“Silk，“saidanoldwriter，“doesnotimmediatelycomehitherfromtheWormthatspinsandmakesit，butpassesmanyaClimate，travelsmanyaDesert，employsmanyaHand，loadsmanyaCamel，andfreightsmanyaShipbeforeitarriveshere；andwhenatlastitcomes，itisinreturnforothermanufactures，orinexchangeforourmoney。“[2]ItissaidthatthefirstpairofsilkstockingswasbroughtintoEnglandfromSpain，andpresentedtoHenryVIII。Hehadbeforewornhoseofcloth。InthethirdyearofQueenElizabeth’sreign，hertiringwoman，Mrs。Montagu，presentedherwithapairofblacksilkstockingsasaNewYear’sgift；whereuponherMajestyaskedifshecouldhaveanymore，inwhichcaseshewouldwearnomoreclothstockings。WhenJamesVI。ofScotlandreceivedtheambassadorssenttocongratulatehimuponhisaccessiontothethroneofGreatBritain，heaskedoneofhislordstolendhimhispairofsilkenhose，thathe“mightnotappearascrubbeforestrangers。“FromthesecircumstancesitwillbeobservedhowrarethewearingofsilkwasinEngland。
Shortlyafterbecomingking，JamesI。endeavouredtoestablishthesilkmanufactureinEngland，ashadalreadybeensuccessfullydoneinFrance。Hegaveeveryencouragementtothebreedingofsilkworms。HesentcircularletterstoallthecountiesofEngland，stronglyrecommendingtheinhabitantstoplantmulberrytrees。Thetreeswereplantedinmanyplaces，buttheleavesdidnotripeninsufficienttimeforthesustenanceofthesilkworms。
ThesameattemptwasmadeatInneshannon，nearBandon，inIreland，bytheHugnenotrefugees，butprovedabortive。Theclimateprovedtoocoldordampfortherearingofsilkwormswithadvantage。Allthatremainsis“TheMulberryField，“whichstillretainsitsname。NeverthelesstheHuguenotssuccessfullyestablishedthesilkmanufactureatLondonandDublin，obtainingthespunsilkfromabroad。
Downtothebeginningoflastcentury，theItaliansweretheprincipalproducersoforganzineorthrownsilk；andforalongtimetheysucceededinkeepingtheirartasecret。Althoughthesilkmanufacture，aswehaveseen，wasintroducedintothiscountrybytheHuguenotartizans，thepriceofthrownsilkwassogreatthatitinterferedveryconsiderablywithitsprogress。
OrganzinewasprincipallymadewithinthedominionsofSavoy，bymeansofalargeandcuriousengine，thelikeofwhichdidnotexistelsewhere。TheItalians，bythemostseverelaws，longpreservedthemysteryoftheinvention。Thepunishmentprescribedbyoneoftheirlawstobeinflicteduponanyonewhodiscoveredthesecret，orattemptedtocarryitoutoftheSardiniandominions，wasdeath，withtheforfeitureofallthegoodsthedelinquentpossessed；andtheculpritwas“tobeafterwardspaintedontheoutsideoftheprisonwalls，hangingtothegallowsbyonefoot，withaninscriptiondenotingthenameandcrimeoftheperson，theretobecontinuedforaperpetualmarkofinfamy。“[3]
Nevertheless，aboldandingeniousmanwasfoundreadytobraveallthisdangerintheendeavourtodiscoverthesecret。ItmayberememberedwithwhatcourageanddeterminationthefounderoftheFoleyfamilyintroducedthemanufactureofnailsintoEngland。HewentintotheDanemoraminedistrict，nearUpsalainSweden，fiddlinghiswayamongtheminers；andaftermakingtwovoyages，heatlastwrestedfromthemthesecretofmakingnails，andintroducedthenewindustryintotheStaffordshiredistrict。[4]ThecourageofJohnLombe，whointroducedthethrown-silkindustryintoEngland，wasequallynotable。HewasanativeofNorwich。Playfair，inhis’FamilyAntiquity’vii。
