第 15 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-03-08 19:38      字数:9322
  ironmasters raised a fresh outcry against him; and addressed another
  strong memorial against Dud and his iron to King James。  This seems to
  have taken effect; and in order to ascertain the quality of the
  article by testing it upon a large scale; the King commanded Dudley
  to send up to the Tower of London; with every possible speed;
  quantities of all the sorts of bar…iron made by him; fit for the
  〃making of muskets; carbines; and iron for great bolts for shipping;
  which iron;〃 continues Dud; 〃being so tried by artists and smiths;
  the ironmasters and iron…mongers were all silenced until the 21st
  year of King James's reign。〃  The ironmasters then endeavoured to get
  the Dudley patent included in the monopolies to be abolished by the
  statute of that year; but all they could accomplish was the
  limitation of the patent to fourteen years instead of thirty…one; the
  special exemption of the patent from the operation of the statute
  affording a sufficient indication of the importance already attached
  to the invention。  After that time Dudley 〃went on with his invention
  cheerfully; and made annually great store of iron; good and
  merchantable; and sold it unto diverse men at twelve pounds per ton。〃
  〃I also;〃 said he; 〃made all sorts of cast…iron wares; as brewing
  cisterns; pots; mortars; &c。; better and cheaper than any yet made in
  these nations with charcoal; some of which are yet to be seen by any
  man (at the author's house in the city of Worcester) that desires to
  be satisfied of the truth of the invention。〃
  Notwithstanding this decided success; Dudley encountered nothing but
  trouble and misfortune。  The ironmasters combined to resist his
  invention; they fastened lawsuit's upon him; and succeeded in getting
  him ousted from his works at Cradley。  From thence he removed to
  Himley in the county of Stafford; where he set up a pit…coal furnace;
  but being without the means of forging the iron into bars; he was
  constrained to sell the pig…iron to the charcoal…ironmasters; 〃who
  did him much prejudice; not only by detaining his stock; but also by
  disparaging his iron。〃  He next proceeded to erect a large new furnace
  at Hasco Bridge; near Sedgeley; in the same county; for the purpose
  of carrying out the manufacture on the most improved principles。  This
  furnace was of stone; twenty…seven feet square; provided with
  unusually large bellows; and when in full work he says he was enabled
  to turn out seven tons of iron per week; 〃the greatest quantity of
  pit…coal iron ever yet made in Great Britain。〃  At the same place he
  discovered and opened out new workings of coal ten feet thick; lying
  immediately over the ironstone; and he prepared to carry on his
  operations on a large scale; but the new works were scarcely finished
  when a mob of rioters; instigated by the charcoal…ironmasters; broke
  in upon them; cut in pieces the new bellows; destroyed the machinery;
  and laid the results of all his deep…laid ingenuity and persevering
  industry in ruins。  From that time forward Dudley was allowed no rest
  nor peace:  he was attacked by mobs; worried by lawsuits; and
  eventually overwhelmed by debts。  He was then seized by his creditors
  and sent up to London; where he was held a prisoner in the Comptoir
  for several thousand pounds。  The charcoal…iron men thus for a time
  remained masters of the field。
  Charles I。 seems to have taken pity on the suffering inventor; and on
  his earnest petition; setting forth the great advantages to the
  nation of his invention; from which he had as yet derived no
  advantage; but only losses; sufferings; and persecution; the King
  granted him a renewal of his patent*
  'footnote。。。
  Patent No。 117; Old Series; granted in 1638; to Sir George Horsey;
  David Ramsey; Roger Foulke; and Dudd Dudley。
  。。。'
  in the year 1638; three other gentlemen joining him as partners; and
  doubtless providing the requisite capital for carrying on the
  manufacture after the plans of the inventor。  But Dud's evil fortune
  continued to pursue him。  The patent had scarcely been securedere the
  Civil War broke out; and the arts of peace must at once perforce give
  place to the arts of war。  Dud's nature would not suffer him to be
  neutral at such a time; and when the nation divided itself into two
  hostile camps; his predilections being strongly loyalist; he took the
  side of the King with his father。  It would appear from a petition
