art belongeth the strayte and fayre streetes of a cittye the magnificent gorgious buildings therein eyther for Art or matter the theaters Porches Circles Rases for running horses Fountaines Images Pictures and such other excellent and wonderfull things as delight and feede the eyes of the people with an admiration and wonder at them The citty of Thespis was frequeÌ„ted for the excellent workmanship sake of the Image of Cupid Samos for the merualous greatnes of the temple Alexandria for the tower of Pharo Menisis for the Pyramides Rhodes for the Colossus And how many shall we thinke haue gon to Babilon to see the wonderrous wailes that 〈◊〉 had made about it The Romans many times willingly went for their recreation sake to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Smyrna Rhodes and 〈◊〉 euen to take the benyfit of the ayre and to behold the bewty of those same cittyes To conclude all that euer feedeth the eye and delighteth the sense of man and hath any exquitite and curious workmanship in it all that euer is rare strange new vnwonted extraordinary admirable magnificent great or singular by cunning apperteyneth to this head And amongest all the cittyes of Europes Rome and 〈◊〉 are the most frequented for the pleasures and delightes they minister to all the beholders of them Rome for the exceeding wonderfull reliques of her ancient greatnes And 〈◊〉 for the gloriousnes of her present and magnificent 〈◊〉 Rome filleth the eye with wonder and delight at the greatnes of her 〈◊〉 the rarenes of her â—…athes and â—…enes of her oâ—…ossi aâ—… also at the Art of her admirable works both in Marble and in â—…rasse wrought by excellent 〈◊〉 â—…t the heiâ—…th and â—…enes of her Obelisâ—…es at the 〈◊〉 and variety of pillers at the diversity and 〈◊〉 of strange marble the exquisite curious cutting of it Theâ—… orâ—…ery Alablaster Marble White Black Grey Yellow and mixt and Serpentyne The great ruines the hel-gates and a number of other sorts and kinds besides which were too hard to recount and impossible to distinguishe What shall I say of the triumphall arches of the seauen Zoanes or circles of the Temples and what of a number of other wonders else And what shall we imagyne that Citty was when she floryshed and triumphed if now while shelyeth thus defaced is none other then a Sepulture of her selfe she allureth vs to see her and feedeth vs vnsatiably with the ruynes of her selfe On the other side Venice with the wonder of her incomparable Scituation which seemeth the Act of nature by giuing lawes to the waters and setting a bridell on the Sea ministreth vnto vs no lesse admiration and wonder at it The greatnes also of her inestimable Arsenall the multitude of ships both of warre of trafique and of Passage The incredible number of warlike instruments ordinance and munition and of all manner of preparacions for the Seas The heygth of the towers the ryches of the Churches the magnificeÌ„cy of the â—…allaces the beautifullnes of the Streetes the variety of Artes the order of her gouernment the beauty of the one and other sexe doth dazell and amaze the eyes of the beholders of them CAP. VII Of Profite THis Profit is of such power to vnite and tye men fast vnto one place as the other causes aforesayd without this accompany them with all are not sufficient to make any city great Not Authority alone For if the place whereto men are drawen thorough the Authority of any afford them no commodityes they will not abyde nor tarry there Neyther yet necessity For such a congregation and collection of people encreaseth multiplieth and lasâ—…eth for many yeares And necessity is violent And violence cannot produce any durable effect So that it comes to passe that not only citties do not encrease but also States Principalityes gotten with meere strength and violence cannot be long mainteyned They are much like Land floodes that haue no head nor spring as Riuers haue that minister perpetually plenty of waters to them But casually and in a moment ryse and swell and by and by asswage and fall againe So that as they are to trauaylers fearefull in their swellings so do they fall againe wthin a while to fast as trauailers may soone passe away on soote againe drye Such were the conquests of the Tarters that haue so vast inuaded 〈◊〉 and put it to the sword Of Alexandâ—… the great of Attâ—…la of great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the eight and of 〈◊〉 the twelueth King of france And the reason therof is that our nature is so great alouer longeth after commoditye so much as that it is not possible to quiet content her with that which is no more but necessary For as Plants although they be set deepe ynough within the ground cannot for all that last and be long kept without the fauour of the heauens and the benefyt of raine Euen so the habitacions of men enforst at first by meere necessity are not maynteyned long if profit and commodity go not companions with it much lesse then is pleasure and delyght of any moment For man is borne to labor and most men attend their businesse and the ideler sort are of no account nor reckoning and their idlenesse is built and founded vpon the labours and the industrie of those that worke And pleasure cannot stand without profit and commoditie whereof she is as it were the verie fruit Now suppose that profite is the verie thing from whence as from the principall cause the greatnesse of citties groweth For the same profite is not simple and of one sort but of diuers formes and kindes It resteth therefore now that we see what manner of commodity and profit is most fit for the end wherof we haue disputed all this while We say then that to make a cittie great and famous the commoditie of the scite the fertilitie of the soyle and easinesse of conduct helpeth sufficiently ynough CAP. VIII Of the commoditie of the Scite I Call that a commodious Scite that serues in such sort as many people haue thereof neede for their traffique and transportation of their goods whereof they haue more plenty than they need or for receiuing of things wherof they haue scarsitie so that this scite standing thus betweene both partaketh with both and groweth rich with the extreames I say partaketh with the extreames because it cannot otherwise increase the greatnesse of a cittie â—…or asmuch as it must either remaine desert or else not serue but for a simple passage Derbentum a Towne seated in the Ports of the Caspian Seas is a verie necessarie place to goe from Persia into â—…artary or from â—…artary into Persia yet notwithstanding it neuer grew great nor no famous cittie and in these our dayes there is no reckoning made of it and the reason is for that it partaketh not of these extreames but serueth for passage onely and receiueth those that ttauaile too and fro not as marchants and men of commerce and
and the sundry and the admirable workes there wrought with inestimable Art and Cunninge It gaue not a iot of ground to the mynes of Hungary nor yet of Transiluania There was not a Country throughout all Europe neither more rich nor more inhabited then it no not one part of Europe nor of the world that had so many good Cities so great and so well frequented of forreiners and strangers So that not without good cause by reason of the incomparable treasure the Emperor Charles drew out of it some called those countryes the Emperors Indies Nature bringeth forth her formes in Materia prima And mans Art and cunning worketh vpon the naturall compound a thousand kindes of artificiall formes For nature is to the workeman the same that Materia prima is to the naturall agent A Prince therefore that will make his City populous must draw to it all sorts kindes of Art cunning Which he shall bring to passe if he bring out of other countries excellent artificers giue thē enterteinment conueniēt seate to dwell vpon if he reckon of good witts and est◅eme of singuler and rare inuentions and workemanship if other while also he doe reward perfection and excellen◅y in things of Art and cunning But aboue all things it is very necessarie the Prince suffer not rude vnwrought things to be caried out of his dominion Viz neither Wooll nor Silke nor Timber nor Mettall nor any other such like thing For with such matter the artificers will also goe away And vpon the trade of vnwrought stuffe or matter liue a greater nūber than vpō the simple matter it selfe alone And the Princes reuenew comes to be much greater by the exstraction of the worker than by the stuffe or matter As for example by the Veluets then by the Silkes by the Rash thē by the Woolles by the Linnen then by the Flaxe by the Cordage than by the Hempe The Kings of England and of France aware of these things not many yeares since made a law against the carying out of Woolles out of their dominions And the King of Spaine did afterward the like But these lawes could not be obserued so strictly by and by For these prouinces abounding with an infinite deale of fine Wooll they had not so many workemen as could ouer come it all And although the Princes afore said happely made this law for their owne particuler good bycause the profit and the custome that ryseth of the clothes is far greater then that which riseth of the wooll alone yet notwithstanding this lawe was good for the benefit of the whole countrie inasmuch as a nūber of people more doe liue vpon the wrought cloathes then vpon the rude and vnwrought Wooll out of which growes the riches and the greatnes of the King For the multitude of people is it that makes the Earth fruitfull and it that with the hand and with Art giueth a thousand formes to the naturall stuffe or matter And thus far the 3. chapter of the 8. booke of Boterus of the reason of State CAP. VII Of Priuiledges THe people are in these our daies so greeuously opprest and taxed by their Princes who are driuen to it partly of couetousnes and partly of necessitie that they greedely imbrase the least hope that may be of priuiledge and freedōe whensoeuer it is offered Whereof the Martes Faiers and Markets beare good witnesse which are frequented with a mighty concourse of trades men marchants and people of all sorts not for any respect else but that they are there free and franke from customes and exactions In our daies the Princely Citie of Naples through the exemptions and freedomes granted to the Inhabitants is most notably encreased both in buildings and in people And it would haue encreased a great deale more if through the greeses and suits of the Barons there whose lāds were vnfurnished of people or for some other peculiar reason the King of Spaine had not seuerely forbidden to enlarge it with further buildings The Cities in Flaunders are the most merchantable and the most frequented Cities for commerce and traffique that are in all Europe Yf you require the cause surely the exemptions from custome is the cheefest cause of it For the merchandize that is brought in and carried out and it is infinit that is brought in and carryed out payd but a very small custome All such as haue erected new Cities in times past to draw concourse of people to it haue graunted of necessitie large Immunities and priuiledges at least to the first Inhabitants thereof