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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…General Palmer； and
his report； June 18； in favour of the petition；State Papers；
Charles II。 （Dom。 vol； xxxvii； 49。
。。。＇
were granted a patent to make iron with coal； but Dudley knew the
secret； which the new patentees did not； and their patent came to
nothing。
Dudley continued to address the king in importunate petitions； asking
to be restored to his former offices of Serjeant…at…arms； Lieutenant
of Ordnance； and Surveyor of the Mews or Armoury。 He also petitioned
to be appointed Master of the Charter House in Smithfield； professing
himself willing to take anything； or hold any living。*
＇footnote。。。
In his second petition he prays that a dwelling…house situated in
Worcester； and belonging to one Baldwin； 〃a known traitor；〃 may be
assigned to him in lieu of Alderman Nash's； which had reverted to
that individual since his return to loyalty； Dudley reminding the
king that his own house in that city had been given up by him for the
service of his father Charles I。； and turned into a factory for arms。
It does not appear that this part of his petition was successful。
。。。＇
We find him sending in two petitions to a similar effect in June；
1660； and a third shortly after。 The result was； that he was
reappointed to the office of Serjeant…at…Arms； but the Mastership of
the Charter…House was not disposed of until 1662； when it fell to the
lot of one Thomas Watson。*
＇footnote。。。
State Papers； vol。 xxxi。 Doquet Book； p。89。
。。。＇
In 1661； we find a patent granted to Wm。 Chamberlaine andDudley；
Esq。； for the sole use of their new invention of plating steel； &c。；
and tinning the said plates； but whether Dud Dudley was the person
referred to； we are unable precisely to determine。 A few years later；
he seems to have succeeded in obtaining the means of prosecuting his
original invention； for in his Metallum Martis； published in 1665； he
describes himself as living at Green's Lodge； in Staffordshire； and
he says that near it are four forges； Green's Forge； Swin Forge；
Heath Forge； and Cradley Forge； where he practises his 〃perfect
invention。〃 These forges； he adds； 〃have barred all or most part of
their iron with pit…coal since the authors first invention In 1618；
which hath preserved much wood。 In these four； besides many other
forges； do the like ＇sic ＇； yet the author hath had no benefit
thereby to this present。〃 From that time forward； Dud becomes lost to
sight。 He seems eventually to have retired to St。 Helen's in
Worcestershire； where he died in 1684； in the 85th year of his age。
He was buried in the parish church there； and a monument； now
destroyed； was erected to his memory； bearing the inscription partly
set forth underneath。*
＇footnote。。。
Pulvis et umbra sumus
Memento mori。
Dodo Dudley chiliarchi nobilis Edwardi nuper domini de Dudley filius；
patri charus et regiae Majestatis fidissimus subditus et servus in
asserendo regein； in vindicartdo ecclesiam； in propugnando legem ac
libertatem Angli