free trade-第6章

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to　the　Statute　stil；　and　were　restrained；　yet　the　Utility　that

hereby　arose　to　the　Common…wealth；　did　farre　exceed　the　restraint

of　the　Publique　Liberty。　For　within　few　yeares　after　the　granting

of　this　Licence；　the　vent　of　Cloth　in　forreine　parts　increased　to

twice　as　much；　as　formerly　it　was　during　the　strict　observation

of　the　Statute。　Other　like　dispensations　of　Statutes；　I　might

instance：　as　that　of　the　28　H。8。　concerning　the　retailing　of

Gasgoigne　Wines　at　two　pence　a　quart：　which　is　dispenced　with；　by

a　licence　to　the　Company　of　the　Vintners：　but　these　may　suffice

for　every　mans　understanding　of　this　kinde　of　restraint。

　　　　For　Prohibition　by　Act　of　Parliament：　such　is　the　Act　whereby

all　the　subjects　of　this　Realme；　excepting　such　as　are　of　the

Corporation　of　the　Muscovy　Company；　are　forbidden　to　trade　into

any　part　of　Russia。　Also　that　of　3　Jacob　concerning　Artizan

Skinnes；　whereby　all　but　the　Company；　are　forbidden　to　buy　and

retail　some　sorts　of　Skinnes。　In　these　and　the　like；　the

Parliament　maketh　restraint　of　the　Common　liberty　of　Commerce；

and　the　same　restraint　is　againe　released；　not　unto　all；　but　to

some　persons　or　Corporations　by　Speciall　exception　and　proviso　of

the　Act　of　Parliament。

　　　　The　latter　kind　of　restraint　by　Publique　Authority；　is　when

that　which　seemeth　by　the　Lawe　to　be　free　to　all　is　by　some

Patent　or　Proclamation　of　the　Prince；　prohibited　to　all；　saving

some　certaine　Corporations；　or　persons　specially　excepted　and

authorized　in　the　same　Patent　or　Proclamation。　Of　this　kind　are

generally　reputed　all　Corporations　of　Merchants；　which　are　not

confirmed　by　Act　of　Parliament。　Which　are　generally　reputed　to

carry　with　them　a　restraint　to　others；　of　that　liberty；　which　the

Law　doth　seeme　to　offer　to　all　in　point　of　Commerce。　Whence　it　is

that　so　many　pleade　the　Freedome　of　subjects；　and　presse；　or

rather　oppresse　that　plea　of　equity；　hat　it　is　equall　that　all

subjects　should　bee　a　like　free　to　be　Merchants　in　all　Trades。　To

whom　I　answere；　that　first　there　is　no　good　Equality　in　it；

because　it　is　against　the　Publique　Utility　that　all　should　bee

Merchants　at　their　pleasure。　For　that's　not　equall；　that　may

seeme　profitable　to　one；　and　bee　hurtful　to　many。　Atque　ipso

utilitas　iusti　prop　matter　&　aequi；　as　Horace　speaketh。　And　yet

what　point　of　equity　is　broken；　when　the　freedome　of　Societies　is

so　carried；　that　it　is　open　to　all　men　upon　equall　termes；　that

is　to　say；　either　by　service　or　purchase？　Otherwise　it　were　very

unequall；　that　one　man　should　serve　for　his　freedome；　or　buy　the

same：　and　another　man　should　have　it　for　nothing。　If　this　point

were　well　thought　upon；　I　prosume　the　Gracious　Grants　and

priviledges　of　His　Majestie；　conferred　upon　Societies；　would　not

seeme　so　much　a　restraint　of　the　Common　liberty；　as　a　prudent

ordering　and　accommodating　thereof　unto　the　Publique　Utility。　For

it　hath　ever　beene　a　Policy　of　this　State；　to　reduce　the　Trades

of　Merchants　of　this　Kingdome　into　Corporations　and　Societies；

for　the　advancement　of　Trade；　by　the　benefit　of　order　and

government：　well　foreseeing　that　there　cannot　be　any　greater　Bane

to　a　Well…governed　Common…wealth；　then　Ill…governed　and

disorderly　Trade。　Whereof　I　shall　have　fitter　occasion　to　speake

in　the　next　Chapter；　when　I　come　to　treat　of　the　Incoveniences　of

the　want　of　government　in　Trade。　So　that　in　this　case　the

generall　rule　must　be　this；　that　such　a　restraint　of　the　Publique

Liberty；　as　is　before　mentioned；　is　alwayes　to　be　allowed；　when

the　same　is　recompenced　with　a　Publique　Utility。　According　to

that　of　Tacitus；　Omne　magnum　exemplum　habet　is　se　aliquid　iniqui；

