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 AMonopoly 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.
Commendable is the custome of the City of Norenborough in Germany, where to maintaine the people on worke, they receive all their manufactures and pay them weekely, & afterward sell them for a reasonable profit, which thereby become dispersed in all countreys; whereby they have made a great Trade for the West Indies, & they maintaine therby their Common-wealth as an Aristocratick government: and this is neither A Monopoly, nor properly An engrossing, beeing dome by publike authority. Such therefore as sel the Commodities of the Realme unto forraine nations with advantage of private benefite, (albeit within the Compasse of a Monopoly:) are more to be tolerated then those that undersell the Commodities of the kingdome, and procure their Gaines by the Commodities of other nations to bee solde deare within the Realme.
