Whilethesiegewasinprogress，theroyalistsdeterminedtomakeanattempttoraiseit。OnthisDudDudleyagainmadehisappearanceinthefield，and，joiningsundryothercounties，heproceededtoraise200men，mostlyathisowncharge。Theywere，however，nosoonermusteredinBoscoBellowoodsnearMadeley，thantheywereattackedbytheParliamentarians，anddispersedortakenprisoners。Dudwasamongthosesotaken，andhewasfirstcarriedtoHartleburyCastleandthencetoWorcester，wherehewasimprisoned。Recountingthesufferingsofhimselfandhisfollowersonthisoccasion，inthepetitionpresentedtoCharlesII。in1660，*
[footnote……
StatePaperOffice，Dom。CharlesII。，vol。xi。54。
hesays，”200menweredispersed，killed，andsometaken，namely，MajorHarcourt，MajorElliotts，Capt。Long，andCornetHodgetts，ofwhomMajorHarcourtwasmiserablyburnedwithmatches。Thepetitionerandtherestwerestrippedalmostnaked，andintriumphandscorncarrieduptothecityofWorcesterwhichplaceDudhadfortifiedfortheking，andkeptcloseprisoners，withdoubleguardssetupontheprisonandthecity。”
Notwithstandingthisclosewatchanddurance，DudleyandMajorElliottscontrivedtobreakoutofgaol，makingtheirwayoverthetopsofthehouses，afterwardspassingtheguardsatthecitygates，andescapingintotheopencountry。Beinghotlypursued，theytravelledduringthenight，andtooktothetreesduringthedaytime。
TheysucceededinreachingLondon，butonlytodropagainintothelion’smouth；forfirstMajorElliottswascaptured，thenDudley，andbothweretakenbeforeSirJohnWarner，theLordMayor，whoforthwithsentthembeforethe”cursedcommitteeofinsurrection，”asDudleycallsthem。Theprisonersweresummarilysentencedtobeshottodeath，andweremeanwhilecloselyimprisonedintheGatehouseatWestminster，withotherRoyalists。
Thedaybeforetheirintendedexecution，theprisonersformedaplanofescape。ItwasSundaymorning，the20thAugust，1648，whentheyseizedtheiropportunity，”attenofthecloekeinsermontime；”and，overpoweringthegaolers，Dudley，withSirHenryBates，MajorElliotts，CaptainSouth，CaptainParis，andsixothers，succeededingettingaway，andmakingagainfortheopencountry。Dudleyhadreceivedawoundintheleg，andcouldonlygetalongwithgreatdifficulty。Herecordsthatheproceededoncrutches，throughWorcester，Tewkesbury，andGloucester，toBristol，havingbeen”fedthreeweeksinprivateinanenemy’shaymow。”Eventhemostlynx-eyedParliamentarianmusthavefailedtorecognisethequondamroyalistgeneralofartilleryinthehelplesscreaturedragginghimselfalonguponcrutches；andhereachedBristolinsafety。
Hismilitarycareernowover，hefoundhimselfabsolutelypenniless。
Hisestateofabout200L。perannumhadbeensequestratedandsoldbythegovernment；*
[footnote……
TheJournalsoftheHouseofCommons，onthe2ndNov。1652，havethefollowingentry：”TheHousethisdayresumedthedebateupontheadditionalBillforsaleofseverallandsandestatesforfeitedtotheCommonwealthfortreason，whenitwasresolvedthatthenameofDudDudleyofGreenLodgebeinsertedintothisBill。”
hishouseinWorcesterhadbeenseizedandhissicklywifeturnedoutofdoors；andhisgoods，stock，greatshop，andironworks，whichhehimselfvaluedat2000L。，weredestroyed。HehadalsolosttheofficesofSerjeant-at-arms，LieutenantofOrdnance，andSurveyoroftheMews，whichhehadheldundertheking；inaword，hefoundhimselfreducedtoastateofutterdestitution。
DudleywasforsometimeunderthenecessityoflivingingreatprivacyatBristol；butwhenthekinghadbeenexecuted，andtheroyalistswerefinallycrushedatWorcester，Dudgraduallyemergedfromhisconcealment。Hewasstillthesolepossessorofthegrandsecretofsmeltingironwithpit-coal，andheresolvedupononemorecommercialadventure，inthehopeofyetturningittogoodaccount。
