Middletown transcript., 1874-01-17

Madaley, in Stsffordshire, the place where
John Fletcher lived and wrote more than
a century later. was a wood called Bosco
Bsllo. The rendezvous Of Dsdley and
his friends was appointed there for safety
aud secrecy until such time AZ. being
drilled and organized, their forces might
be fit for some feasible enterprise.
But, in the meantime, the udherents
lof tho Parliament had not been idle,
One bright morning company Of Pur-
itans marched into the wsod with the firm
purpose of destroying the "malignants." ;"
as they termed them In vain Dudley
and his felow-officers urged their followers
to the copfict. The desperate intensity
of the Parliament men was not to be with
stood, and in comparatively few minutes
they were wholly triumphant. Many Of
the poor fellows who had meant to fight
for the divine right Of kings lay dead un-
der the trees Of Bosco Bello, and of those
who remained alive nearly all were taken
prisoners. Among these we're all the Of
6cers and men Of mark, with Dsdley at
their head. #.l aaB
80, master Dudley" said the leader
of the successful party, "here is but an
i'll end of your misplaced loyalty. A
man like you had better have feared God,
and fought for the Parliament, than to be
misleading tenants and servants to death,
for tyrant and traitor"
"False traitor, thou" cried Dudley
'on thee and such as thou be the curse Of
all the blood split. and the desolaton
made in our fair country"
He would have gone on III his passion
ate utterances, but the Puritan command
or cut him short.
take master Dudley and his fellow
malignants to Worcester" said ho; "he
once fortified it against as; now that it
is in our hands let him test its strength
as prison"
So Dudley and Harcourt, with Major
Elliott and others, we're taken away to
Worcester, which Dudley had indeed
strengthened and fortified for the King.
but which had since fallen into the hands
Of his enemies. The treatment of the
captives was far from gentle. for those
we're rough as well as earnest times
When they reached the city they were
conducted to the prison like dangerous
felons, and strict measures were taken for
their safe detention
LET double guards be stationed at the
prison doors, to be relieved every four
hours. Double guards likewise at every
gate at the city, and strict watch at every
outlet, that no knaves and traitors may
escape" Such were the orders given in
the presence of Dudley and his company.
who were then pushed into the court yard
of the prison, and presently locked in.
large upper room. There they were left
to such meditatians US the place and cir
cumstanccs might suggest.
| Immediate escape is what they srg-
gested to Dudley He looked carefully
for means TO that end
The window was barred with iron !;
Dudley. helped by his comrades, climbed
up and looked out Far below lay the
roofs ofthe adjacent houses. which. as al
ways in the crowded, old. walled cities,
stood close together. and we're even built
against the very walls of the Jail.
"lfI had but nife or a dagger, and
you would bear me up" said Dudley. II
would soon dig these bars out of their bed,
and risk the leap to the tiles below"
But neither knife nor dagger was in
the company. They had been too thor
oughly searched and completely plumber.
ed Wherefore. Dudley came down a.
gain, and sat among his ellow-prisoners.
helpless but not hopeless. Revolving
many things in his mind. and looking all
about. he spied steel knee buckle worn
by Ccrnet Hodgetts. young man who
had fought beside him for the King in
more than one contest. s.5.z
The very thing" he exclaimed
"Hodgetts. give me but that buckle, and
| will make such hole in this den as
shall give US all our freedom"
The buckle was quickly torn off and
put into his hand. Now Elliott, man
lend me your broad shoulders for stand
ing place, and I'll begin my operations y
i Nay interposed Major Long, wise
old solder; you surely will not work
at the window in open daylight. You
will be seen from the street below, and SC
your hopes will be defeated
"You say we'll, Major" was the reply
"but I'll cen mount up and try which Is
the sottcst stone in the easement"
This he did. The sharp corner Of the
, buckle soon made impression upon the ole
stone in which the bars were set. Dud
ley was satisfied that two hours worl
would suffice to open passage. He mad.
, a careful survey Of the neighborhoed, ant
noticed in what direction the open countr,
lay nearest at hand. when he was con
tented to wait for night.
, The long summer twilight came ant
waned. As the shadows grew thick. til,
royalist climbed up again and began hi
, task. BY and by the moon looked in
E '.Yeu will be discovered" boded the oil
| major. But friendly clouds rolled up AM
, severed the moon save for few occasion
J al glimpses.
"How goes it now ?" inquired Elliott
e after what seemed long interval. il
a which gentle shawers Of dust and lime ha,