The like haue they done that haue restored Cities emptied with the plague consumed with the warres or afflicted otherwise with some other scourge of God The plague mencioned by Boccas that languished all Italie neere 3. yeares together was so fierce that from March to Iuly it tooke out of the world about an hundred thousand soules within Florence It slew also such a number within Venice as in a maner it became a desert So that the Senat to haue it reinhabited caused proclamation to be made that all such as would come thither with their families and dwell there two yeares together should haue the freedome of the Citie The same cōmon weale of Venice hath been also more than once deliuered out of extreame necessitie of victualls by promising priuiledge and freedome to such as brought them corne CAP. VIII Of hauing in her possession some merchandize of moment IT will also greatly helpe to drawe people to our Citie if shee haue some good store of vendible merchandize alwaies in her possession Which happely may be where through the goodnes of the soyle either all of it doth grow or a great part or that at least which is more excellent than other All as the Cloues in the Moluccaes the Frankinsence and sweet smelling goomes in Sabea the Balsam in Palestin Or where a good part of it doth grow as Pepper doth in Calicut and Sinamom in Zeilan or where it is most excellent as Salt is in Ciprus Sugers at Madera and Wooll in some Cities of Spaine and England There is also to be added vnto this the excellencie of Art and workemanship which through the qualitie of the water or the skill cunning of the Inhabitants or some hidden misterie of theirs or other such like cause chaunceth to be in one place more excellent then another As the Armor in Damascus and in Scyras Tapestrie in Arras Rash in Florence Veluets in Genoa Cloth of Gold and Siluer in Milan and Scarlet in Venice And to this purpose I cannot passe it ouer but I must declare vnto you that in China all Artes in a maner florishe in the highest decree of excellency that may be for many reasons but amongst the rest chiefely for this bycause the children are bound to follow their fathers mistery and trade So that forasmuch as they are borne as it were with a resolute minde to follow their fathers Art the fathers
manured as none can be more Siuil is encreased mightily synce the discouery of the new world For thyther come the fleetes that bring vnto them yearely so much treasure as cannot be esteemed It is in compas about six miles It conteineth foure score thousand persons and aboue It is scituated on the left shore of the Riuer Betis which otherwise some call Guadalchilir It is bewtified with fayre and goodly churches and with magnificent and gorgeous Palaces buildings The country there about it is as fertile as it is pleasant Vagliadolid is not a Citie but for all that it may compare with the noblest Cities in Spaine And that by reason of the residence the King of Spaine hath long tyme made there in it As Madrid is at this day much encreased and continually encreaseth by the Court that King Phillip keepeth there Which is of such efficacie and power as although the country be neither plentifull nor pleasant it doth yet draw such a number of people to it as it hath made that place of a village one of the most populous places now of Spaine Cracouium and Vilna are the most popuous Cities of Polonia The reason is bycause Cracouium was the seate of the Duke of Polonia and Vilna the seate of the great Duke of Lituania In the Empire of the Muscouites there are three great and famous Cities Valadomere the great Nouoguardia and Muscouia which haue gotten their reputation bycause they haue been all three of them the seates of great Dukes and Princes of great dominions The most renowned of them at this day is Muscouia thorough the residence the Duke holdeth there It is in length fiue miles but not so wide There is vnto it a very great castell that serues for a Court and Pallace to that same Prince and it is so populous that some haue reckoned it amongst the foure Cities of the first and chiefest ranckes of Europe which to their iudgments are Moscouia it selfe Constantinople Paris and Lisbon In Scicilia in ancient times past the greatest Citie there was Siracusa which as Cicero doth write consisted of foure parts deuided a sunder which might be said to be foure Cities And the cause of her greatnes was the residence of the Kings or of the Tyrants as they were termed in tymes past call them as you will But when the commerce with the Africanes did fayle them afterward through the deluge of the Infidels and that the royall seate was remoued to Palermo Palermo did then encrease apase her glory and Siracusa did loose as fast her luster Palermo is a Citie equall to the Cities of the second ranke of Italy beautified with rich temples and magnificent Palaces with diuers reliques and goodly buildings made by the Saracines But two things chiefely made of late are worthyest to be noted The one is the streete made throughout the whole Citie which for streyghtnes breadth length and beautifulnes of buildings is such as I know not in what Citie of Italy a man should finde the like The other is the Péere edified with an inestimable expence and charge by the benefit whereof the Citie hath a very large and spacious Port a worke in truth worthy of the Romanes magnanimity But what meane I to wander thorough other parts of the world to shew how much it doth import the greatnes of a Citie the residence and a bode of a Prince therein Rome whose Maiesty exceeded all the world would she not be more like a desert then a Citie if the Pope held not his residence therein if the Pope with the greatnes of his court and with the concourse of Embassadours of Prelats and of Princes did not ennoble it and make it great If with an infinit number of people that serue both him and his ministers he did not replenish and fill the Citie If with magnificent buildings Conduits Fountaines and streetes it were not gloriously adorned If amongst so many riche and stately works belonging aswell to Gods glory as the seruice of the common weale he spent not there a great part of the reuenewes of the church And in a word if with all these meanes he did not draw and entertaine withall such a number of Marchants trades men Shop-keepers Artificers workmen and such a multitude of people for labor and for seruice OF THE CAVSES OF the greatnes and magnificency of Cities THE THIRD BOOKE CAP. I. Whether it be expedient for a Citie to haue few or many Citizens THe ancient Founders of Cities considering that lawes and Ciuile discipline could not be easily conserued and kept where a mighty multitude of people swarmed For multitudes do breede and bring confusion they lymited the number of Citizens beyond which they supposed the forme and order of gouernment they sought to holde within their Cities could not be else maintayned Such were Licurgus Solon and Aristotle But the Romanes supposing power without which a Citie cannot be long maintained consisteth for the most part in the multitude of people endeuoured all the wayes and meanes they might to make their country great and to replenish the same with store of people as we haue before and more at full declared in our bookes della ragion distato Yf the world would be gouerned by reason and all men would content them selues with that which iustly doth belong vnto them Happely the iudgment of the ancient law makers were worthy to be imbraced But experience shewes through the corruption of humane nature that force preuailes aboue reason armes aboue lawes teacheth vs besides the opiniō of the Romanes must be preferd before the Grecians Inasmuch as we see the Athenians and the Lacedemonians not to speake of other cōmon weales of the Graecians came to present ruine vpon a very small discomfiture losse of a thousand seuen hūdreth Citizens or little more where on the other side the Romāes triumphed in the end though many times they lost an infinit number of their people in their attemptes enterprises For it is cleere more Romāes perished in the warres they had against Pyrrhus the Carthaginensians Numantians Viriatus Sertorius and others than fell without comparison of all their enemies And yet for all that they rested alwaies conquerors by meanes of their vnexhausted multitude with the which supplying their losse from time to time they ouercame their enemies asmuch though they were strong and fyerce as with their fortitude and strength In these former bookes I haue sufficiently declared the waies and meanes whereby a City may encrease to that magnificency and greatnes that is to be desired So that I haue no further to speake thereunto but only to propound one thing more that I haue thought vpon not for the necessitie so much of the matter as that bycause I think it will be an ornament vnto the worke and giue a very good light vnto it And therefore let vs now consider CAP. II. What the reason is that Cities once growen to
expert men in gouernment of States vsed Colonies a great deale more and tooke more good by Colonies than they did by Fortresses But in our time Fortes are a great deale more in vse then Colonies For they are more easily prepared and happely of more present good For Colonies require much dexterity and wisedome in the establishing and setting them in order And the benefit and good that proceedeth of them for they cannot grow to maturity and perfection without some time is not had by and by Howbeit Colonies are much much more safe and almost a perpetuall profit is euer in them As Septa and Tanger can witnes the truth hereof Townes of much importance to the Portugalls in the Coast of Mauritania which reduced to the forme of Colonies haue valiantly fought against the power and force of Seriffo and the Barbarians Calys witnesseth asmuch an English Colonie brought thither by Edward the third An. Dom. 1347. And it was the last Towne that country lost in the firme land It is no wisedome yet to set vp Colonies far off in places too remote from your state and gouernment For in that case it being no easie thing for you to succor them they must either become a praye to their enemies or else gouerne themselues as the occasion and time doth offer without respect had of their originall beginning or of whome they depend A number of the Colonies of the Graecians and Phoenicians which they had planted vpon all the regions almost of the Mediterranean Seas haue done the like But the Romanes considering this inconuenience established more iudicially more Colonies in Italie then in all the rest of their Empire else besides And out of Italy they carryed none till after the sixt hundred yeare that Rome was built And the first were Carthage in Africk and Narbona in France In the lawes of the Gracchians Paterculus found fault that they had made Colonies out of Italie Which the ancient Romanes did auoyde finding how much more powerfull Carthage was become then Tyrus Marsiles then Phocèa Siracusa then Corinth Bizantium then Miletum Vt Colonos Romanos ad censendum ex prouineijs in Italiam reuocarent That they might recall into Italie out of their Prouinces there to be taxed those