  presented by him to Charles II。 in 1660; setting forth his sufferings
  in the royal cause; and praying for restoral to certain offices which
  he had enjoyed under Charles I。; that as early as the year 1637 he
  had been employed by the King on a mission into Scotland;*
  'footnote。。。
  By his own account; given in Metallum Martis; while in Scotland in
  1637; he visited the Highlands as well as the Lowlands; spending the
  whole summer of that year 〃in opening of mines and making of
  discoveries;〃 spending part of the time with Sir James Hope of Lead
  Hills; near where; he says; 〃he got gold。〃  It does not appear;
  however; that any iron forges existed in Scotland at the time:  indeed
  Dudley expressly says that 〃Scotland maketh no iron;〃 and in his
  treatise of 1665 he urges that the Corporation of the Mines Royal
  should set him and his inventions at work to enable Scotland to enjoy
  the benefit of a cheap and abundant supply of the manufactured
  article。
  。。。'
  in the train of the Marquis of Hamilton; the King's Commissioner。
  Again in 1639; leaving his ironworks and partners; he accompanied
  Charles on his expedition across the Scotch border; and was present
  with the army until its discomfiture at Newburn near Newcastle in the
  following year。
  The sword was now fairly drawn; and Dud seems for a time to have
  abandoned his iron…works and followed entirely the fortunes of the
  king。  He was sworn surveyor of the Mews or Armoury in 1640; but being
  unable to pay for the patent; another was sworn in in his place。  Yet
  his loyalty did not falter; for in the beginning of 1642; when
  Charles set out from London; shortly after the fall of Strafford and
  Laud; Dud went with him。*
  'footnote。。。
  The Journals of the House of Commons; of the 13th June; 1642; contain
  the resolution 〃that Captain Wolseley; Ensign Dudley; and John
  Lometon be forthwith sent for; as delinquents; by the
  Serjeant…at…Arms attending on the House; for giving interruption to
  the execution of the ordinance of the militia in the county of
  Leicester。〃
  。。。'
  He was present before Hull when Sir John Hotham shut its gates in the
  king's face; at York when the royal commissions of array were sent
  out enjoining all loyal subjects to send men; arms; money; and
  horses; for defence of the king and maintenance of the law; at
  Nottingham; where the royal standard was raised; at Coventry; where
  the townspeople refused the king entrance and fired upon his troops
  from the walls; at Edgehill; where the first great but indecisive
  battle was fought between the contending parties; in short; as Dud
  Dudley states in his petition; he was 〃in most of the battailes that
  year; and also supplyed his late sacred Majestie's magazines of
  Stafford; Worcester; Dudley Castle; and Oxford; with arms; shot;
  drakes; and cannon; and also; became major unto Sir Frauncis
  Worsley's regiment; which was much decaied。〃
  In 1643; according to the statement contained in his petition above
  referred to; Dud Dudley acted as military engineer in setting out the
  fortifications of Worcester and Stafford; and furnishing them with
  ordnance。  After the taking of Lichfield; in which he had a share; he
  was made Colonel of Dragoons; and accompanied the Queen with his
  regiment to the royal head…quarters at Oxford。  The year after we find
  him at the siege of Gloucester; then at the first battle of Newbury
  leading the forlorn hope with Sir George Lisle; afterwards marching
  with Sir Charles Lucas into the associate counties; and present at
  the royalist rout at Newport。  That he was esteemed a valiant and
  skilful officer is apparent from the circumstance; that in 1645 he
  was appointed general of Prince Maurice's train of artillery; and
  afterwards held the same rank under Lord Ashley。  The iron districts
  being still for the most part occupied by the royal armies; our
  military engineer turned his practical experience to account by
  directing the forging of drakes*
  'footnote。。。
  Small pieces of artillery; specimens of which are still to be seen in
  the museum at Woolwich Arsenal and at the Tower。  。。。'
  of bar…iron; which were found of great use; giving up his own
  dwelling…house in the city of Worcester for the purpose of carrying
  on the manufacture of these and other arms。  But Worcester and the
  western towns fell before the Parliamentarian armies in 1646; and all
  the iron…works belonging to royalists; from which the principal
  supplies of arms had been drawn by the King's army; were forthwith
  destroyed。
  Dudley fully shared in the dangers and vicissi