free trade-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　rates：　and　is　now

reduced　to　the　Natives　of　this　Kingdome；　to　the　encrease　of

Shipping；　and　the　benefit　of　the　Publike。　Which　without

Government　and　good　order；　had　been　impossible　for　them　to　have

done。

　　　　The　French　Company　also；　though　but　lately　reduced　to　Order；

have　reformed　many　abuses　in　that　trade；　in　maintaining　the

Native　Commodities　of　this　Kingdome　in　much　better　estimation；

and　in　keeping　the　Forreine　at　moderate　prices：　and　in　employing

greater　shipping；　then　at　any　time　before。　Which　were　impossible

for　them　to　effect　Singly；　without　Societie。

　　　　Lastly；　for　the　East…India　Company；　whereof　I　am　prevented　to

say　what　I　might；　by　two　severall　discourses　published　in　print；

the　one　by　that　worthy　and　rarely　qualified　Gentleman　Sir　Dudley

Digges　Knight；　the　other　by　that　discreete　Merchant　Mr。　Thomas

Mun：　yet　this　I　say；　that　this　Great　and　Noble　Societie　by　the

benefite　of　Government；　hath　set　on　foot　a　bery　mightie　Trade；

farre　beyond　any　other　Company　of　this　Kingdome：　and　accordingly

hath　excelled　in　greatnesse　of　shipping；　and　making　Mariners　of

land…men；　beyond　the　example　of　any　other　Corporation：　&　had　not

Envie　thought　that　Trade　too　great　a　Treasure　for　this　Kingdome

doubtlesse　they　had　in　Encrease　of　trade；　excelled　all　the

Companies　of　Merchants　in　this　Common…wealth。

　　　　But　here　the　ordinary　objection　encountereth　me；　that　in

Germany；　Spaine；　France；　Italie；　and　the　Netherlands；　there　are

no　such　Companies；　nor　restrains　of　Merchants；　as　here　in

England：　and　yet　that　those　Countries　thrive　better　in　their

trades；　than　we　in　ours。　I　answer；　that　if　it　be　granted；　that

they　have　no　such　Companies　nor　restraints　of　any；　and　that　they

thrive　better　in　their　trades　then　we；　yet　it　will　not　follow；

that　this　their　better　thriving　is　because　every　man　is　at

libertie　to　be　a　Merchant　at　his　pleasure。　This　is　the　fallacy

which　the　Logicians　call　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝；　Non　causa　pro

causa。　For　if　that　were　the　cause；　why　then　should　not　our

Spanish　Trade；　that　hath　no　Company　nor　restraint；　prosper　better

then　the　other　Trades　which　are　Governed　in　Companies；　whereas　to

speak　as　the　truth　is；　This　Trade　&　These　Merchants；　are　the　most

miserable　of　all　the　other　Trades　and　Tradesmen　of　this　Kingdome；

and　all　through　want　of　Government：　thorough　whose　sides　the

Common…wealth　suffereth；　and　hath　already　lost　many　Millions　in

value　of　the　wealth　of　the　Weale…publique；　as　I　shall　shew　anone。

But　to　the　Assumption；　I　deny　that　the　Merchants　of　those

forreine　Countries；　trade　without　Government。　For　Germany　hath

ancietly　had　one　Society；　or　Corporation　of　Merchants　inall　their

Sea…townes；　called　the　Society；　or　Corporation　of　the　Hans　before

noted：　as　their　houses　of　Staple　yet　standing　at　Bridges　in

Flanders；　Antwerpe　in　Brabant；　Novogrode　in　Russia；　Bergen　in

Norway；　and　the　Steelyard　in　London　can　witnes。　Which　Trade　of

theirs　flourished；　as　long　as　it　continued　under　Government：　but

having　lost　their　Priviledes；　partly　by　their　owne　Stragling；　and

partly　being　overtop't　by　the　flourishing　of　the

Merchants…Adventurers　Trade；　their　Trade　is　now　almost　quite

fallen　to　the　ground。

　　　　For　Spaine　and　Portugall：　all　men　know　that　their　Sea　Trade

is　little；　saving　to　the　East　and　West　Indies。　And　those　Trades

are　carried　with　Government；　and　farre　more　restraint　then　ours。

　　　　For　France；　there　are　not　（that　I　know）　any　Companies　of

Merchants　for　forreine　parts。　Which　I　take　to　be　the　cause；　why

those　Merchants　shipping；　is　of　so　small　burthen；　and　of　as

little　sufficiency　for　service。　Which　is　an　effect　of　a　stragling

ungoverned　Trade。

　　　　For　Italy；　that　consiseth　of　so　many　severall　Jurisdictions；

that　it　were　impossible　to　make　a　generall　Corporation　for　any

one　kinde　of　Sea…Trade。　For　example；　were　it　not　in　vaine　for

Genoa　to　make　a　Corporation　&　Orders　for　Trade；　whilest　Florence

held　a　contrary　course？　It　were　certainly　all　one；　as　to　have　a

Company　of　Merchants　for　Spa