Romanes who were translated into their Colonies I will not leaue vnspoken what Tacitus writeth of the disorders groweÌ„ in the planting of Colonies The Cities of Taranto and of Anzo greatly wanting of inhabitants Nero sent thither the old trayned soldiers who for all that yealded small helpe to the solitarines of those forsaken places For the most part of them returned into the Prouinces where they had ended the time of their warfare For not being vsed to the lawes of iust matrimony nor to the charge of education of children they left their houses without posteritie This mischiefe grew bycause the entier legions with Tribunes with Centurions and with Soldiers each in his order were not sent as in ancient times past was wont to be to the end that common weales might be founded and maintained with concord and with charitie But men that knâ—…w not one another onsisting of diuers companies without a hedd without mutuall affection drawen vpon the sodaine into one place together made rather vp a number than a Colonie Forasmuch as mention is made in this Treatise of diuers Townes Cities not described therein at full which happely the reader would long to heare for the rarenes and nouelties of them Hauing perused another booke of the author hereof entituled Relationes Vniuersales wherein I found some of those Townes and Cities dispersedlie in diuers places of that booke described more at large I haue for the readers better satisfaction and delight chosen out some such as I found to my likeing which here present themselues as followeth Cuzco THere followeth in 17. degrees Southward the Citie of Cuzco in a scituacion enuironed with mountaines It hath a Castle built of Stone so great and so huge that it seemeth rather the worke of Gyants than of ordinary men especially forasmuch as those people had neither Beastes to drawe them to the place or vse of Iron tooles to worke withall This Citie was the Seate of the Inga or King of Perù and the Metropolitan of the Empire There was not in it any thing else that either for greatnes or for policy deserued the name of a Citie It had great streetes but narrow and houses made of Stone ioyned together with maruailous care and diligence But the ordinary dwellings were built of timber and couered with thatche There was in Cuzco the rich temple of the Sun There was also diuers other Palaces of the King of Gold and Siluer without end There was a large and spatious market place out of which were drawen foure waies to foure Ports of the Empire The Kings of Perù to appopulate ennoble this Citie ordayned that euery King or Prince should build his Palace and send his children thither to inhabit there And to shew the largnes of the Empire and the sundry nations that were subiect thereunto commaunded that euery one should apparell theÌ„selues according to the attire and fashion of their owne natiue countrie and that they should also carry some certaine note thereof vpon their hedds An inuention that bare a braue and gallant shew This Citie was reedified after a new forme in the yeare 1534. by Francesco Bizzaco It containeth 50 thousand inhabitants and within the compasse of ten leagues about it two hundred thousand It hath a territory full of pleasant rych and goodly valleis I meane these Andaguayla Xaguisana Bilcas and Succay This last is of such a notable good ayre so pleasant so temperat and of such a gallant and delightfull scite as it would not be sleightly passed ouer here It is all bestrewed ouer thicke as it were with sumptuous country houses of the Spaniards and full of great and well peopled townes of Cuzcaâ—…es Our countrie fruits prosper aswell there as they do in Spaine Ormùz Ormùz imbraseth a part of Arabia Felix and the best Ilands of the Persian Sea with that part of the coast of Persia which is watered with the Riuers Tubo Tissnido and Drutto The chiefest part of the Kingdome is the Iland of Ormùz which is scituated in the mouth of the hauen distant from Arabia thirtie and from Persia nyne miles It hath two Portes diuided with a long ridge of land running into the Sea like a tongue the one in the East the other on the West It hath a hill that on the one side is of brimstone and on the other side of salt It hath no other water than of three welles And it is barren allmost of euery thing else for all that it aboundeth with all manner of delicacies and deinties aswell as it doth of all necessaries else besides thorough the goodnes and opportunity of the Scite Forasmuch as great wealth and riches are brought thither out of Arabia Persia and out of Cambaia and out
such safety is most found in mountaines craggy places or small and little Ilands or such other like that are not easily to be approched or come vnto After the generall deluge of the world in the time of Noe while men feared their might a fresh happen such another ruin again vpon theÌ„ th y sought to secure theÌ„selues some by building their habitations vpon the tops of high hils some by aduancing huge Towers of incredible height and greatnes euen vp to the heauens And without doubt for this respect the Cittyes seated vpon the mountaines are for antiquity the most noble And the Towers are of the most ancient forme and kind of buildings that euer were vsed in this world But after the feare of a new deluge was past and gone men began to draw them selues downe and to erect their habitations in the plaines vntill the Terror of Armies and the swarme and feare of fyerce and cruell people enforced theÌ„ a fresh to saue them selues on the steepenes of the hilles or in the Ilands of the Seas or in the maryshes and bogges or other such like places When the Moores subdued Spaine brought it into miserable seruitude bondage Such as escaped with their liues out of the lamentable slaughter that was made of them Some retyred themselues vp to the highest mountaines of Biscay and of Aragon and some betaking them to their shipping saued themselues in the Iland of the seauen Cittyes so called bycause seauen Bishoppes seated themselues therein with their people The cruâ—…ll Ruine that Tamberlan carryed with him wheresoeuer he came made the people of Persia the couÌ„tryes bordering therupon to abandon and forsake their ancient natiue countries like birds that are scattered and to saue their liues by flyght Some vpon the mount Taurus some vpoÌ„ Antitaurus and some fled into the little Ilands of the Caspian Seâ—… And as the people of Istria at the coÌ„ming of the Slaui retyred to the Iland Capraria and thâ—…re built Giustinopoli So the people of Gallia Transpadana at the entry of the Lombards into Italie saued themselues within the maryshes where they built the Towne of Crema But forasmuch as to the naturall strength of those places neyther great conueniencie either of Territory or Trafique or good meanes to draw Trade or entercourse lent for the most part any helpe vnto them there was neuer seen Citty there of any great fame or memory But if the places whereto men are driuen of necessity to fly haue in them besides their safety any coÌ„modity of importance it will be an easy thing for them to encrease both with people and with riches and with buildings In this manner the Citties of Leuant and of Barbarie became populous and great thorough the multitude of Iewes that Ferdinando the King of Spayne and Emanuel the King of Portingall cast out of their Kingdomes as in particuler Salonica Rhodes And in these our dayes in England many Cittyes haue much encreased within fewe yeares both in people and in Trade through the resort of the lowe country people to it and especially London wherevnto many thousands of famylyes haue resorted themselues About the yeare of the Lord. 1400. while the Saracenes did put to fyer sword the Genouaes all the country there about Pisa did mightily encrease For to the strength of the place the country yeelded also plenty of al good things coÌ„modity of trafique At the coÌ„ming of Attyla into Italy the people of Lombardy being wonderfully affrayd thorough the horrible wast and ruine he brought with him fled to saue themselues into the Ilands of the Adriaticke Seas and there built many Townes Cittyes And after that in the warres that Pypin raysd against theÌ„ forsaking the places that were not secure and safe ynough as Ex quilinum Heraclea Palestin Malamocco they drew themselues neere to Rialto into one body and so by that meanes grew Venice magnificent and great CAP. IIII. How the Romanes encreased the Citty of Rome by wasting their neighbours Townes THe Romanes to make their owne country in any sort great famous furnished themselues very carefully euer with strength and power For to make their neighbour people of necessity glad and willing to draw themselues to Rome and there to dwell they ouer-threw their Townes euen downe to the ground So did Tullus Hostilius cast Alba downe to the earth a most strong Citty Tarquinius Prisâ—…us laid also playne Cornicolo a Citty abounding in mighty wealth Seruius Tullus made Pometia desert and in the tyme of liberty they vtterly destroyed Veios a Citty of such strength and power that with much a doe after a siege of ten yeares it was by cunning more than strength vanquished and ouerthrowen Now these people and such other hauing no dwelling place to draw themselues vnto nor to liue secure and safe they were enforst to chaunge their countryes with Rome which by this meanes wonderfully waxed great both in people and in riches CAP. V. That some haue gotten the Inhabitants of other townes in to their owne Citties THe like meanes to the former but somewhat more gentell the Romains vsed to appopulate and make great their owne Citty And that was to bring the people home whome they had subdued or the most of theÌ„ to Rome Romulus in this manner drew into the Citty the Seninenses the Antennates and the Crustumini But no country amplified more the Citty of Rome then the Sabines For in a sharpe and mighty fight with them after a longe and hard conflict he made a peace And the condicion was that Tatius the King of the Sabines should come with all his people to dwell in Rome Which condicion Tatius did accept and made choyse of the Capitoll and of the mount Quirinalis for his Seat and Pallace The same course did Anâ—…us Martiuâ—… take who gaue the hill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Latines when they were taken from their cittyes Politorio Tellena and Ficâ—…na The great Tamberlan also he amplified enlarged mightely the great Sarmacanda in bringing to it the richest and the wealthiest persons of the cittyes he had subdued And the Oâ—…tomans to make the citty of Constantinople rich and great they haue brought to it many thousand families especially artificers out of the cittyes they haue subdued As Mahomet the second from Trebisonda Selim the first from Cairo and Soliman from Tauris CAP. VI. Of Pleasure MEn are also drawen to liue together in Society thorough the delight and pleasure that eyther the Scite of the place or the art of man doth minister and yeild vnto them The Scite by the freshnes of the ayre the pleasant view of the valleis the pleasing shade of the woodes the coÌ„modity to hunt and the abundance of good waters Of all which good things Antioche in Soria is liberally endowed and Damascus no lesse Bursia in Bithinia Cordoua and Siuill in Spaine and many other good townes elsewhere Vnto
