free trade-第7章

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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。

　　　　For　dispensing　with　the　Lawes；　it　is　without　question；　that

the　King　hath　power　to　dispence　with　a　Penall　Law；　when　it

prohibiteth　that　which　is　not　Malum　in　se。　For　the　Parliament

having　made　a　Statute　with　intent　of　the　Publique　good：　yet　the

same　by　reason　of　something　not　foreseen　at　the　making　of　the

Law；　may　prove　very　prejudiciall　in　the　Execution。　And　then　the

Malum　prohibitum；　as　the　Lawyers　speake；　may　be　dispenced　with　by

the　King。　Thus　the　Parliament　having　prohibited　the　exportation

of　white　Clothes　undre'st　above　the　price　of　four　pound　the

Cloth：　the　observation　of　that　Statute　was　found　by　experience　to

be　very　prejudiciall　to　the　Trade；　and　free　vent　of　the　Cloth　in

forreine　parts。　Whereupon　Q。　Elizabeth；　granted　a　Speciall

Licence　to　the　Fellowship　of　the　Merchant　Adventurers；　to

transport　all　sorts　of　white　Clothes　undre'st；　with　a　Non

obstante　to　that　Statute。　And　although　all　other　men　stood　lyable

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　re