HesucceededininducingWalterStevens，linendraper，andJohnStone，merchant，bothofBristol，tojoinhimaspartnersinanironwork，whichtheyproceededtoerectnearthatcity。Thebuildingswerewelladvanced，andnearly700L。hadbeenexpended，whenaquarreloccurredbetweenDudleyandhispartners，whichendedinthestoppageoftheworks，andtheconcernbeingthrownintoChancery。Dudleyallegesthattheotherpartners”cunninglydrewhimintoabond，”and”didunjustlyenterstapleactionsinBristolofgreatvalueagainsthim，becausehewasoftheking’sparty；”butitwouldappearasiftherehadbeensometwistorinfirmityoftemperinDudleyhimself，whichpreventedhimfromworkingharmoniouslywithsuchpersonsashebecameassociatedwithinaffairsofbusiness。
Inthemeantimeotherattemptsweremadetosmeltironwithpit-coal。DudleysaysthatCromwellandthethenParliamentgrantedapatenttoCaptainBuckforthepurpose；andthatCromwellhimself，MajorWildman，andvariousotherswerepartnersinthepatent。TheyerectedfurnacesandworksintheForestofDean；*
[footnote……
Mr。Mushet，inhis’PapersonIron，’says，that”althoughhehadcarefullyexaminedeveryspotandrelicinDeanForestlikelytodenotethesiteofDudDudley’senterprisingbutunfortunateexperimentofmakingpig-ironwithpitcoal，”ithadbeenwithoutsuccess；neithercouldhefindanytracesofthelikeoperationsofCromwellandhispartners。
but，thoughCromwellandhisofficerscouldfightandwinbattles，theycouldnotsmeltandforgeironwithpit-coal。TheybroughtoneDagney，anItalianglass-maker，fromBristol，toerectanewfurnaceforthem，providedwithsundrypotsofglass-houseclay；butnosuccessattendedtheirefforts。ThepartnersknowingofDudley’spossessionofthegrandsecret，invitedhimtovisittheirworks；butalltheycoulddrawfromhimwasthattheywouldneversucceedinmakingirontoprofitbythemethodstheywerepursuing。TheynextproceededtoerectotherworksatBristol，butstilltheyfailed。
MajorWildman*
[footnote……
Dudleysays，”MajorWildman，morebarbaroustomethanawildman，althoughaminister，boughttheauthor’sestate，near200L。perannum，intendingtocompellfromtheauthorhisinventionsofmakingironwithpitcole，butafterwardspassedmyestateuntotwobarbarousbrokersofLondon，thatpulleddowntheauthor’stwomantionhouses，sold500timbertreesoffhisland，andtothisdayarehishousesunrepaired。WildmanhimselffellunderthegripofCromwell。BeingoneofthechiefsoftheRepublicanparty，hewasseizedatExton，nearMarlborough，inl654，andimprisonedinChepstowCastle。
boughtDudley’ssequestratedestate，inthehopeofbeingabletoextorthissecretofmakingironwithpit-coal；butalltheirattemptsprovingabortive，theyatlengthabandonedtheenterpriseindespair。In1656，oneCaptainCopleyobtainedfromCromwellafurtherpatentwithasimilarobject；anderectedworksnearBristol，andalsointheForestofKingswood。ThemechanicalengineersemployedbyCopleyfailedinmakinghisbellowsblow；onwhichhesentforDudley，whoforthwith”madehisbellowstobeblownfeisibly；”butCopleyfailed，likehispredecessors，inmakingiron，andatlengthhetoodesistedfromfurtherexperiments。
SuchcontinuedtobethestateofthingsuntiltheRestoration，whenwefindDudDudleyapetitionertothekingfortherenewalofhispatent。Hewasalsoapetitionerforcompensationinrespectoftheheavylosseshehadsustainedduringthecivilwars。Thekingwasbesiegedbycrowdsofapplicantsofasimilarsort，butDudleywasnomoresuccessfulthantheothers。Hefailedinobtainingtherenewalofhispatent。Anotherapplicantforthelikeprivilege，probablyhavinggreaterinterestatcourt，provedmoresuccessful。ColonelProgerandthreeothers*
