The Maintenance of Free Trade [22]
our Merchants were cut off, and that other nations should buy the Cloth within the Realme, and so advance the price thereof: (as it happeneth most commonly in France and Spaine at the Vintage time with their Wines & Raisons:) Then forraine Commodities would be sold dearer unto us by them againe: for the small gaine had upon our Commodities causeth us, and would cause them to seeke a better gaine upon the forraine Commodities to the generall hurt. Others would have all things at large in the course of Traffique, and that there should be no societies or corporations of Merchants for any places of Trade (terming them to be Monopolies) but that by way of partnership Merchants might associate themselves, according to the manner of some other Countries: These men have no regard, that innovations are as dangerous, as to remoove the corner stones of a building; neyther doe they observe a momentary difference betwixt the Government of a Monarchy, and that especially in an Iland: and the government of a Democracy which is popular, or of an Aristocracy, which is governed by the better sort of the people; these seeking by all meanes to make their Countries populous by the inhabiting of all nations for the increase of their meanes collected by impositions and Aczises, and that upon all things consumed and most upon victuals; the other, namely the Monarchy, avoiding asmuch as they can, the multitude of forraine nations to inhabite within their government, and holding impositions and Taxes to bee done with great advisement. And that the overballancing of forraine Commodities with the native Commodities may be prevented; which by the other is not regarded, neither can it bee by them observed. The Providence of the State hath also a great consideration in the course of Trade, under government in appointed places, especially in that of the Merchant Adventurers company, (who have the managing of the creame of the land, the maine Trade of the kingdome, and doe expose to adventure the greatest part of the wealth therof with forraine nations in troublesome times of wars:) because they may by this order be soone remooved or called home upon occasion, which cannot be done conveniently otherwise: where there is no vigilant eye to take care for the generall wealth of the Realme, for no nation of Christendome Traffiques so much in Bulke of Staple Commodities, as the Realme of England; which Boters (though altogether Spanish in times past, and no friend to England) confesseth, that two yeares before the taking of Andwarpe, all the wares of Christendome being valued, and summed by the offices of that City, (which were vented there in one yeare.) The whole being divided into sixe parts: the English amounted to foure parts thereof. But we must not seeme to flatter Companies or Societies, when it is found that they deale unadvisedly, or that by their meanes, things are out of order in the course of Trade; for then the Kings authority or the Royall Merchant of great Brittaine, must be the true Palynurus, and sit at the Rudder of the Ship of Traffique, to reforme abuses. For a Society may become to be A Monopoly in effect, when some few Merchants have the whole managing of a Trade to the hurt of a Common-wealth, when many others might also Traffique and negotiate for the Common good, having their Stockes employed therein to sell the Commodities of the Realme with reputation at convenient times, and not upon a suddaine to pay Billes of exchanges or moneys taken up at interest. To make a Definition of a Monopoly, we neede not use many words, for the abuse of Monopolium hath made the same swell to be understood as the word of Usura, I meane biting Usury. The parts of it are to be considered. The Restraint of the freedome of commerce to some one or few, and the setting of the price, at the pleasure of one or few; to their private benefits, and the prejudice of the Common- Wealth. And as this may be done by authority, so may the above- said course also be committed under the color of authority by the Princes grant or letters Patents.