free trade-第6节

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Incorporate　themselves；　and　keep　Courts；　to　confront　the

Merchants…Adventurers；　which　they　never　did　before：　To　have

drawne　the　Taring　of　Cloth　into　Holland；　where　the　Buyers　are　in

some　sort；　Judges　&　Parties；　which　before　was　in　the　Mart…towne；

where　the　Seller　was　present：　And　lastly　to　have　hastned　the

great　Imposition　in　Holland。　All　which　are　matters　of　moment；　and

concerne　the　Cloth…trade　very　much；　and　whereof　the　English

Factors　there　residing　doe　generally　complaine：　Yet　These　I

rather　instance　then　urge：　leaving　the　further　Overture　thereof

to　their　own　relation。

　　　　Now　the　forreine　causes　of　the　decay　of　the　Drapery　of

England：　are　either　generall；　as　the　warres　in　Germany：　or

speciall　as　the　great　Imposition　lately　laide　upon　our　Cloth　in

Holland。

　　　　By　the　former；　the　Course　of　Trade　is　stopt　and　hindered；

that　Merchants　cannot　passe　without　perill　from　place　to　place：

and　the　monies　become　so　variable；　that　when　a　Merchant　hath　sold

his　Cloth；　and　hopeth　to　have　gained　something　thereby；　by　that

time　that　the　terme　for　payment　is　expired；　he　receiveth　lesse　in

value　then　the　Clothes　cost；　by　the　raising　and　rising　of　the

monies。

　　　　By　the　latter；　the　Merchants　of　the　Netherlands　are

discouraged；　wherby　many　of　them　have　given　over　their　trades；

which　heretofore　they　followed　in　ample　manner；　unto　Muscovy；　the

East…Countries　and　other　places；　in　our　English　Clothes　bought　of

the　Merchants…Adventurers　from　time　to　time。



Cap。　III。



Of　governed　Trade；　and　therein　of　Monopoly。



　　　　Hitherto　the　Matter　of　Trade　hath　beene　considered　in　Money

and　Merchandize：　the　Forme　followeth；　and　that　either　in　respect

of　Government；　or　want　of　Government　in　trade。　Government　is　a

representation　of　the　Majestie　and　Authoritie　of　the　King。　The

subject　that　is　honoured　with　Government；　is　invested　with　part

of　the　Kings　Honour。　The　Trades　of　this　Kingdome　which　by　His

Majesties　especiall　Grace　and　Favour　are　reduced　under　Order　and

Government　into　Corporations；　Companies；　and　Societies；　doe

certainly　much　Advance　and　Advantage　the　Commerce　of　this

Common…wealth；　and　farre　excell　the　trades　of　any　other　forreine

Merchants　in　their　ungoverned　trades。

　　　　But　as　the　Use　of　Government　is　excellent　for　the　restraint

of　unskilfull　and　disorderly　trade：　so　the　Abuse　thereof　is　as

inconvient；　if　at　any　time　the　same　be　too　strict；　and　come

within　the　compasse　of　a　Monopoly。　And　because　the　name　and

nature　of　Monopoly；　is　more　talk't　of；　then　well　understood　of

many；　and　some　thinke　that　the　reducing　of　trade　into　Order　and

Government；　is　a　kinde　of　Monopolizing　and　restraint　of　trade：　I

have　thought　it　not　unseasonable　to　bestow　some　specaill　paines

in　the　diligent　investigation　thereof。　Not　that　I　would　have　the

trade　of　the　Kingdome；　so　circumscribed　or　appropriated　to　any；

that　others　of　His　Majesties　subjects　should　be　deprived　of　the

libertie　thereof；　but　that　upon　equall　and　reasonable　termes；

trading　under　Order　and　Government；　without　that　ill　tincture　of

Monopoly；　the　Kings　high　way　of　trade　should　be　opened　unto　all。

　　　　The　name　therefor　of　Monopoly　in　our　English　tongue；　is

derived；　as　the　learned　know；　of　the　Greeke　word　｛Greek　word

omitted｝：　whence　also　the　Latine　word　Monopolium　is　borrowed。

Some　derive　it　of　｛Greek　word　omitted｝　Solus；　&　｛Greek　word

omitted｝　Versor；　to　converse　alone。　Others　of　｛Greek　word

omitted｝　Solus；　and；　｛Greek　word　omitted｝　Civitas；　quasi　unica

negotiatio　in　Civitate。　But　all　these　agree　in　one　meaning　of　the

word；　that　is　Singularis　Negotiatio；　a　diverting　of　Commerce　from

the　naturall　course　and　use　thereof；　into　the　hands　of　some　few；

to　their　benefite；　and　others　projudice。　I　also　find　many

definition　of　Monopolies：　and　a　g　reat　question　among　the

Civilans；　whether　a　Monopoly　may　bee　exercised　of　one　alone；　and

whether　it　consist　aswell　in　Locatio　Conductio；　as　they　speak；　as

in　Emptio　Venditio。　Which　last　is　out　of　question　with　all。　And

of　the　former　I　find　an　instance　in　Artistotle　of　Thales　Milesius

his　Monopoly：　who　by　his　knowledge　in　Astrology；　foreseeing　one

yeare　in　the　winter；　that　there　would　be　great　plentie　of　oiles

the　next　yeare；　hired　before　hand　all　the　places　and　engines　for

making　of　oile　through　both　the　Ilands　of　Melazo　&　Chius；　and

afterwards　let　out　the　same　againe　at　this　owne　place　he　maketh

also　mention　of　another；　who　bought　up　all　the　Iron　in　Sicilia；

which　afterwards　he　sold　againe；　and　made　one　hundred　talents　of

