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by ta0967 3675 days ago
yes and no. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_patent_law

> By the 16th century, the English Crown would habitually grant letters patent for monopolies to favoured persons (or people who were prepared to pay for them).[14] [...]

> This power was used to raise money for the Crown, and was widely abused, as the Crown granted patents in respect of all sorts of common goods (salt, for example).