traffique but as passengers and trauailers and to speake in a word it is seated sure in a verie necessarie place as the case standeth but not profitably vnto it selfe For the selfe same cause in the streyts of the Alpes which for the most part doe compasse Italy although the Frenchmen Swyzers Dutch men Italians coÌ„tinually do passe by them there neuer yet was found a meane cittie much lesse any great and stately one The like may be sayd of many other good citties and places For Sues is a verie necessarie place for them that came out of the Indies by the red Sea to Câ—…yrus The Ilands of Saint Iames and the Palme and Terzeras are necessarie for the Portugals and Spaniards to sayle to the 〈◊〉 Brasill and to the new World yet neither is there nor neuer will bee in those same places cittie of good importance As neither also is there in the Ilands between Denmark and Suetia nor yet betweene Mare Germanicum and Mare Balticum And Flushing although it be scituated in a passage of incredible necessity for the commerce and traffique that is between the Flemings Englishmen and other Nations yet neuer grewe it great but still remaines a verie little towne But contrarywise Geneua is a great cittie and so is Venice because they partake of the extreames and serue onely for passages but much more for Store houses Cellerage and Ware houses of marchandize most plentifully brought vnto them And so is likewise Lysborne Anâ—…werpe and some other It sufficeth not inough therefore to the making of a cittie magnificent and great that the scite thereof be necessarie but it must withall be commodious to other countreys that are borderers or neere vnto it CAP. IX Of the fruitfulnes of the Soyle THe second cause of the greatnes of a city is the fruitfulnes of the country For the Sustenance of the life of man consisting on Foode and Cloaâ—…hing and both of them gotten out of those things the Earth doth produce the fruitfulnes of the country cannot but be a mighty helpe vnto it And if it fall out to be so great as it not only well sufficeth to mantaine the Inhabitants thereof but also to supply the wants of their bordering neighbours It serueth our purpose so much the better And forasmuch as all Soyles produce not all things How much more rich and more able a country shal be to produce diuers and sundry things of profit and commoditie So much the more sufficient and fyt it will be found to rayse a great citty For by that meanes it shall haue the lesse need of others which enforceth people other while to leaue their habitations and be able to afford the more to others which draweth our neighbors the sooner to our country But the fruitfulnes of the Land sufficeth not simply of it selfe alone to rayse a citty vnto greatnes For many Prouinces there are and they very rich that haue neuer a good citty in them As for Example Premont is one And there is not a country through out all Italy that hath more plenty of Corne Cattell Wine and of excellent fruits of all sorts than it hath And it hath mainteined for many yeares the Armies and forces both of Spaine and Fraunce And in England London excepted although the country do abound in plenty of all good things yet is there not a city in it that deserues to be called great As also in Fraunce Paris excepted which notwithstanding is not seated in the fruitfullest country of that great kingdome For in pleasantnes it giueth place to Turen in abundaÌ„ce of all things to Xanton and Poitiers In varyety of Fruites to Languedock in coÌ„modiousnes of the Seas to Normandie In store of wine to Burgundie in abundance of Corne to Campagna In eyther of both to the country of Orliens in Cattell to Brittaine and the territorie of Burges By all which it doth appeare that to the aduancing of a city vnto greatnes it sufficeth not simply of it selfe alone that the territorie be fruitfull And the reason thereof is plaine For where a countrie doth plentifullie abound with all maner of good things the Inhabitants finding all those things at home that are fit necessary and profitable for their vse neyther care nor haue cause to goe any where else to seeke them but take the benefit and vse of theÌ„ with ease where they grow For euery man loues to procure his coÌ„moditie with the most ease he may and when they finde them with ease at home to what end should they trauaile to fetch them elsewhere And this reason prooues the more stronge where the people affect and long least after vaine and idle delights and pleasures It sufficeth not therefore to the gathering of a Societie of people together to haue abundance of wealth and substance alone But there must be besides that some other forme matter to vnite and hold them in one place together And that is the easines and commodiousnes of conduct the carying out and bringing in I meane of coÌ„modities of wares too and froe CAP. X. Of the Commoditie of Conduct THis commoditie is lent vnto vs partly of the land and partly of the water Of the Land if it be plaine For by that meanes it conduceth easely the marchaÌ„dize and goods of all sorts and kinds vpon Carts Horses Mules other beasts of burden And men make their iorneys the more commodious you foote on Horse in Chariot and in other such like sort and maner The Portugalls do write that in some large and spacious plaines of China they vse Coaches with failes Which some assaid not many yeares since in Spaine Of the water this commoditie is lent vs if it be nauigable And without comparison the commoditie is much better and more worth far which the water doth assord vs than which the earth doth giue vs both for ease and speedines for as much as in lesse time and with lesse charge and labor without proporcion in it greater cariages are brought from countries most remote by water than by land Now your nauigabl water is either of the Sea or of the riuer or of the lake which are naturall helps and means or of Chanells or of Pooles as that of Miâ—… 〈◊〉 which was 45â—… miles about made by art and mans industrie and labor It seemes in very truth that God created the water not only for a necessarie Element to the perfection of nature But more than so for a most readie meanes to conduct and bring goods from one countrie to another For his diuine maiestie willing that men should mutually embrace each other as members of one body diuided in such sort his blessings as to no nation did he giue all things to the end that others hauing need of vs and contrarywise we hauing need of others there might growa * CoÌ„munitie and from a Communitie Loue and from Loue an vnitie betweene vs. And to worke this coÌ„munity the easier he produced the
gaue to curiositie And that was the great number of admirable things they did in Rome The triumphes of the victorious Captaines the wonderfull buildings the battailes on the water the fights of sword players the hunting of wilde beastes the publique shewes and sights the playes of Apollo the Seculars others which were performed with vnspeakable pompe and preparation and many other such like things that drew the curious people vnto Rome And for asmuch as these alluring sights were as it were perpetuall Rome was also as it were perpetually full of strangers and forreine people CAP. II. Of Colonies WHat shall we say of Colonies were they a good help to the greatnes of Rome or no That they were a great helpe to the encrease of the power it cannot be doubted But that they multiplyed also the number of the Inhabitants it is a thing somewhat doubtfull How beit for mine owne opiniō I should think they were a great helpe meanes vnto it For if any man thinke by taking the people out sending them to Colonies else where that the Cittye thereby comes rather to diminish then encrease happely for all that the contrary may happē For as plants cannot prosper so well nor multiply so fast in a nurserie where they are set and planted nere together as where they are transplanted into an open ground euen so men make no such fruitfull propagation of children where they are inclosed and shut vp within the walles of the Cittie they are bred and borne in as they doe abroad in diuers other parts where they are sent vnto For sometimes the Plague or other contagious sicknesse or disease consumeth them sometimes Famine enforceth them to change their habitations sometimes forraine Warres takes out of the world the stowtest men amongest them sometimes ciuile warres make the quietest sort forsake their dwellings And from many pouertie and miserie taketh away the minde the meanes and the spirite to wedde or thinke on progation Now they that might haue died in Rome with the aforesayd euills without children being remooued to other places escape the foresayd perils And beīg bestowed in Colonies prouided for both of house ground to it betake themselues to wiues and children to propagate breede them vp and so increase infinitely of ten become an hundred But what is this to the purpose may some man say Let vs suppose that they that are sent into Colonies would not encrease their Countrey if they tarried at home How should they then encrease it when they are sent thence abroad to other places well vno◅gh First because Colonies with their mother out of which they yssued make as it were but one bodie Then next because the loue of our originall Countrey which euerie man affecteth and the dependencie thereof which many waies help and the desire and hope to aspire to dignitie and honour which euermore draw vnto it the worthiest most noble minds By which meanes the Countrey growes to be more populous and rich Who can denie but that the 30. Colonies that yssued as it were out of one stocke from Alba Longa and so many desides as Rome hath sent out brought not much magnificencie and greatnesse both to the one and the other And that the Portugalls yssued out of Lysbone to possesse and inhabit the Ilands of Astori Capo Verde Medera and others haue not amplified and encreased Lys bone a great deale more than if they had neuer remooued thence to those same Ilands How beit true it is if Colonies must increase their mother It is verie necessarie then they beeneere neighbors otherwise through longe distance of place loue waxeth cold and all commerce is cut off cleane And therefore the Romanes for the space of 600. yeeres sent not a Colonie out of Italy and the first were Carthage and Narbona as is at large be fore declared in my sixt Booke Di Ragion di stato in the ◅hapter of Colonies And these be the means wherewith the Romanes either through their singuler dexteritie or excellent wits haue drawne strange Nations vnto their Cittie Let vs now speake of the meanes that other Nations also aswell as they haue vsed in this case where it shall not bee from the purpose that we beginne at Religion first as at the thing that ought to be the head and spring of all our workes and actions CAP. III. Of Religion REligion and the worshippe of God is a thing so necessary of such importance as without all doubt it not onely draweth a number of people with it but also causeth much commerce together And the Cities