quod　utilitate　publica　contra　singulos　compensatur。　Also　the

liberty　that　the　Law　seemeth　to　give　the　subjects　in　Trade；　is　to

be　understood；　of　imployment　Within　the　Kingdome；　not　Without　the

Kingdome。　For　what　liberty　can　a　Nationall　Law；　give　to　a　Forrein

Trade　under　a　Forreine　Jurisdiction；　when　the　liberty　or

restraint　thereof　dependeth　upon　those　Forreine　Princes　and

States　where　that　Trade　is　tollerated？　Therfore　the　Law　may　give

the　subject　Liberty　Within　the　Land；　but　it　is　the　King　that　must

enable　men　to　trade　Without　the　Land。　For　all　the　Trade　of　the

Merchants　of　this　Kingdome　into　Forreine　Countries；　is　grounded

upon　the　Amity　of　the　King；　and　the　Treaties　of　Peace　contracted

by　the　King；　with　the　Kings　and　Rulers　of　those　forreine　parts；

at　his　owne　charge；　and　by　His　owne　Authoritie；　without　the

assistance　of　His　Parliament。　And　therefore　it　holdeth　good

conguity；　that　the　King　by　His　like　Authority；　may　have　the

disposing　and　ordering　of　such　His　contracts　at　his　owne

pleasure。

　　　　The　second　part　of　Monopoly　remaineth；　of　the　setting　of　the

price　at　the　pleasure　of　the　Monopolist；　to　his　private　gaine；

and　the　publique　losse。　This　Gothofredus　calleth　the　forme　of　a

Monopoly。　And　in　truth　it　is　the　very　Soule　and　Accomplishment

thereof。　And　he　or　they　that　have　this　power　over　the　price　of

the　thing　they　negotiate；　may　well　be　said　according　to　the

notation　of　Monopoly；　from　｛Greek　word　omitted｝　and　｛Greek　word

omitted｝；　to　converse　alone。　For　in　so　doing；　they　so　live；　as

none　can　live　by　them；　in　respect　of　their　singular　gaine　in　this

kinde：　Contrary　to　that　honest　Poverbiall　rule　of　the　Dutch；　that

men　must　Leuen　ende　laeten　Leuen：　So　live　as　other　men　may　Live

by　them。　But　here　I　cannot　but　discharge　all　those　Corporations

of　this　Kingdome；　of　this　part　of　Monopoly；　which　afford　to　every

particular　trader　thereof；　the　managing　of　his　owne　stocke；　in

buying　and　selling　as　hee　can；　without　any　combination　with

others。　In　which　it　is　an　impossible　as　unusual；　for　any　to　have

command　of　the　rice　of　their　Commodities：　because　there　is　such　a

multitude　of　Traders　of　them；　and　every　man　is　at　liberty　to　buy

or　sell；　without　any　rule　by　any　generall　order；　or　meanes　to

hold　one　price。　But　the　greatest　suspition　of　Monopoly　in

Corporations；　is　in　such　as　Trade；　in　Joint　Stockes。　Whereof　if

there　be　any　that　tradeth　in　a　Joint　Stocke；　and　hath　the　Sole

buying　or　selling　of　any　Commodity；　and　buy　and　sell　the　same

Jointly；　as　by　one　person　or　common　factor；　such　is　guilty　of

Monopoly。

　　　　For　particular　men；　they　may　also　commit　Monopolizing：　either

by　procuring　Patents　by　misinformation　of　the　State；　for　the　Sole

Importing　or　Exporting；　buying　or　selling　at　their　owne　prises；

to　the　restraint　of　the　Common　Liberty；　and　the　Publique　Utility

of　the　Kingdome：　or　else　when　some　one　or　few；　without　any

Authority；　doe　joine　together　to　engrosse　and　buy　in　a　Commodity；

and　sell　it　out　againe　at　their　owne　price。　Of　the　former　kinde；

are　those　Catalogue　of　crying　Monopolies；　which　his　Majestie　in

His　high　Wisdome　and　Grace　damned　in　His　Princely　Proclamation　of

the　tenth　of　July　last；　in　the　XIX　year　of　His　Majesties　most

happy　Reigne　over　this　Kingdome：　Many　of　which　were　abused　in　the

Practice；　from　which　they　appeared　to　be　in　the　Institution。　And

here　a　pretty　question　occurreth。　When　a　Patent　is　granted　to　a

certaine　person　or　persons；　so　as　hee　or　they　have　power　to

licence　others　to　exercise　some　kinde　of　Commerce　solely；　and

consequently　with　command　of　the　price：　that　question　is；　who　is

then　the　Monopolian；　whether　the　Patentees；　or　their　Assignes？　In

this　case　I　suppose；　that　both　the　one　and　the　other　commit