[footnote……
June13，1661。PetitionofCol。Jas。Progerandthreeotherstothekingforapatentforthesoleexerciseoftheirinventionofmeltingdownironandothermetalswithcoalinsteadofwood，asthegreatconsumptionofcoal[charcoal?]thereincausesdetrimenttoshipping，&c。WithreferencethereontoAttorney-GeneralPalmer，andhisreport，June18，infavourofthepetition，——StatePapers，CharlesII。Dom。vol，xxxvii，49。
weregrantedapatenttomakeironwithcoal；butDudleyknewthesecret，whichthenewpatenteesdidnot；andtheirpatentcametonothing。
Dudleycontinuedtoaddressthekinginimportunatepetitions，askingtoberestoredtohisformerofficesofSerjeant-at-arms，LieutenantofOrdnance，andSurveyoroftheMewsorArmoury。HealsopetitionedtobeappointedMasteroftheCharterHouseinSmithfield，professinghimselfwillingtotakeanything，orholdanyliving。*
[footnote……
Inhissecondpetitionhepraysthatadwelling-housesituatedinWorcester，andbelongingtooneBaldwin，”aknowntraitor，”maybeassignedtohiminlieuofAldermanNash’s，whichhadrevertedtothatindividualsincehisreturntoloyalty；DudleyremindingthekingthathisownhouseinthatcityhadbeengivenupbyhimfortheserviceofhisfatherCharlesI。，andturnedintoafactoryforarms。
Itdoesnotappearthatthispartofhispetitionwassuccessful。
WefindhimsendingintwopetitionstoasimilareffectinJune，1660；andathirdshortlyafter。Theresultwas，thathewasreappointedtotheofficeofSerjeant-at-Arms；buttheMastershipoftheCharter-Housewasnotdisposedofuntil1662，whenitfelltothelotofoneThomasWatson。*
[footnote……
StatePapers，vol。xxxi。DoquetBook，p。89。
In1661，wefindapatentgrantedtoWm。Chamberlaineand——Dudley，Esq。，forthesoleuseoftheirnewinventionofplatingsteel，&c。，andtinningthesaidplates；butwhetherDudDudleywasthepersonreferredto，weareunablepreciselytodetermine。Afewyearslater，heseemstohavesucceededinobtainingthemeansofprosecutinghisoriginalinvention；forinhisMetallumMartis，publishedin1665，hedescribeshimselfaslivingatGreen’sLodge，inStaffordshire；andhesaysthatnearitarefourforges，Green’sForge，SwinForge，HeathForge，andCradleyForge，wherehepractiseshis”perfectinvention。”Theseforges，headds，”havebarredallormostpartoftheirironwithpit-coalsincetheauthorsfirstinventionIn1618，whichhathpreservedmuchwood。Inthesefour，besidesmanyotherforges，dothelike[sic]；yettheauthorhathhadnobenefittherebytothispresent。”Fromthattimeforward，Dudbecomeslosttosight。HeseemseventuallytohaveretiredtoSt。Helen’sinWorcestershire，wherehediedin1684，inthe85thyearofhisage。
Hewasburiedintheparishchurchthere，andamonument，nowdestroyed，waserectedtohismemory，bearingtheinscriptionpartlysetforthunderneath。*
[footnote……
PulvisetumbrasumusMementomori。
DodoDudleychiliarchinobilisEdwardinuperdominideDudleyfilius，patricharusetregiaeMajestatisfidissimussubditusetservusinasserendoregein，invindicartdoecclesiam，inpropugnandolegemaclibertatemAnglicanam，saepecaptus，anno1648，semelcondemnatusettamennondecollatus，renatumdenuoviditdiadaemahicinconcussasempervirtutesenex。
DiffertnonaufertmortemlongissimavitaSeddiffertmultamcrashodieremori。
Quodnequeasvitare，fugis：
Necformidandaest。
PlotfrequentlyalludestoDudleyinhisNaturalHistoryofStaffordshire，andwhenhedoessohedescribeshimasthe”worshipfulDudDudley，”showingtheestimationinwhichhewasheldbyhiscontemporaries。