that in this kinde excell and florish in authoritie and reputacion aboue others haue also the better meanes to encrease their power glory Hierusalem as Plinie writeth was the chiefest most florishing Citie of all the East and principally for religion whereof she was the Metropolitan as also of the kingdome The high priests the prelates the Leuites kept there their residence there offered they their beasts there celebrated they their Sacrifices rendered vnto God their prayers peticions thyther repayred thrise a yeare all the people almost of Israell Insomuch as Iosephus reckoneth that at the time that Titus Vespasian laid his siege vnto it there were in the Citie two millions a halfe of people a nūber in truth very strange that I may not say incredible in respect the Citie was not much aboue 4 miles about But it is written by a man that might haue perfect knowledge of it and had no cause to lye Ieroboam when he was chosen King of Israel aduisedly considering his subiects could not liue without exercise of religion vse of sacrifice and that if they should repayre to Hierusalem to celebrate and make their sacrifice his people wold soon vnite thēselues with the Tribe of Iuda and the house of Dauid casting religiō off he set vp straight Idolatry For he caused to be made two calues of gold sending thē to the vttermost parts of his kingdome turning to his people he sayd vnto them Nolite vltra ascendere in Hierosolimam Ecce dij tui Israel qui te eduxerunt de terra Aegypti Religion is of such force might to amplifie Cities to amplifie Dominions and of such a vertue attractiue that Ieroboam to giue no place to his competitor in this part of allurement entertainmēt of the cōpanie impiously brought in Idolatrie in place of true religion And this man was the first that for desire to reigne did openly tread downe the lawe and all due worship vnto God and thereof gaue a lewd example to posteritie A notable note in truth not so much of follye as of extreame impiety Some that arrogat too much wisedome to themselus in matters of state and gouernment spare not to say and teach that to hold the subiects in due obediēce to their Prince mans witt pollicye preuaileth more then dyuine or godly counsell A speech
is very plaine Iniustice And therefore in our Citie we speake of here it shal be very necessary and expedient to haue in it a principall seate of Iustice and course of suites and pleas depending in it CAP. VI. Of Industrie FOrasmuch as I haue already sufficiently sayd my minde concerning Industrie and Art in mine 8. booke of the Reason of state wherein I haue at large discoursed concerning the propagation of States I will therefore for breuitie sake refer the gentle reader vnto that same chapter Bycause the Chapter aboue mencioned is pertinent to the purpose and happely the reader hereof may longe as much to vnderstande it as be desirous to read this booke I haue thought good aswell for the coherencie of the matter as for the satisfaction of the reader to insert it here in this place Of Industrie CAP. III. LIB VIII THere is not a thing of more importance to encrease a state and to make it both populous of Inhabitants and rich of all good things than the industrie of men and the multitude of Artes of which some are necessary some commodious for a ciuile life other some for a Pompe and ornament and other some for delicacy wantonnes and entertainment of idle persons by the meanes whereof doth follow con◅ourse both of mony and of people that labor and worke or trade that is wrought or minister and supply matter to Laborers and worke-men or buy or sell or transport from one place to another the artificious and cunning parts of the wit and hand of man Selim the first Emperor of the Turkes to appopulate and ennoble Constantinople procured some thousand of excellent Artificers to send vnto it first from the kings Citie of Tauris and after from the great Cayrus The Polonians were also of that same minde For when they elected Henrie Duke of Angio for their King amongst other things which they required of him one was that he should bring with him into Polonia an hundred families of good Artificers And for asmuch as Art doth contend and striue with nature a man may here well aske me which of these twoo do most import to encrease a place with multitude of people the fruitfulnes of the Land or the Industrie of man The Industrie of man without all doubt First for that such things as are wrought by the cūning hand of man are of much more and of far greater price and estimation then such things as nature doth produce For asmuch as nature giueth the matter and the subiect but the Art and Cunning of man giueth an vnspeakable variety of formes and fashions Wooll is but a simple fruit and rude of nature but what a sight of good things and what variety and sundry formes and fashions doth Art make therof How many and how great commodityes doth the Industrye of the Clothier draw out of it who doth get it carded pickt spunne warpt weaued dyed fulled thickt fashioned and formed after a thousand wayes And do not the transportation of it from place to place encrease a great proffit too Sylke is also a simple fruit of nature But what varietye of most gallant beautifull cloathes doth Art frame thereof It makes the very excrement of a base and baggage worme hyghly esteemd with Princes and greatly apprizde of Queenes to be short it makes euery man to braue him and bedeck him in it A number of more people far do liue vpon their Industrye and labor then vpon their rents or reuenewes Whereof many Cities in Italie can beare good witnes but principally Venice Florence Genoua and Mylan of whose magnificency greatnes I will not speake here And yet with the Art and skill to dresse Sylke and Woll two third parts in a manner of the Inhabitants amongst them do liue vpon it But to passe out of the Cities vnto the prouinces They that haue made ◅n exact account of the strēgth of Frāce say the fruits of that kingdome amount to 15. millions of Crownes a yeare And they themselues affirme that France hath in it more then 15. millions of Soules But admit it haue no more then 15. By that reckoning there should be one Crowne a peece for euerye Powle All therest then must needes proceed of Industrie But who is so voyde of reason that hee sees not this in all things The reuenew gotten out of the Iron Mynes is not the greatest But of the proffit that is drawē out of the worke and vpon the trade and traffique thereof a number of people liue and are maintained such I meane as digge it out of the Myne scowre it melt it forge it cast it sell it by whole sale or by retayle Such as make engynes thereof for Warre Armor for defence and offence And an innumerable kynde of Iron workes and tooles besides for husbandrye for building and for all manner of Artes for daily vse and busines and for Innumerable necessities of life that haue no lesse neede of Iron then of bread In somuch as he that should compare the reuenews the owners reape of their Iron Mynes with the proffit the Artificers draw out of the workemanship thereof and the merchants with their Industrie and hereof the Princes are mightely enriched also by the custome that growes vpō it shall finde that Industrie and Art exceedeth Nature far Compare Marble with the Images with the Colosses with the Pillers the caruing and the infinite and curious workemanship the Artificers doe set vpon it Compare Tymber with the Gallies Galliownes Ships and other vessels of infinit sorts and kindes both for warre burden and for pleasure together with the carued Images furnitures of house and other things without count that are built and made thereof with the plane the chisell the caruing toole and turners wheele Compare colors with the Pictures the price of thē with the worth of the colors And you shall soone perceaue how much more the workmāship is worth than the matter And what a number of people are maintained more vpon the meanes of Art thē vpon the immediat benefit of Nature Zeuxes the excellent paynter gaue his best workes away for nought bycause he valued them aboue any pryce that could be set vpon them At a word such a wealth there is in Art and Industry that neither the mynes of Siluer nor the mynes of gold in Noua Hispania nor in Peru can be compared with it And the custome of the merchandize of Milan bringes more mony to the king of Spaines cofers than the Mines of Zagateca and of Salisco Italy is a prouince in which as I haue before declared there is not a myne to speake of neither of gold nor siluer No more there is in France And yet both the one and the other through the helpe and meanes of Art and Industrie abound exceedingly in mony wealth and Treasure Flaunders also hath no vaines of Mettall And yet before the troubles there while it stood in peace and quietnes for and in respect of the number
hide not from them any thing but teach them instruct them with all affection assiduity diligence and care workmaÌ„ship is by this meanes there growen to that fulnes of excellency and perfectioÌ„ that may be possibly desired As it may be seene in these fewe workes that are brought out of China to the Philipinas from the Philipinas to Mexico from Mexico to Siuile But let vs returne to our purpose There are also some other Cities maisters of some commodities not bycause the goods do growe in their couÌ„trie or be wrought by their inhabitaÌ„ts but bycause they haue the coÌ„maund either of the countrie or of the Sea that is neere them the commaund of the Countrie as Siuil vnto which infinit wealth and riches are brought from Noua Hispania Perù the commaund of the Sea as Lisborne which by this meanes draweth to it the Pepper of Cocin and the â—…inamom of Zeilan and other riches of the Indies which cannot be brought by Sea but by them or vnder their leaue and lycence After the same sort in a manner Venice about a fower score and tenne yeares agone was Lady of the Spyceries For before the Portugalls possessed the Indies these things being brought by the Red Sea to Suez and from thence vpon Camells backes to Cayrus and after that by Nilus into Alexandria there were they bought vp by the Venetians who sent thither their great Argosyes and with incredible proffit to them caryed them in a manner into all the partes of Europe But all this commerce and trade is now quite turnde to Lisborne vnto which place by a new way the Spiceries taken as it were out of the hands of the Moores and the Turkes be yearely brought by the Portugalls then sold to the Spaniards Frenchmen Englishmen and to all the Northerne partes This commerce and trade is of such Importance as it alone is inough to enrich all Portugall to make it plentifull of all things There are some other Cities also Lords as it were of much merchandize and Traffique by meanes of their commodious Scituation to many Nations to whome they serue of warehouse Roome and stoare houses such are Malacca and Ormuze in the East Alexandria Constantinople Messina and Genoa in the Mediterranean Sea Andwerpe Amsterdam Danske and the Narue in the Northerne Seas and Franckford and Norimberg in Germany In which Cities many and great merchants exercise their traffique and make their ware