldbegood。Tosmeltitwithcoalwasadangerousinnovation，andcouldonlyresultinsomegreatpubliccalamity。TheironmastersevenappealedtoKingJamestoputastoptoDud’smanufacture，allegingthathisironwasnotmerchantable。Andthencamethegreatflood，whichsweptawayhisworks；thehostileironmastersnowhopingthattherewasanendforeverofDudley’spit-coaliron。
ButDud，withhiswontedenergy，forthwithsettoworkandrepairedhisfurnacesandforges，thoughatgreatcost；andinthecourseofashorttimethenewmanufacturewasagaininfullprogress。Theironmastersraisedafreshoutcryagainsthim，andaddressedanotherstrongmemorialagainstDudandhisirontoKingJames。Thisseemstohavetakeneffect；andinordertoascertainthequalityofthearticlebytestingituponalargescale，theKingcommandedDudleytosenduptotheTowerofLondon，witheverypossiblespeed，quantitiesofallthesortsofbar-ironmadebyhim，fitforthe”makingofmuskets，carbines，andironforgreatboltsforshipping；
whichiron，”continuesDud，”beingsotriedbyartistsandsmiths，theironmastersandiron-mongerswereallsilenceduntilthe21styearofKingJames’sreign。”TheironmastersthenendeavouredtogettheDudleypatentincludedinthemonopoliestobeabolishedbythestatuteofthatyear；butalltheycouldaccomplishwasthelimitationofthepatenttofourteenyearsinsteadofthirty-one；thespecialexemptionofthepatentfromtheoperationofthestatuteaffordingasufficientindicationoftheimportancealreadyattachedtotheinvention。AfterthattimeDudley”wentonwithhisinventioncheerfully，andmadeannuallygreatstoreofiron，goodandmerchantable，andsoldituntodiversemenattwelvepoundsperton。””Ialso，”saidhe，”madeallsortsofcast-ironwares，asbrewingcisterns，pots，mortars，&c。，betterandcheaperthananyyetmadeinthesenationswithcharcoal，someofwhichareyettobeseenbyanymanattheauthor’shouseinthecityofWorcesterthatdesirestobesatisfiedofthetruthoftheinvention。”
Notwithstandingthisdecidedsuccess，Dudleyencounterednothingbuttroubleandmisfortune。Theironmasterscombinedtoresisthisinvention；theyfastenedlawsuit’suponhim，andsucceededingettinghimoustedfromhisworksatCradley。FromthenceheremovedtoHimleyinthecountyofStafford，wherehesetupapit-coalfurnace；
butbeingwithoutthemeansofforgingtheironintobars，hewasconstrainedtosellthepig-irontothecharcoal-ironmasters，”whodidhimmuchprejudice，notonlybydetaininghisstock，butalsobydisparaginghisiron。”HenextproceededtoerectalargenewfurnaceatHascoBridge，nearSedgeley，inthesamecounty，forthepurposeofcarryingoutthemanufactureonthemostimprovedprinciples。Thisfurnacewasofstone，twenty-sevenfeetsquare，providedwithunusuallylargebellows；andwheninfullworkhesayshewasenabledtoturnoutseventonsofironperweek，”thegreatestquantityofpit-coalironeveryetmadeinGreatBritain。”Atthesameplacehediscoveredandopenedoutnewworkingsofcoaltenfeetthick，lyingimmediatelyovertheironstone，andhepreparedtocarryonhisoperationsonalargescale；butthenewworkswerescarcelyfinishedwhenamobofrioters，instigatedbythecharcoal-ironmasters，brokeinuponthem，cutinpiecesthenewbellows，destroyedthemachinery，andlaidtheresultsofallhisdeep-laidingenuityandperseveringindustryinruins。FromthattimeforwardDudleywasallowednorestnorpeace：hewasattackedbymobs，worriedbylawsuits，andeventuallyoverwhelmedbydebts。HewasthenseizedbyhiscreditorsandsentuptoLondon，wherehewasheldaprisonerintheComptoirforseveralthousandpounds。Thecharcoal-ironmenthusforatimeremainedmastersofthefield。
CharlesI。seemstohavetakenpityonthesufferinginventor；andonhisearnestpetition，settingforththegreatadvantagestothenationofhisinvention，fromwhichhehadasyetderivednoadvantage，butonlylosses，sufferings，andpersecution，theKinggrantedhimarenewalofhispatent*
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PatentNo。117，OldSeries，grantedin1638，toSirGeorgeHorsey，DavidRamsey，RogerFoulke，andDuddDudley。
intheyear1638；threeothergentlemenjoininghimaspartners，anddoubtlessprovidingtherequisitecapitalforcarryingonthemanufactureaftertheplansoftheinventor。ButDud’sevilfortunecontinuedtopursuehim。ThepatenthadscarcelybeensecurederetheCivilWarbrokeout，andtheartsofpeacemustatonceperforcegiveplacetotheartsofwar。Dud’snaturewouldnotsufferhimtobeneutralatsuchatime；andwhenthenationdivideditselfintotwohostilecamps，hispredilectionsbeingstronglyloyalist，hetookthesideoftheKingwithhisfather。ItwouldappearfromapetitionpresentedbyhimtoCharlesII。in1660，settingforthhissufferingsintheroyalcause，andprayingforrestoraltocertainofficeswhichhehadenjoyedunderCharlesI。，thatasearlyastheyear1637hehadbeenemployedbytheKingonamissionintoScotland，*