Monopoly。　For　first；　the　Patentees　make　their　price　at　their

pleasure　upon　their　Assignes；　and　they　againe　upon　the　Subjects。

So　that　here　is　Mnnopoly　upon　Monopoly：　like　your　Salt　upon　Salt；

Interest　upon　Interest；　or　the　Decompositum　in　Grammer。

　　　　In　the　latter；　some　sorts　of　Trades…men　in　London；　are　said

to　offend。　Which　being　matters　of　Generall　note；　and　willing　to

avoid　offence；　I　will　passe　by　such　particulars。　And　this　shall

suffice　for　the　Definition　and　Distribution　of　Monopoly。



Cap。　IIII。



Of　want　of　Government　in　Trade。



　　　　Such　is　the　Forme　of　Trade　considered　in　the　Strict　Use　or

Abuse　of　Government；　by　way　of　Monopoly。　It　now　remaineth　briefly

to　shew　the　Too　Loose　Use　thereof；　by　Ungoverned　Trade。

　　　　It　is　a　Maxime　in　the　Mathematiques；　that　Rectum　est　Index

sui　&　obliqui。　And　the　want　of　Government；　cannot　better　be

demonstrated；then　by　the　benefit　of　Government　it　selfe。　For

thereby　the　Common…wealth　hath　beene　much　advantaged；　both　in　the

encrease　of　the　native　Commodities　of　the　Kingdome；　and　the

advancement　of　their　use　and　price　in　Forreine　parts：　and　also　in

keeping　the　forreine　wares　at　a　moderate　rate　within　this

Kingdome。　This　will　be　yet　more　perspicuous；　if　we　cast　our　eye

first　upon　the　several　Societies　of　Merchants　which　trade　under

Government：　and　then　on　those　which　trade　without　Government。　For

Contraria　juxta　se　posita；　magis　elucescunt。

　　　　In　the　first　place　therefore　consider　we　that　Ancient　and

heretofore　famous　fellowship　of　the　Merchants…Adventurers　of

England。　Hath　it　not　by　their　politique　rule　and　order；　eaten　out

the　Societie　of　the　Hans…townes　of　Germanie　and　the　Merchants　of

the　Entercourse　of　the　Low　Countries；　in　those　trades；　which　a

long　time　they　enjoyed　in　this　land？　And　whereas　those　of　the

Hans；　vented　in　Germany；　only　a　matter　of　sixe　thousand　of　our

Clothes　yeerely　and　at　low　prices：　and　held　this　Realme　as　it

were　beholding　unto　them　for　their　shipping：　yea　upon　some

discontent　for　denying　of　them　priviledges；　durst　offer　some

hostilitie　in　the　time　of　Edward　the　fourth。　Whereas　the

Merchants…Adventurers　by　their　Charters；　granted　from　time　to

time　by　the　Princes　of　this　Realme；　and　favoured　by　Parliaments

successively；　by　their　orderly　mannaging　of　their　trade；　have

supplanted　the　trade　of　the　Hanses　in　Germany：　and　brought　the

said　Six　thousand　vented　by　them　in　Germany；　unto　Thirtie

thousand　Clothes　yeerely　&　at　great　prises。　And　it　is　worthy　to

be　remembred　to　their　Honour；　that　service　which　the

Merchants…Adventurers　did　to　the　State　in　Anno　88　when　they

supplied　the　Navie　Royall　with　a　whole　ships　lading　of　Powder　and

Shot　from　Hamburgh：　which　came　luckily　even　in　articulo　temporis；

when　there　was　a　very　great　want　thereof。　These　also　have　from

time　to　time　employed　and　bred　up　many　worthy　Masters　of　ships

and　Mariners；　and　built　many　Tall；　warlike　and　Serviceable

shippes：　which　as　they　themselves　also；　are　at　all　times　ready　to

doe　service　to　the　King　&　State　upon　all　occasions。　None　of　all

which　they　had　ever　beene　able　to　have　done　as　particular　men；　in

a　loose；　distracted；　and　disorderly　trade。

　　　　Great　benefit　also　hath　arisen　from　the　East…land　Company：

who　have　wonne　like　ground　of　the　Hanses　of　the　Baltique　Sea：　and

doe　employ　in　that　trade　a　great　number　of　proper　Shippes　and

Men。

　　　　The　Levant　Company　likewise　by　their　trade　under　Government；

hath　built　a　great　strength　of　warlike；　Tall　&　Lusty　Shipping；

which　they　employ　in　that　trade：　and　by　their　industry　have　wonne

from　the　Italians　the　trade　of　the　Levant：　the　Commodities

whereof　were　before　brought　into　this　Realme　by　Argosies　to　the

encrease　of　forreine　shipping；　and　at　deare　rate