houses vnto the which the nations thereuÌ„to adioyning vse to resort to make their prouisions of such things as they neede bycause they haue commodious meanes for transportation of it And this consisteth in the largenes and the safenes of the Ports in the opportunitie and fytnesse of the Gulphes and Creekes of the Seas in the nauigable Riuers that come into the Cities or runne by or neere them in the Lakes and the Chanels As also where the wayes be playne and safe And heere to the purpose bycause I speake of wayes I cannot passe ouer those two wayes which the Kings of Cusco called in their language Inghe in longe processe of time cut out throughout their dominion about 2000 miles in length so pleasant so commodious so plaine and so leuell as they giue no place to the magnificent workes of the Romans For there shall you see steepe and high hylles layd euen with the plaine and deepe valleyes filled vp and horrible huge stones cut in peeces There shall you see the trees that are planted heere and there in excellent good order euen by a lyne yeald both with their shade a comfort and with the charme of the birds that there abound in great plenty a maruailous delight and pleasure to the trauailers that passe those waies Neither are there wanting on those waies many good Innes for lodging for entertainment plentifull of all necessary things Nor Pallaces and goodly buildings that in eminent and open places as it were to meete you present you with a pleasant and bewtifull shew of their excellencye and rarenes nor pleasant Towneâ—… nor sweete countries nor a thousand other delights and pleasures to feede both the eye with varietie and the minde with admiration at the infinit effects partly wrought by nature and partly by the handy worke of man But to returne to our purpose It is a good matter and a great helpe to a Prince to know the naturall Scite of his countrie and with iudgment to haue an vnderstanding how to amend it by art and industrie As for example to defend his Ports with Rampiers and with Bulwarkes to make the Ladyng and vnladyng of Merchandize both quick and easie to scoure the Seas of Pyrates and of Rouers to make the Riuers nauigable to build storehouses apt and large ynough to conteine great quantitie of wares and to defend and maintaine the wayes aswell on the plaines as on the mountaynes and hilly places In this poynt the Kings of China haue deserued all prayse that may be For they haue with an incredible expence and charge paued with stone all the highe waies of that most famous Kingdome and haue made stone bridges ouer mighty great Riuers And cut in sunder hilles and mountaines of inestimable heigth and craggednes They haue also strewd the plaines and bottomes with very fayer stone So that a man may there passe either on horse or a foote aswell in the Winter as in the Sommer time and merchandize may be easily carryed too and fro there by loade eyther on Cartes or on Horse Mules or Camels And in this point no doubt some Princes in Italy are much to blame in whose countries in the winter time horses are bemired in sloughes vp to the bellie and carts are stabled and set fast in the tough durte and myre So that cariadges by cart or horse are thereby very combersome And a iorney that might be well dispatched in a day can hardlie be performed in three or fower And the wayes are as bad in many parts of France as in the country of Poytiers Santongia Beaussia and in Burgondy But this is no place to censure so famous Preuinces And therefore let vs proceed CAP. IX Of Dominion and power THe greatest meanes to make a Citie populous and great is to haue a supreame Authority power For that draweth dependency with it And dependency concourse coÌ„course greatnes In the Cities that haue iurisdiction power ouer others aswell the publique wealth as the wealth of priuat men is drawen by diuers Artes meanes vnto them Thyther doe repaire the Embassadors of Princes the agents of Dukes and coÌ„mon weales there are the greatest causes heard aswell criminall as ciuile and all appeales are brought to tryall there There are the suits and causes aswell of men of qualitie as of the common weale and common persons debated and decided Thereuenues of the State are there laid vp and there spent out againe when there is need The richest Citizens of other countries seeke to ally themselues and to
the people that inhabit there the shadow of the heauens It hath been in our time the Citie of residency of the Queene Crementina who by cause she rebelled from the said King of Cambaia was with maine force depriued thereof in the yeare 1536. The Emperour of the Cataian Tartars commonly called the great Chame deriueth himselfe from the great Chiny who was the first that 300. yeares agone came out of Scythia Asiatica with a valiant expedition and power of armes and made the name of the Tartars famous For he subdued China and made a great part of India tributary vnto him he wasted Persia and made Asia to tremble The successors of this great Prince made their residence in the Citie of Chiambalù a Citie no lesse magnificent then great For it is said it is in compasse twentie eight miles besides the suburbes and that it is of such traffyque and commerce as besides other sorts of Marchandize there are euery yeare brought in to it very neere a thousand Carts all loaden with Silke that come from China Wherevpon a man may gesse both the greatnes of the trades the wealth of the Marchandize the variety of the Artificers Artes the multitude of people the Pompe the magnificency the pleasure and the brauery of the inhabitants thereof But let vs now come to China There is not in all the world a Kingdome I speake of vnited and entyer Kingdomes that is either greater or more populous or more riche or more abounding in all good things or that hath more ages lasted and endured than that famous and renowned Kingdome of China Hereof it growes that the Cities wherein their Kings haue made their residence haue euer been the greatest that haue been in the world And those are Suntien Anchin and Panchin Suntien by so much as I can learne out of the vndoubted testimonies of other men is the most ancient and the chiefest and the Principallest of a certaine Prouince which is called Quinsai by which name they coÌ„monly call the same City It is Seated as it were in the extreamest parts almost of the East in a mighty great Lake that is drawen out of the foure Princely Riuers that fall there in to it whereof the greatest is called Polisanga The Lake is full of little Ilands which for the gallaÌ„tnes of the Scite the freshnes of the ayer sweetnesse of the gardens are very delightfull without measure His bankes are â—…apestred with verdure mantled trees watered with cleare running brookes and many springes and adorned with magnificent and stately Palaces This Lake in his greatest breadth is foure leagues wyde at the mouth but in some places not aboue twoo The Citie is from the mouth of the riuer twentie eight miles or there about In circuit it is an hundred miles about with large passages both by water and by land The streetes thereof are all of them paued gallantly with Stone and beautified with very fayer benches or seates to sit vpon The Chanells of most account are happely fifteene with bridges ouer them â—…o sâ—…ately to behold that Shipps vnder all their sailes passe vnder them The greatest of these Chanells cutteth thorough the middest as it were of the Citie and is a mile wide a little more or lesse with foure score bridges vpon it A Sight no question that doth exceed all other I should be to long if I should here declare all that might be said of the greatnes of the walkes and galleryes of the magnificent and Stately buildings of the beautie of the Streets of the innumerable multitude of Inhabitants of the infinite concourse of Marchandize of the inestimable number of Shipps and vessells some in laid with Ebony and some with Iuory and chekered some with Gold and some with Siluer of the incomparable riches that come in thither and are carryed out continually to be short of the delightes and pleasures whereof this Citie doth so exceedingly abound as it deserues to be called proud Suntien and yet the other two Cities Panchin and Anâ—…hin are neuer a whitlesse then this is But forasmuch as we haue made mention of China I thinke it not a misse in this place to remember the greatnes of some other of her Cities according to the relations we receaue in these dayes Cantan then which is the most knowen though not the greatest the Portugalles that haue had much commerce thither these many yeares confesse it is greater then Lisborne which yet is the greatest Citie that is in Europe except Constantinople and Paris Sanchieo is said to be three times greater then Siuile So that â—…ith Siuile is six miles in compasse Sanchieo must needes be eighteene miles about They also say Vechieo exceedes them both in greatnes Chinchieo although it be of the meaner sort the fathers of the order of Saint Augustine who saw it do iudge that Citie to conteine three score and ten thousand houses These things I here deliuer ought to be not thought by any man to be incredible For beside that that Marcus Polus in his relations affirmeth far greater things these things I speake are in these dayes approued to be most true by the intelligences we do receaue continually both of seculer and religious persons as also by all the nation of the Portugalles So as he that will denie it shall shew himselfe a foole But for the satisfaction of the reader I will not spare to search out the very reasons how it comes to passe that China is so populous and full of such admirable Cities Let vs then suppose that either by the goodnes of the Heauens or by the secret Influence of the starres to vs vnknowne or for some other reasons else what soeuer they be that part of the world that is orientall vnto vs hath more vertue I knowe not what in the producing of things than the west Hereof it proceedeth that a number of excellent things grow in these happy countries of which others are vtterly destitute and voyde As Sinamome Nutmeâ—…ges Cloues Pepper Camphâ—…re Saunders Incense â—… Aloes the Indian Nuts and such other like Moreouer the things that are common vnto both to the East I say and the West they are generally much more perfect in the East than the West as for proofe thereof the Pearles of the West in comparison of the East are as it were lead to siluer And likewise the Bezà ar that is brought fâ—…om the Indies is a great deale better far than the Bezà ar that comes from Peru. Now Chyna comes the neerest to the East of any part of the world And therefore doth she enioye all those perfections that are attributed to the East And first the Ayer which of all things importeth the life of man so much as nothing more is very temperat whereunto the neerenes of the Sea addeth a great helpe which imbraceth as it were with armes cast abroad a great part thereof and lookes it in the face with a cheerefull aspect and
