When the subject of renewing the patent
was before Parliament in 1731, Mr. Perry, who supported the
petition of Sir Thomas Lombe, said that "the art had been kept so
secret in Piedmont, that no other nation could ever yet come at
the invention, and that Sir Thomas and his brother resolved to
make an attempt for the bringing of this invention into their own
country. They knew that there would be great difficulty and
danger in the undertaking, because the king of Sardinia had made
it death for any man to discover this invention, or attempt to
carry it out of his dominions. The petitioner's brother,
however, resolved to venture his person for the benefit and
advantage of his native country, and Sir Thomas was resolved to
venture his money, and to furnish his brother with whatever sums
should be necessary for executing so bold and so generous a
design. His brother went accordingly over to Italy; and after a
long stay and a great expense in that country, he found means to
see this engine so often, and to pry into the nature of it so
narrowly, that he made himself master of the whole invention and
of all the different parts and motions belonging to it."
John Lombe was absent from England for several years. While
occupied with his investigations and making his drawings, it is
said that it began to be rumoured that the Englishman was prying
into the secret of the silk mill, and that he had to fly for his
life.
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