The City and Competition
In 1485 to
prevent competition within the city from outsiders the
citizens of London paid the King for a charter which said
'that no stranger from the liberties of the same city may
buy or sell from any other stranger to the liberty of the
same city, any merchandise or wares within the liberties
of the same city'. This effectively placed the sale of
all goods entering the area into the hands of the the
City.
It went on to
say that the Citizens could take the goods of anyone
attempting to sell their goods in the City who was not
entitled by this charter to do so. It did not end there
as the goods thus forfeited could be sold and the
original owner would receive no recompense. An exception
was made in the case of 'great men, lords and nobles, and
any other English and strangers, of what condition they
shall be, may freely buy' so long as they did not sell to
anyone else.
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