Meacon and the rest And that the Tyrrhenian and the Adriatick Seas are but gullets in respect of the Ocean And of consequence our trade and traffique is but poore in respect of the Marts and fayres of Cantan Malacca Calicut Ormuze Lisbon Siuill and other Cities that bound vpon the Ocean Let vs adde to these aforesaid that the difference and enmity betweene the Mahumetanes and vs depriueth vs in a manner of the commerce of Africk and of the most part of the trade of the Leuant Againe the chiefest parts of Italy that is the Kingdome of Naples and the Dukedome of Milan are subiect to the King of Spaine The other States are meane and meane also the chiefest of their Cities But it is time wee now returne from whence wee haue digressed long The residence of Princes is so powerfull and so mighty as it alone is sufficient ynough to set vp and forme a Citie at a trice In Aethiop Francis Aluarez writeth there is not a towne although the countrie be very large that conteineth aboue a thousand and six hundred houses and that of this greatnes there are but few For all that the King called by them the great Nego and falsely by vs the Prete Iohn who hath no setteled residence representeth with his only court a mighty great Citie forasmuch as wheresoeuer he be he shadoweth with an innumerable sight of tents and pauilions many miles of the country In Asia the Cities of accompt haue been all of them the Seates of Princes Damascus Antioche Angori Trebysonda Bursia Hierusalem But let vs passe ouer into Europe The translating of the imperiall Seate diminished the glory of Rome and made Constantinople great which is mainteyned in her greatnes and Maiesty with the residēce of the great Turke This Citie standeth in the fairest the best and most commodious Scite that is in the world It is Seated in Europe but Asia is not from it aboue foure hundred pases It commaundeth two Seas the Euxin and Propontis The Euxin Sea compasseth twoo thousand and seauen hundred miles The Propontis stretcheth more then two hundred miles euen till it ioyne with the Archipelagus The weather cannot be so fowle nor so stormy nor so blustering as it can hinder in a manner the shippes from comming with their goods to that same magnificent and gallant Citie in either of those two Seas Ys this Citie had a royall and a Nauigable Riuer it would lack nothing It is thirteene miles about and this circuit conteineth about a seauen hundred thousand persons But the plague makes a mighty slaughter euery third yeare amongst them But to say truth seldome or neuer is that Citie free of the plague And hereupon is offered a good matter worthy to bee considered how it comes to passe that that same scourge toucheth it so notably euery third yeare like a Tertian Ague as in Cayrus it cometh euery seauenth especially bycause that Citie is seated in a most healthfull place But I will put off this speculation to another time or leaue it to be discussed by wittes more exercised therein than mine There are within Constantinople seauen Hills neere the Sea syde towards the East there is the Serraglio of the great Turke whose walles are in compasse three miles There is an Arsenall consisting of more then one hundred and thirty Arches to lay their shipps in To conclude the Citie is for the beawty of the Scite for the opportunity of the Portes for the commodity of the Sea for the multitude of the Inhabitants for the greatnes of the traffique for the residence of the great Turke so conspicuous and so gallant as without doubt amongst the Cities of Europe the chiefest place is due to it For the very Court alone of that Prince mainteineth of horsemen and of footmen not lesse than thirty thousand very well appoynted In Africa Algier lately become the Metropolitan of a great State is now by that meanes growen very populous Tremise when it florished conteined a sixteene thousand housholds Tunis nine thousand Marocco an hundred thousand Fess which is at this day the seate of the mighty King of Africa conteineth threescore and fiue thousand Amongst the Kingdomes of Christendome I speake of the vnited and of one body the greatest the richest and most populous is France For it conteineth twenty seauen thousand parishes including Paris in them And the country hath aboue fifteene Millions of people in it It is also so fertile through the benefit of Nature so rich through the industrie of the people as it enuieth not any other country The residence of the Kings of so mighty a Kingdome hath for a long time hitherto been kept at Paris By the meanes whereof Paris is become the greatest Citie of Christendome It is in compas twelue miles and conteineth therein about foure hundred and fiftie thousand persons and feedeth them with such plenty of victualls and with such abundance of all delicate and dainty things as he that hath not seene it cannot by any meanes imagine it The kingdomes of England of Naples of Portugall and of Bo◅mia The Earledome of Flaunders and the Dukedome of Milan are States in a manner a like of greatnes and of power So that the Cities wherein the Princes of those same kingdomes haue at any time made their residence haue been in a manner also a like as London Naples Lisbon Prage Milan and Gaunt which haue each of them a sonder more or lesse an hundred and threescore thousand persons in them But Lisbon is in deede somewhat larger then the rest by meanes of the commerce and traffique of Aethiop India and Brasil as likewise London is by meanes of the warres and troubles in the lowe countries And Naples is within these thirty yeares growen as great againe as it was In Spaine there is not a Citie of any such greatnes partly bycause it hath been till now of late deuided into diuers little kingdomes and partly bycause through want of nauigable Riuers it cannot bring so great a quantitie of foode and victuall into one place as might mainteine therein an extraordinary number of people The Cities of most magnificencie and of greatest reputation are those where the ancient Kings and Princes held their Seates as Barcelon Saragosa Valenza Cardoua Toledo Burges Leon all honorable Cities and populous ynough but yet such as passe not the second rancke of the Cities of Italy Ouer and besides the rest there is Granada where a long time the Moores haue Reigned and adorned the same with many rich and goodly buildings It is scituated part vpon the Hilles and part vpon the plaine The hilly part consisteth of three Hilles deuided each from other It aboundeth of water of all sortes with the which is watered a great part of her pleasant and goodly country which is by the meanes thereof so well inhabited and
a greatnes encrease not onward according to that proportion LEt no man thinke the wayes and meanes aforesaid or any other that may bee any waye deuised can worke or effect it that a Citie may go on in increase without ceassing And therefore it is in truth a thing worth the consideration how it comes to passe that Cities growen to a poynt of greatnes and power passe no further but either stand at that staye or else returne backe againe Let vs take for our example Rome Rome at her begynning when she was founded and built by Romulus as Dionisius Halicarnasse◅s writeth was able to make out 3300. fit men for the warres Romulus reigned thirty seauen yeares with in the compas of which time the Citie was encreased euen to 47000. persons fit to beare armes About 150. yeares after the death of Romulus in the time of Seruius Tullius there were numbred in Rome 80. thousand persons fit for armes The number in the end by little and little grew to 450. thousand My question therefore is how it comes to passe that from three thousand and three hundred men of warre the people of Rome grew to 450. thousand and from 450. thousand they went no further And in like manner syth it is 400. yeares since Milan and Venice made as many people as they do at this day How it doth also come to passe that the multiplycation goes not onward accordingly Some answere the cause hereof is the plagues the warres the dearthes and other such like causes But this giues no satisfaction For plagues haue euer been And warres haue been more common and more bloody in former times than now For in those dayes they came to hand strokes by and by and to a maine pictht battayle in the field where there were within three or foure houres more people slaine than are in these dayes in many yeares For warre is now drawen out of the field to the walles and the mattock and the spade are now more vsed than the sword The world besides was neuer without alteration and change of plenty and of dearth of health and of plagues Whereof I shall not need to bryng examples bycause the histories are full Now if Cities with all these accidents and chances begun at first with few people encrease to a great number of inhabitants How comes it that proportionably they do not encrease accordingly Some others say it is bycause God the gouernor of all things doth so dispose no man doth doubt of that But forasmuch as the infinit wisedome of God in the administration and the gouernment of nature worketh secondary causes My question is with what meanes that eternall prouidence maketh little to multiply and much to stand at a stay and go no further Now to answere this propounded question I say the selfe same question may be also made of all mankinde Forasmuch as within the compasse of three thousand yeares it multiplyed in such sort from one man and one woman as the prouinces of the whole continent and the Ilands of the Seas were full of people Whence it doth proceed that from those three thousand yeares to this day this multiplycation hath not exceeded further Now that I may the better resolue this doubt I purpose so to answere it As mine answere may not only serue for the Cities but also for the vniuersal theater of the world I say then that the augmentation of Cities proceedeth partly out of the vertue generatiue of men and partly out of the vertue nutritiue of the Cities The vertue generatiue is without doubt to this day the very same or at least such as it was before three thousand yeaeres were past Forasmuch as men are at this day as apt for generation as they were in the times of Dauid or of Moses So that if there were no other impediment or let therein the propagation of man kinde would encrease without end and the augmentation of Cities would bee without terme And if it do not encrease in infinit I must needs say it proceedeth of the defect of nutriment and sustenance sufficient for it Now nutriment and victualls are gotten eyther out of the Territories belonging to the Citie or out of forreine coūtryes To haue a City great populous It is necessary that victualls may be brought frō far vnto it And that victuals may be brought frō remote forraine parts vnto it It behooues that her vertue attractiue bee of such power strength as it be able to ouercome the hardnes the sharpnes of the regions the heigth of the moūtaines the descent of the valleies the swiftnes of the Riuers the rage of the Seas the dāgers of the Pyrats the vncerteinty of the windes the greatnes of the charge the euill passage of the waies the enuie of the bordering neighbours the hatred of enemies the emulation of cōpetitors the lēgth of the time that is required for transportation the dearthes necessities of the places frō whēce they must be brought the naturall dissension