WHEREAS great Numbers of Artificers, Members of the said Company, have been bred up in the said Art or Mystery of making Cabinets, Scrutores, Tables, Chests, and all other sorts of CABINET-WORK in England, in which of late Years they have arrived to so great a Perfection, as exceeds all Europe.

BUT several Merchants, and others, Trading to the East-Indies, and to several Ports and Places thereabouts, have procured to be made in London, of late Years, and sent over to the East-Indies, Patterns and Models of all sorts of Cabinet Goods; an [...] have Yearly return'd from thence such great Quantities of Cabinet-Wares, Manufa­ctured there, after the English Fashion, by our Models, that the said Trade in Eng­land is in great Danger of being utterly Ruined, being ingross'd by the said Mer­chants, and others, that Trade to and from those Parts, to so great a Degree, that they not only supply these Kingdoms with such Commodities, so Imported, but also spoil the EXPORTATION of the said Joyners and Cabinet-Makers Work to Foreign Parts, so that their Journey-men and Apprentices, in a manner, will be useless; which, if not timely prevented, will Reduce the said Joyners, Cabinet-Makers, and Thousands of other Poor Artificers depending on them, as the Carvers, Turners, Copper-Smiths, Glew-makers, Sawyers, &c. to a deplorable Condition, who must perish for want of Work, or be maintain'd by their several Parishes.

AND in lieu of abundance of Foreign Commodities, which the said Joyners and Cabinet-Makers are obliged to use in their Trade, the English Woollen Manufactures were Exported, so that the Kingdom in general were Gainers thereby.

AND the Youth of this Nation, that now are, and daily come to Handycraft Trades, will be under the like Misfortune, if, when their Trades are brought to Perfection, their Models are carried to India, and Manufactured there.

THE following Goods, Manufactured in India, have been Imported within these Four Years, viz. Two Hundred forty four Cabinets, Six Thousand five hundred eighty two Tea-Tables, Four hundred twenty eight Chests, Seventy Trunks, Fifty two Screens, Five hundred eighty nine Looking-Glass Frames, Six hundred fifty five Tops for Stands, Eight hundred eighteen Lacquer'd Boards, Five hundred ninety seven Sconces, and Four thousand one hundred twenty Dressing, Comb, and Powder Boxes.

Besides several Sales lately made, in which were great Quantities of the said CABI­NET-WORK; as also in other Sales daily expected.

Wherefore 'tis hoped the Wisdom of this Honourable House will Interpose for the Relief of these poor Artificers, &c.