that　which　cost　him　but　fiftie。　Amongst　others　I　will　take　the

definition　of　Althusius　for　all　the　rest。　Monopolium；　saith　he；

Est　Commercium　emendi；　vendendi；　permutadiue；　a　pancis　veluno

etiam　usurpatum；　reliquis　ciutbus　preceptum；　quo　pretia　augetur

cum　lucro　negotiantis；　&　reliquorum　damno。　That　is　Monopoly　is　a

kinde　of　Commerce；　in　buying；　selling；　changing　or　bartering；

usurped　by　a　few；　and　sometimes　but　by　one　person；　and

fore…stalled　from　all　others；　to　the　Gaine　of　the　Monopolist；　and

to　the　Detriment　of　other　men。

　　　　The　parts　then　of　a　Monopoly　are　twaine。　The　restraint　of　the

liberty　of　Commerce　to　some　one　or　few：　and　the　setting　of　the

price　at　the　pleasure　of　the　Monopolian　to　his　private　benefit；

and　the　prejudice　of　the　publique。　Upon　which　two　hinges　every

Monopoly　turneth。　And　these　two　parts　are　respectively　repugnant

to　the　two　fundamental　requisites　of　all　good　Lawes：　to　with；

Equity　and　Utility。　For　it　against　Equity；　that　one　member　of　a

Common…wealth　should　be　more　free；　then　another　of　equall　ranke

and　condition。　And　what　can　be　more　contrary　to　Publique　Utility；

then　that　some　one　or　few　persons；　should　sway　the　price　of　any

thing　usefull　to　the　Common…wealth　to　their　owne　enriching；　and

the　common　losse　of　other　men？　And　here　it　is　to　bee　well

observed；　that　unlesse　these　two　parts　concurre　in　a　Monopoly：　it

cannot　truely　and　properly　be　so　called；　nor　ought　it　so　to　bee

accounted。　And　therefore　Althusius　following　Decianus；　saith　well

of　that　restraint　of　the　common　liberty；　which　we　call　Suit　of

Mill：　which　compelleth　men　to　use　this　or　that　Mill　to　grinde

corne；　and　none　other：　that　it　doth　only　Sapere　Monopolium；

Savour　of　Monopoly：　but　that　it　is　not　truely　and　properly　a

Monopoly。　For　that　case　of　Suit　of　Mill；　unlesse　there　be　a

greater　tolle　or　recompence　exacted　for　grinding；　then　at　other

Milles；　it　falleth　onely　within　the　first　part　of　a　Monopoly；　to

wit；　of　the　restraint　of　the　publicke　liberty；　but　not　within

compasse　of　the　other　part；　the　setting　of　the　price。　but　for

this　restraint　of　the　publique　liberty　of　Commerce；　it　may　be　so

ordered　by　the　wisedome　of　the　State；　that　it　may　be　both　Lawfull

and　Beneficiall　to　the　Common…wealth。　Which　assertion；　because　it

may　seeme　strange　to　some；　I　will　make　evident　by　good　Authority

and　Examples。　Peter　Martyr　that　famous　light　of　the　Churches　of

the　Gospell；　defendeth　the　restraint　of　Solomon；　that　none　shold

buy　Horses　of　Egypt　without　his　licence；　to　be　Lawfull。　And　of

this　kinde　is　the　Preemption　of　Tinne　here　in　England；　granted　by

His　Majesties　gracious　letters　Patents　do　somefew；　with　restraint

of　all　others：　which　I　dare　boldly　affirme　is　not　onely　Lawfull；

but　very　Beneficiall　also　to　this　Commonwealth。　For　thereby　our

Thrice　Noble　Prince　receiveth　a　good　revenue；　and　the　Tinne　of

this　Land　is　sold　for　many　thousand　pounds　a　yeare　more　in

Forrein　parts；　then　otherwise　it　would；　to　the　great　increase　of

the　Common　stocke　of　this　Kingdome。　Also　the　Law　of　this　Realme

alloweth；　that　if　any　man　invent　a　new　Art；　beneficiall　to　the

Common　wealth；　he　may　have　a　Patent　to　use　that　Arte　soley；　with

restraint　of　all　others　for　seven　years：　as　well　in　recompence　of

his　industry；　as　for　the　incouragement　of　others；　to　study　and

invent　things　profitable　for　the　publique　symbiosis。　The　Statues

of　the　Kingdome　restraine　from　the　exercise　of　sundry　Crafts；　all

such　as　have　not　served　an　apprentishood　unto　the　art　which　they

would　exercise：　to　the　ende　that　those　artes　might　be　brought　to

better　perfection；　and　the　things　made；　might　be　good　and

serviceable　for　those　that　buy　and　use　them。

　　　　The　restraint　of　the　Publique　Liberty；　is　sometimes　exercised

by　

Private　Authority：　sometimes　by　Publique。　Which　distinction　is

made　by　the　Emperour　Zeno。　Iubemus　ne　quis　prosua　authoritate；

vel　sacro　elicito　rescripto；　etc。　Monopolium　audeat　exercere。

　　　　The　former；　is　practised　when　any　one　or　more；　have　by　their

owne　private　contracts；　gotten　any　Commoditie　or　matter　of

Commerce；　wholly　into　their　owne　hands。　Of　this　kinde　are　the

examples　above　cited　out　of　Aristotle。

　　　　The　latter；　is　when　by　Publique　Authority；　the　liberty　of　the

subject　is　restrained：　which　is　done；　sometimes　by　the

Prerogative　of　the　King：　sometimes　by　Act　of　Parliament。

　　　　The　former；　by　dispensing　with　a　generall　Law　in　some　point；

and　applying　the　dispensation　to　some　one　or　fewe；　with　restraint

of　others。　The　latter；　by　prohibiting　all；　but　some　one　or　few

persons　to　use　the　benefit　of　the　Law　in　some　point　or　other。