AN ABSTRACT OF THE BILL Now depending for Regulation and better Government of the COMPANY of Painter-Stainer● 〈◇〉 LONDON: Together with some REASONS of the Principal Branches of it.  

Preamble, fol. 1. ●eclared so by Stat. 1 Jac. 20.  REcites it to be an ancient Company and incorporated with Power to Oversee, Rule, and Govern, all the Fellowes of the same Society, and all others using th● same Art, and all material Works and merchandise concerning the same.  

Grievance.  That Aliens and others not free of the Company, for the most part unskilful, use the Art and and take Apprentices. 

1st. To the prejudice of the Company.  
2dly. To the detriment of the People.  
3dly. The disgrace of the Nation.  
And 4thly. The contempt of the laws.    

Enacted. ●at. 5. Eliz. c. 4. forbids using ●y Trade, not being bread ●pprentice to it, in London, 〈◇〉 elsewh●re.  That none use the Trade in London or 〈…〉 miles distance, unless bound by Indenture to one of the Company for seven years upo● pain of 〈…〉 for every offence.  
Proviso, That this Act shall not prejudice those that have already served seven years to any Free-man, and are not as yet free, so that they up their freedoms befo●● the 24th. of December 1664.  

●●anted by the Charter.  Proviso, That Persons, which for their skill in Painting are now admitted, or hereafter shall be admitted into the Company, shall not be Sued or troubled for working 〈◇〉 a Painter within the said 〈…〉 miles of London, and that they shall not use the said Art within the City of London, or the Liberties thereof.  

●ecital Star. 1. Jac. cap. 20. Grievance.  Recites the Act 1o. Jac. cap. 20. That forbids conductor to use the Painters Trade: and the Proviso in it, that conductor might use whiteing, Blacking, Red-Lead Red-Oaker, Yellow-Oaker, and Russet mingled with size only and not with oil, by pretence whereof the conductor use the Painters Trade.  

Enacted. according to the Letters Pa●ents of the Company, 19 July ●3 Eliz. And the Stat. 1 Jac. ●ap. 20.  ENACTED, That the conductor lay these Colours flat and plain, in size only and not in oil, and that in mixing the Colours none shall Glaze them with varni●● upon pain of 〈…〉 for every offence.  
Gives Power to the Master and Wardens, or any one of them, with some of the Company, not exceeding four in all, at convenient times to search any Places whe●● Painting is sold, to see if it be well wrought; and if not, to seize it, and to carry it away, and deface and destroy them.  

Stat. 1 Rich. 3. c. 9. No stran●er shall exercise a Handicrafts ●●ade, except they first serve Native.  The Master, Wardens, Assistants, and Livery, have Power every year to choose twelve of the Company, being skilful Artists, and they or any seven may licence N●tives or Strangers, not free of the Company, being Artists, to use the Trade, not taking above 〈…〉 pounds for the same, and the Persons licenced paying as others of th●● Company.  

Granted by their Charter.  That the Master, Wardens, Assistants, and Livery have Power to make Reasonable By-Lawes, for Restriction of the number of Apprentices and Journe●men, and for other Honourable things, for the better Government of the Company.  

●tat. 1. Rich. 3. cap. 9.  That all Aliens, not licensed as aforesaid, shall depart the Realm or work as Journey-men, to a Free-man of the Company, and his name and his Masters to be entred 〈◇〉 the Hall Book gratis, upon pain of 〈…〉  
The Offences shall be enquired of in the Kings Courts of Westminster or the Courts of Record, within the Jurisdiction, whereof the Offences shall so be committed the Justices of Oyer and Terminer, goal delivery or of the Peace; and one moiety of the penalties to his Majesties use, and the other moiety with reasonable cost of 〈…〉 svit to the Plaintiff or Informer.  

THE REASONS.  

● Rich. 3. c. 9. 14. 15. Hen. 8. 〈◇〉. 9. 32 H. 6. c. 16. 5 Eliz. ●●a. 4.  FIrst, There have been several Acts of Parliament formerly made, which will extend to the Principal Branches of this Act, but are ancient and defective in for things, and do not so well regulate and empower the Company to admit those that are skilful in the Art in this manner, but they are all far more severe agai●●● them, then this.  

Stat. 5 Eliz. an ill remedy.  Secondly, It is certain that the Stat. 5. Eliz. cap. 4. Provides, that none shall exercise a Trade, but that penalty being but Forty shillings, which is so little and ha● to be proved, that it will be in a manner, no remedy to reduce and discover those that work privately, and have not served Seven years; in regard it cannot be do without much charge and diligence, and no costs of svit recovered in that Action.  
Thirdly, Those that have served Seven years, it is most probable, are more skilful then those that have not served, any time; and besides, their Service and Freedo● are liable to all Duties of their Company and Taxes. And therefore, if those not free should have a greater privilege, it would not onely discourage the Industry the Freemen, but ruin them and the Government of the Society, and make a failer in this Art.  
Fourthly, The Freemen for the most part are House-keepers, and beat all public charges; but on the contrary, the others are many of them inconsiderable pe●sons, and are very numerous, in and about this City, and have no certain place of Habitation: But if this Act pass, it will bring them under the Government of Company, and make them liable to Taxes for His Majesty.  
Fifthly, If those that are Freemen of the Company of Painter-Stainers, cannot bring in the strangers, which have any equal advantage with the Members of t●● 
Granted by the Charter to call others to their assistance, and ●dmit them.  Company, and to bear and equal burden with them, which is in a manner granted them by their Charter; the Company cannot be supported, but must inevitably fall, a●● be destroyed, by the encroachment upon them.  
If it shall be Objected, That any that shall be famous for Painting, and comes from beyond the Seas, he shall not be admitted to use that Art.  
The former Acts that have passed, provide for that, and do altogether restrain them: And by the Statute Rich. 3. if they use this Art, they shall firsit their Person Estate.  
In relation to the Proviso in the Stat. 1. Jac. cap. 4. which gives power to the conductor to lay whiteing, Blacking, read led, red Oaker, Yellow Oaker, a●● Russet, mingled with Size onely.  
Answ. First, The very Title of that Act is, A plasterer shall not use the Occupaiton of a Painter; and the whole Body of that Act is against the conductor, to forb them to use the Art of Painting: The intent of which Proviso, was to give them liberty to use it, to lay those Colours plain, as necessary for their Profession about t●● Seiling of Rooms, and such like.  
Secondly, In the same Act, immediately after that Proviso, there is a Proviso which limits the ways of a Painter, for laying those or other Colours in Size, which a high measure shows the intent of the Act to be as is above set forth.  
Thirdly, The conductor under pretence of this Act, stretching it to their own advantage, encroach very much upon the Painters trade, in regard most pieces of goo● Painting may be done by these Colours, with the mixture of them each with the other; whereby the plasters being altogether unskilful in that Art, pretend to do sev●ral Paintings, which are done so ill, as that they cannot deserve the name of Painting, although done at far greater rates then what the Painters usually have for Pain●ings of that nature.  
Fourthly, It tends to the scandal and disgrace of the Art of Painting within our English Nation.  
Fifthly, It hath been upon several Debates by the Painters against the conductor, declared by Law, to be on the Painters side; but to avoid these Strifes and Debat● the Explanation of the aforesaid Proviso, is humbly offered.  
The Charter, which creates the Company of conductor, gives them the name of daubers; neither is there any Charter, wherein Colours are mentioned, but th● use of Lath, Loam, and Lime, is onely granted them.