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；