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Byhisownaccount，giveninMetallumMartis，whileinScotlandin1637，hevisitedtheHighlandsaswellastheLowlands，spendingthewholesummerofthatyear”inopeningofminesandmakingofdiscoveries；”spendingpartofthetimewithSirJamesHopeofLeadHills，nearwhere，hesays，”hegotgold。”Itdoesnotappear，however，thatanyironforgesexistedinScotlandatthetime：indeedDudleyexpresslysaysthat”Scotlandmakethnoiron；”andinhistreatiseof1665heurgesthattheCorporationoftheMinesRoyalshouldsethimandhisinventionsatworktoenableScotlandtoenjoythebenefitofacheapandabundantsupplyofthemanufacturedarticle。
inthetrainoftheMarquisofHamilton，theKing’sCommissioner。
Againin1639，leavinghisironworksandpartners，heaccompaniedCharlesonhisexpeditionacrosstheScotchborder，andwaspresentwiththearmyuntilitsdiscomfitureatNewburnnearNewcastleinthefollowingyear。
Theswordwasnowfairlydrawn，andDudseemsforatimetohaveabandonedhisiron-worksandfollowedentirelythefortunesoftheking。HewasswornsurveyoroftheMewsorArmouryin1640，butbeingunabletopayforthepatent，anotherwasswornininhisplace。Yethisloyaltydidnotfalter，forinthebeginningof1642，whenCharlessetoutfromLondon，shortlyafterthefallofStraffordandLaud，Dudwentwithhim。*
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TheJournalsoftheHouseofCommons，ofthe13thJune，1642，containtheresolution”thatCaptainWolseley，EnsignDudley，andJohnLometonbeforthwithsentfor，asdelinquents，bytheSerjeant-at-ArmsattendingontheHouse，forgivinginterruptiontotheexecutionoftheordinanceofthemilitiainthecountyofLeicester。”
HewaspresentbeforeHullwhenSirJohnHothamshutitsgatesintheking’sface；atYorkwhentheroyalcommissionsofarrayweresentoutenjoiningallloyalsubjectstosendmen，arms，money，andhorses，fordefenceofthekingandmaintenanceofthelaw；atNottingham，wheretheroyalstandardwasraised；atCoventry，wherethetownspeoplerefusedthekingentranceandfireduponhistroopsfromthewalls；atEdgehill，wherethefirstgreatbutindecisivebattlewasfoughtbetweenthecontendingparties；inshort，asDudDudleystatesinhispetition，hewas”inmostofthebattailesthatyear，andalsosupplyedhislatesacredMajestie’smagazinesofStafford，Worcester，DudleyCastle，andOxford，witharms，shot，drakes，andcannon；andalso，becamemajoruntoSirFrauncisWorsley’sregiment，whichwasmuchdecaied。”
In1643，accordingtothestatementcontainedinhispetitionabovereferredto，DudDudleyactedasmilitaryengineerinsettingoutthefortificationsofWorcesterandStafford，andfurnishingthemwithordnance。AfterthetakingofLichfield，inwhichhehadashare，hewasmadeColonelofDragoons，andaccompaniedtheQueenwithhisregimenttotheroyalhead-quartersatOxford。TheyearafterwefindhimatthesiegeofGloucester，thenatthefirstbattleofNewburyleadingtheforlornhopewithSirGeorgeLisle，afterwardsmarchingwithSirCharlesLucasintotheassociatecounties，andpresentattheroyalistroutatNewport。Thathewasesteemedavaliantandskilfulofficerisapparentfromthecircumstance，thatin1645hewasappointedgeneralofPrinceMaurice’strainofartillery，andafterwardsheldthesamerankunderLordAshley。Theirondistrictsbeingstillforthemostpartoccupiedbytheroyalarmies，ourmilitaryengineerturnedhispracticalexperiencetoaccountbydirectingtheforgingofdrakes*
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Smallpiecesofartillery，specimensofwhicharestilltobeseeninthemuseumatWoolwichArsenalandattheTower。
ofbar-iron，whichwerefoundofgreatuse，givinguphisowndwelling-houseinthecityofWorcesterforthepurposeofcarryingonthemanufactureoftheseandotherarms。ButWorcesterandthewesterntownsfellbeforetheParliamentarianarmiesin1646，andalltheiron-worksbelongingtoroyalists，fromwhichtheprincipalsuppliesofarmshadbeendrawnbytheKing’sarmy，wereforthwithdestroyed。
Dudleyfullysharedinthedangersandvicissitudesofthattryingperiod，andborehispartthroughoutlikeavaliantsoldier。Fortwoyearsnothingwasheardofhim，untilin1648，whentheking’spartydrewtogetheragain，andmadeheadindifferentpartsofthecountry，northandsouth。GoringraisedhisstandardinEssex，butwasdrivenbyFairfaxintoColchester，wherehedefendedhimselffortwomonths。