of nations the contrariety of sects opinions in religion and other such like things all which encrease as he people increase and the affaires of the Citie To conclude that it grow to be so mighty and so great as it can ouercome all the diligence and all the industrie that man can vse whatsoeuer For how shall Merchants be peeswaded they can bring corne for exaple out of the Indies or Cataia to Rōe or the Romanes expect to haue it thence But admit that either of them could so perswade themselues who can yet assure them the seasons wil be alwayes good for corne that the people stand to peace quietnes that the passages be open and the waies be safe Or what forme or what course can be taken to bring prouision to Rome by so long a way by land in such sort and manner as the conductors thereof may bee able to endure the trauaile and to wyeld the charge thereof Now any one of these impediments or lettes without adding moe to ouertwhart and crosse it more is ynough to dissipate and scatter quite a sonder the people of a City destitute of helpe and subiect to so many accidents and chances Euen one dearth one famine one violence of warre one interruption or staye of trade and traffique one cōmon losse to the Marchants or other such like accident will make as the winter doth the Swallowes the people to seeke an other country The ordinary greatnes of a Citie consisteth in these termes with which it can hardly be contented For the greatnes that depēdeth vpon remote causes or hard meanes cannot long endure For euery man will seeke his commoditie and ease where he may finde it best We must also adde to these things aforesayd that great ◅ities are more subiect vnto dearthes then the little For they neede more sustenance and victualles The plague also afflicteth them more sorely and more often with greater losse of people And to speake in a word great Cities
great by granting freedomes and immunities vnto them Fol. 30. Cities that are free more eminent and better stored with people than Cities subiect vnto Monarchies Fol. 3â—… Cities made great by imparting their freedomes and their offices to others Fol. 32. Cities made great by erecting goodly monuments buildings in them Fol. 33. Cities made great by the helpe of neere Colonies about them Fol. 35. Cities made great by erecting vniuersities in them Fol. 42. Cities made great by the residence of the Nobility in them Fol. 63. Cities made great by the residence of the Prince in them Fol. 65. Cities seated on the Ocean are the best for Marchandize Fol. 79. Cities exceeding great are more subiect to Plagues and dearth than the lesser Cities are Fol. 81. 93. Commodious conduct of ware is not ynough to make a Citie great but there must be some other vertue attractiue vnto it Fol. 29. Cities once growen to a certaine number encrease not further on and the cause why Fol 92. 94. Cities are maintained by iustice peace and plenty Fol 97. Cities that haue delight and pleasures in them drawe forreyâ—…ert to come vnto them Fol 9. 10. 11. Cities which are of greatest reputation in Spaine Fol 83. Crema and her beginning Fol 7. Children in Chyna bound to learne their fathers art and occupation Fol 56. Cloaues had from the Moluccaes Fol 55. Constantinople the principallest Citie in Europe Fol 80. 81. Constantinople and the description thereof Fol 80. Constantinople euerie third yeare visited with the plague Fol 81. D Dominion maketh a Citie great and by what meanes Fol 60. Dominion gotten by meere strength and force holdeth not long Fol 12. E AEthiop hath no greate Cities Fol 79. Europe and her great Cities Fol 82. F Fraunce the Nobility and gent. there do mostly inhabite the country and not the Cities Fol 62. Fraunce plentifull of all necessary things Fol 17. FrauÌ„ce and the greatnes therof with the number of people it doth containe Fol 82. G Gaunt how many people it doth containe Fol 82. Genoua serueth for passage and yet a great Citie Fol 15. God how he is desired of all creatures Fol 39. H Hierusalem the greatest Citie of the East Fol 36. Honor is atteyned by Armes and by learning Fol 41. 42. I Immunity increaseth a Citie Fol 42. Immunitie the meanes to cause people to come together Fol 42. Incense from Sabea Fol 55. Idolatry by whome and for what cause it was set vp Fol 37. Industrie of man of more importe than the fruitfulnes of the land Fol 48. 49. Italie the description thereof Fol 79. Iustice ministred with expedition in Rome England Scotland and Turky Fol 46. The Tribunall seat of Iustice is the most principall member of a State Fol 46. The sâ—…at of Iustice makes great repaire to Cities and makes Cities great Fol 45. 46. L Lisborne a great Citie Fol 15. 82. Lisborne how many people it doth conteine Fol 82. London encreased by the resort of the Hollanders Fol 6. 83. London how many people it doth containe Fol 82. Lakes are in a manner little Seas auaile much to people a Citie Fol 19. M Media the Kings thereof made their residence in Echatana Fol 68. Memphis and the greatnes thereof Fol 66. Milan aduanced by the religious life of the Cardinall Boroâ—…meo Fol 40. Moscouia three famous Cities in that Empire Fol 84. Mony makes men trudge from place to place Fol 45. Multitude breedeth confusion Fol 87. Merchandize helpeth greatly to thencrease of a Citie Fol 55. N Naples how many people it doth conteine Fol 82. Necessity enforceth men to draw themselues together Fol 4. Nilus the riuer and his effects Fol 24. 25. Niniuie and the greatnes thereof Fol 67. P Palermo and the description thereof Fol 85. Panchin a mightie great Citie in China Fol 72. Paris exceedeth all the Cities of Cristendome in people and plenty of all things Fol 24. 44. Pepper a good part thereof doth grow in Calicut Fol 55. Pearles where the best are had Fol 74. Persia the Kings therof made their resideÌ„ce in Persepolis Fol 68. Pysa grew great vpon the sacking of Genoua Fol 6. Plague mencioned in Boccace most fierce and cruell Fol 54. Poloma and her Cities Fol 84. Ports of the Sea which are good Fol 19. Power consisteth in the multitude of people Fol 87. 88. Prage how many people it doth containe Fol 82. R Reputation of a religious zeale and feare of God maketh a Citie great Fol 36. Residency of the Nobility causeth the encrease of a Citie Fol 62. Residency of the Prince magnifieth a City Fol 65. Residency of the Pope causeth the greatnes of Rome Fol 86. Rhodes grew great thorough the multitude of Iewes that repaired thither Fol 6. Rome and the prayse thereof Fol 10. Rome great by the ruine of her neighbour Cities Fol 7. Rome great by meanes of her reliques and the Popes residency therein Fol 40. Riuers how much they import for caryage of goods Fol 20. Riuers some better then some for transportation Fol 23. Riuers of name Fol 28. Riuers in Spaine not greatly nauigable Fol 26 Romanes how they came fierce Fol 31. Riuers in Italy but few that are nauigable Fol 79. S Salonicha grew great by the multitude of Iewes that fled thyther out of Spaine and Portugall Fol 6. Sarmacanda and the greatnes of it Fol 69. Sena a riuer and the properties thereof Fol 24. Scituation what manner of one is fit to make a Citie great Fol 13. Spaine containeth no very great Cities Fol 83. Suntien a Citie in China which is in circuit an 100. miles about Fol 72. Sinamom a good part thereof doth grow in Zeilan Fol 55. T Tartaria and the Empire thereof Fol 68. Tauris a Citie in Persia 16. miles about Fol 68. Tamberlane the mighty spoyle and pray â—…e made vpon Damascus Fol 69. Thebes and the greatnes thereof Fol 65. 66. Towers the most ancient manner and forme of building that we haue Fol 4. 5. Trades occupations brought into a City make it great Fol 48. 52. V Venice by what meanes it grew great Fol 7. 64. Venice and her prayse Fol 11. Venice serues for passage and yet a great and mighty City Fol 15. Usages and manners most barbarous and horrible of the new world and other countries Fol 95. W Water created of God not only for an Element but also for a meanes of transportacion of goods out of one country into another Fol 18. Water more commodious then the land Fol 18. Water one sort more apt to beare burdens then an other Fol 23. Wayes 2. most famous made and cut out of about 2000. miles in length by the King of Cusco Waies very bad thorough out Italy Fol 60. Wooll most excellent in England and in Spaine Fol 55. FINIS Brasill Noe. Biscay Aragon Tamberlan Giustinopoli Gallia traÌ„spadana Saracenes Rialto Venice Alba. Cornicolo Pometia Veios Tatius King of the Sabines Tamberlan Sarmacanda Ottoman Mahomet Selim. Thespis Samos Alexandria Menisis Rhodes Babilon Rome Uenice Derben uÌ„ Sues Premont England London Fraunce Paris Coaches with failes Lakes Noua His pania Mexico ThemistitaÌ„ Riuers Chanell Nilus Heroum Marerubrum Cayrus Alepo Gant Bruges Milan Thesinum Lago maggiore Depth PleasaÌ„tnes Thicknes Largenes Gallia Belgica Celtica Flanders Riuers of Lombardy Riuers of Romagna Tiber. Nilus Questio Nilus Resolutio Fiesole Florence Rome Messina Naples Carthagena Genoua Catharo Perù Maragnone a riuer in Perù The riuer of Plate Riuer of Canada Angola foce Riuer of Coanza Riuers Menan Meicon Indus Obuius Romulus Geneua Cassimire Cosmus MunicipiuÌ„ is euery City or towne hauing the liberty that Rome had Alba longa This chatter here meÌ„cioned is written at large in the end of this boâ—…ke 2. Millions and a halfe of people in Hierusalem which was but 4. myles about * Irreligious people * Orbiculary period Rome * King of Spaine * New Doctrine Sectes Question Resolution Wooll Silke Cloues Incense Balsame Pepper Sinamom Salt Suger Wooll Armor Tapestry Veluet Cloth of gold ad siluer Châ—…a King of Cusco Draudius sexceâ—…ta milia Carthage 24 miles about Rome 50. miles about besides the Suburbs Cusco a princely Citie in Perù Cacicha viceroy or LieuetenaÌ„t Armenia Tygranocerta Venice Egipt the ancientest Kingdome Thebes Memphis Thebes 17. miles about Alexandria Cayrus Draudius The greatnes of Cayrus Niniue 60. miles about Draudius Babilon was 480 furlongs in circuit Califfe Media Ecbatana Persepolis Tauris in Persia 16. miles in compas Tartaria Mogora Cataia Sarmarcanda enriched by Tamberlane 8000. Camells laden with spoyle 60. M. Draudius The Kingdome of Cambaia Citor Citor a Citie 12. miles about The great Cham. Chiambalù 28. miles in compasse besides the suburbes The kingdome of China Three great Cities in China Polisanga Suntien a Citie in Circuit 100. miles about Cantan Sanchieo Vechieo Chinchieo The Indian Nut is called Cocus is full of milke and sayd to be restoraâ—…e Vitei Chiambalù Aethiop The great Nego Asia Constantinople Mare Euxinum Propontis Archipelagus Constantinople 1â—… miles about Plague euery third yeare in CoÌ„stantinople Plague euery seauenth yeare in Cayrus Tremise Tunis Morocco Fess. France Paris 12. miles in compas Paris containeth 450 M. persons England Naples c. London Lisbon London Naples Spaine Granada Siuilia 6. miles about Uagliadoid Madrid Polonia Cracouium Vilna Moscouia Moscouia CoÌ„stantinople Paris Lisbon the chiefest Cities in Europe Scicilia Siracusa Palermo Draudius 17. thousand Serafo is â—… coyâ—…e in India worth 4. shillings Sterl and of Spanish mâ—…ny a peece of 8. which is 4. shillings