312，sayshisname“mayhavebeentakenfromtheFrenchLolme，ordeLolme，“asthereweremanypersonsofFrenchandFlemishoriginsettledatNorwichtowardsthecloseofthesixteenthcentury；butthereisnofurtherinformationastohisspecialorigin。
JohnLombe’sfather，HenryLombe，wasaworstedweaver，andwastwicemarried。Byhisfirstwifehehadtwosons，ThomasandHenry；andbyhissecond，hehadalsotwosons，BenjaminandJohn。Athisdeathin1695，helefthistwobrothershis“supervisors，“ortrustees，anddirectedthemtoeducatehischildreninduetimetosomeusefultrade。Thomas，theeldestson，wenttoLondon。Hewasapprenticedtoatrade，andsucceededinbusiness，aswefindhimSheriffofLondonandMiddlesexin1727，wheninhisforty-secondyear。Hewasalsoknightedinthesameyear，mostprobablyontheaccessionofGeorgeII。tothethrone。
John，theyoungestsonofthefamily，andhalf-brotherofThomas，wasputanapprenticetoatrade。In1702，wefindhimatDerby，workingasamechanicwithoneMr。Crotchet。Thisunfortunategentlemanstartedasmallsilk-millatDerby，withtheobjectofparticipatingintheprofitsderivedfromthemanufacture。
“Thewearofsilks，“saysHutton，inhis’HistoryofDerby，’“wasthetasteoftheladies，andtheBritishmerchantwasobligedtoapplytotheItalianwithreadymoneyforthearticleatanexorbitantprice。“Crotchetdidnotsucceedinhisundertaking。
“Threeengineswerefoundnecessaryfortheprocess:hehadbutone。Anuntowardtradeisadreadfulsinkformoney；andanimprudenttradesmanisstillmoredreadfuL。Weoftenseeinstanceswhereafortunewouldlastamanmuchlongerifheliveduponhiscapital，thanifhesentitintotrade。Crotchetsoonbecameinsolvent。“
JohnLombe，whohadbeenamechanicinCrotchet’ssilkmill，losthissituationaccordingly。ButheseemstohavebeenpossessedbyanintensedesiretoascertaintheItalianmethodofsilk-throwing。HecouldnotlearnitinEngland。TherewasnoothermethodbutgoingtoItaly，gettingintoasilkmill，andlearningthesecretoftheItalianart。Hewasagoodmechanicandacleverdraughtsman，besidesbeingintelligentandfearless。
ButhehadnotthenecessarymoneywherewithtoproceedtoItaly。
Hishalf-brotherThomas，however，wasdoingwellinLondon，andwaswillingtohelphimwiththerequisitemeans。Accordingly，JohnsetoutforItaly，notlongafterthefailureofCrotchet。
JohnLombesucceededingettingemploymentinasilkmillinPiedmont，wheretheartofsilk-throwingwaskeptasecret。Hewasemployedasamechanic，andhadthusanopportunity，incourseoftime，ofbecomingfamiliarwiththeoperationoftheengine。Huttonsaysthathebribedtheworkmen；butthiswouldhavebeenadangerousstep，andwouldprobablyhaveledtohisexpulsion，ifnottohisexecution。HuttonhadagreatdetestationofthefirstsilkfactoryatDerby，wherehewasemployedwhenaboy；andeverythingthathesaysaboutitmustbetakencumgranosalis。WhenthesubjectofrenewingthepatentwasbeforeParliamentin1731，Mr。Perry，whosupportedthepetitionofSirThomasLombe，saidthat“thearthadbeenkeptsosecretinPiedmont，thatnoothernationcouldeveryetcomeattheinvention，andthatSirThomasandhisbrotherresolvedtomakeanattemptforthebringingofthisinventionintotheirowncountry。