Statute of Monopolies 1623

[I.] All Monopolies, and Grants, &c. thereof, or of Dispensations, and Penalties, declared void.E+W

All [X1Monapolies] and all Commissions Graunts Licences Charters and tres patents heretofore made or graunted, or hereafter to be made or graunted to any person or persons Bodies Politique or Corporate whatsoever of or for the sole buyinge sellinge makinge workinge or usinge of any thinge within this Realme or the Dominion of Wales, or of any other Monopolies, or of Power Liberty or Facultie to dispence with any others, . . . F1, are altogether contrary to the Lawes of this Realme, and so are and shalbe utterlie void and of none effecte, and in noe wise to be putt in ure or execucion.

Editorial Information

X1Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: Monopolies O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

Textual Amendments

II—IV.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2E+W

Textual Amendments

V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3E+W

Textual Amendments

VI Proviso for future Patents for 14 Years or less, for new Inventions.E+W

Provided alsoe That any Declaracion before mencioned shall not extend to any tres Patents and Graunt of Privilege for the tearme of fowerteene yeares or under, hereafter to be made of the sole working or makinge of any manner of new Manufactures within this Realme, to the true and first Inventor and Inventors of such Manufactures, which others at the tyme of makinge such tres Patents and Graunts shall not use, soe as alsoe they be not contrary to the Lawe nor mischievous to the State, by raisinge prices of Commodities at home, or hurt of Trade, or generallie inconvenient; the said fourteene yeares to be [X2accomplished] from the date of the first tres Patents or Grant of such priviledge hereafter to be made, but that the same shall be of such force as they should be if this Act had never byn made, and of none other.

Editorial Information

X2Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: accompted O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

VII Proviso for existing Grants by Act of Parliament.E+W

Provided alsoe, That this Act or any thing therein conteyned shall not in any wise extend or be prejudicial to any Graunt or Priviledge Power or Authoritie whatsoever heretofore made graunted allowed or confirmed by any Act of Parliament now in force, so long as the same shall so continue in force.

VIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4E+W

Textual Amendments

IX Proviso for Charters of London and other Corporations.E+W

Provided alsoe, That this Act or any thing therein contayned shall not in any wise extend or be prejudicial unto the City of London, or to any Cittie Borough or Towne Corporate within this Realme, for or concerning any Graunts Charters or tres Patents to them or any of them made or granted, or for or concerning any Custome or Customes used by or within them or any of them, or unto any Corporacions Companies or Fellowshipps of any Art Trade Occupacion or Mistery, or to any Companies or Societies of Merchants within this Realme, erected for the mayntenance enlargement or ordering of any Trade of Merchandize, but that the same Charters Customes Corporacions Companies Fellowshipps and Societies, and their Liberties Priviledges Power and Immunities, shalbe and continue of such force and effect as they were before the making of this Act, and of none other; Any thing before in this Act contayned to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

X—XII.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5E+W

Textual Amendments

XIII, XIV.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6E+W

Textual Amendments