Theyknewthattherewouldbegreatdifficultyanddangerintheundertaking，becausethekingofSardiniahadmadeitdeathforanymantodiscoverthisinvention，orattempttocarryitoutofhisdominions。Thepetitioner’sbrother，however，resolvedtoventurehispersonforthebenefitandadvantageofhisnativecountry，andSirThomaswasresolvedtoventurehismoney，andtofurnishhisbrotherwithwhateversumsshouldbenecessaryforexecutingsoboldandsogenerousadesign。HisbrotherwentaccordinglyovertoItaly；andafteralongstayandagreatexpenseinthatcountry，hefoundmeanstoseethisenginesooften，andtopryintothenatureofitsonarrowly，thathemadehimselfmasterofthewholeinventionandofallthedifferentpartsandmotionsbelongingtoit。“
JohnLombewasabsentfromEnglandforseveralyears。Whileoccupiedwithhisinvestigationsandmakinghisdrawings，itissaidthatitbegantoberumouredthattheEnglishmanwaspryingintothesecretofthesilkmill，andthathehadtoflyforhislife。Howeverthismaybe，hegotonboardanEnglishship，andreturnedtoEnglandinsafety。HebroughttwoItalianworkmenwithhim，accustomedtothesecretsofthesilktrade。HearrivedinLondonin1716，when，afterconferringwithhisbrother，aspecificationwaspreparedandapatentfortheorganziningofrawsilkwastakenoutin1718。Thepatentwasgrantedforfourteenyears。
Inthemeantime，JohnLombearrangedwiththeCorporationofthetownofDerbyfortakingaleaseoftheislandorswampontheriverDerwent，atagroundrentalof8L。ayear。Theisland，whichwaswellsituatedforwater-power，was500feetlongand52
feetwide。Arrangementswereatoncemadeforerectingasilkmillthereon，thefirstlargefactoryinEngland。ItwasconstructedentirelyattheexpenseofhisbrotherThomas。Whilethebuildingwasinprogress，JohnLombehiredvariousroomsinDerby，andparticularlytheTownHall，whereheerectedtemporaryenginesturnedbyhand，andgaveemploymenttoalargenumberofpoorpeople。
Atlength，afteraboutthreeyears’labour，thegreatsilkmillwascompleted。Itwasfoundeduponhugepilesofoak，from16to20feetlong，drivenintotheswampclosetoeachotherbyanenginemadeforthepurpose。Thebuildingwasfivestorieshigh，containedeightlargeapartments，andhadnofewerthan468
windows。TheLombesmusthavehadgreatconfidenceintheirspeculation，asthebuildingandthegreatengineformakingtheorganzinesilk，togetherwiththeotherfittings，costthemabout30，000L。
Oneeffectoftheworkingofthemillwasgreatlytoreducethepriceofthethrown-silk，andtobringitbelowthecostoftheItalianproduction。TheKingofSardinia，havingheardofthesuccessoftheLombe’sundertaking，prohibitedtheexportationofPiedmonteserawsilk，whichinterruptedthecourseoftheirprosperity，untilmeansweretakentofindarenewedsupplyelsewhere。
Andnowcomesthetragicpartofthestory，forwhichMr。Hutton，theauthorofthe’HistoryofDerby，’isresponsible。Asheworkedinthesilkmillwhenaboy，from1730to1737，hedoubtlesshearditfromthemill-hands，andtheremaybesometruthinit，thoughmixedwithalittleromance。Itisthis:-
HuttonsaysofJohnLombe，thathe“hadnotpursuedthislucrativecommercemorethanthreeorfouryearswhentheItalians，whofelttheeffectsfromtheirwantoftrade，determinedhisdestruction，andhopedthatthatofhisworkswouldfollow。Anartfulwomancameoverinthecharacterofafriend，associatedwiththeparties，andassistedinthebusiness。SheattemptedtogainboththeItalianworkmen，andsucceededwithone。Bythesetwoslowpoisonwassupposed，andperhapsjustly，tohavebeenadministeredtoJohnLombe，wholingeredtwoorthreeyearsinagony，anddeparted。TheItalianranawaytohisowncountry；andMadamwasinterrogated，butnothingtranspired，exceptwhatstrengthenedsuspicion。“A
strangestory，iftrue。
Ofthefuneral，Huttonsays:——“JohnLombe’swasthemostsuperbeverknowninDerby。Amanofpeaceabledeportment，whohadbroughtabeneficialmanufactoryintotheplace，employedthepoor，andatadvancedwages，couldnotfailmeetingwithrespect，andhismelancholyendwithpity。Exclusiveofthegentlemenwhoattended，allthepeopleconcernedintheworkswereinvited。
Theprocessionmarchedinpairs，andextendedthelengthofFullStreet，themarket-place，andIron-gate；sothatwhenthecorpseenteredAllSaints，atSt。Mary’sGate，thelastcoupleleftthehouseofthedeceased，atthecornerofSilk-millLane。“
ThusJohnLombediedandwasburiedattheearlyageoftwenty-nine；andThomas，thecapitalist，continuedtheowneroftheDerbysilkmill。HuttonerroneouslystatesthatWilliamsucceeded，andthatheshothimself。TheLombeshadnobrotherofthenameofWilliam，andthispartofHutton’sstoryisaromance。
TheaffairsoftheDerbysilkmillwentonprosperously。Enoughthrownsilkwasmanufacturedtosupplythetrade，andtheweavingofsilkbecameathrivingbusiness。Indeed，EnglishsilkbegantohaveaEuropeanreputation。Inoldentimesitwassaidthat“thestrangerbuysoftheEnglishmanthecaseofthefoxforagroat，andsellshimthetailagainforashilling。“Butnowthematterwasreversed，andthesayingwas，“TheEnglishmanbuyssilkofthestrangerfortwentymarks，andsellshimthesameagainforonehundredpounds。“
Butthepatentwasabouttoexpire。Ithadbeengrantedforonlyfourteenyears；andalongtimehadelapsedbeforetheenginecouldbeputinoperation，andtheorganzinemanufactured。Itwastheonlyengineinthekingdom。JoshuaGee，writingin1731，says:“AswehavebutoneWaterEngineinthekingdomforthrowingsilk，ifthatshouldbedestroyedbyfireoranyotheraccident，itwouldmakethecontinuanceofthrowingfinesilkveryprecarious；anditisverymuchtobedoubtedwhetherallthemennowlivinginthekingdomcouldmakeanother。“Geeaccordinglyrecommendedthatthreeorfourmoreshouldbeerectedatthepublicexpense，“accordingtothemodelofthatatDerby。“[5]
Thepatentexpiredin1732。Theyearbefore，SirThomasLombe，whohadbeenbythistimeknighted，appliedtoParliamentforaprolongationofthepatent。Thereasonsforhisappealwereprincipallythese:thatbeforehecouldprovideforthefullsupplyofothersilkproperforhispurposetheItalianshavingprohibitedtheexportationofrawsilk，andbeforehecouldalterhisengine，trainupasufficientnumberofworkpeople，andbringthemanufacturetoperfection，almostallthefourteenyearsofhispatentrightwouldhaveexpired。“Therefore，“thepetitiontoParliamentconcluded，“ashehasnothithertoreceivedtheintendedbenefitoftheaforesaidpatent，andinconsiderationoftheextraordinarynatureofthisundertaking，theverygreatexpense，hazard，anddifficultyhehasundergone，aswellastheadvantagehehastherebyprocuredtothenationathisownexpense，thesaidSirThomasLombehumblyhopesthatParliamentwillgranthimafurthertermforthesolemakingandusinghisengines，orsuchotherrecompenseasintheirwisdomshallseemmeet。“[