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
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
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
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
water Which of nature is such a substance that through the grossenes thereof it is apt to beare great burdens And through the liquidnes holpen with the windes or the oares fit to carry them to what place they list So that by such a good meane the West is ioyned with the East and the South with the North. And a man might say that what so growes in one place growes in all places by the easie meanes prouided to come by them Now without doubt the Sea for her infinit greatnes and grosnesse of the water is much more profitable than the Lakes or the Riuers But the Sea serues you to little purpose if you haue not a large and safe Port to ride into I say large either for the greatnes or for the depth in the entrie thereat the middest and the extreames And I say safe either from all or from many windes or at least from the most blustering and most tempestuous It is held that amongst all windes the Northerne is most tollerable and that the Seas that are troubled on the Greekish coast cease their rage and wax quiet assoone as the winde is laide But the Southern windes trouble them and beate them so sore wherof the Gulfe of Venice is an vndoubted witn esthar euen after the winde is laid they swell and rage a great while after Now the Port shal be safe either by nature as that of Messina and Marsiles or else by art the Imitato◅ of nature as that of Genoua and of Palermo Lakes are as it were little Seas So that also they for the proporcion of the place and other respects besides gaue a great helpe to appopulate townes and citties As it is found in Noua Hispania where as is the Lake of Mexico which extendeth nine hundred miles in compasse and conteineth 50. faire aud goodly townes in it Amongst the which there is the Towne Themistitan the Metropolitan seate of that great and large Kingdome The Riuers also import much and most of all they that runne the longest course especially through the richest and most merchantable Regions such as is Po in Italie Scaldis in Flanders Ligeris Sona in France Danubius and the Rhene in Germanie And as Lakes are certaine seuerall remembrances of the bosomes of the Gulphes of the Seas formed and made by nature Euen so Chanells whereinto the water of the Lake or the Riuer runneth are certaine Imitations and as it were shadowes of the same Riuers made by skill and cunning The ancient Kings of Egipt made a ditch that from Nilus ranne to the city Heroum they assaid to draw a Chanell from the Red Sea to Mare Mediterraneū to knit our Seas with the Indian Seas and so to make the easier transportation too and fro of all kindes of merchandize and by that meanes withall to enritch their owne Kingdome And it is a thing well knowē how ost it hath been attempted to breake vp Isthmus to vnite the Sea Ionium with Mare Aegeum A Souldier of Cayro drewe a Chanell from Eufrates to the cittie of Alepo In Flanders you may see both at Gant and at Bruges and in other places else besides many Chanels made by art and with an inestimable expence and charge but yet of much more profit for the ease they bring to merchandizing and to the trafique of other nations And in Lombardy many cities haue wisely procured this ease vnto them But none more then Milan that with one Chanell worthy of the Romaines glorie draweth the waters to it of Thesinum and of the Lake called Lago Maggiore and by such meanes enricheth it selfe with infinit store of merchandizes and with an other Chanell also benefiteth much by the Riuer Adda through the opportunitie and meanes it hath thereby to bring in the fruites and the goods of their exceeding plentifull countrie home vnto their houses And they should make it much the better if they would clense and scower the Chanell of Pauia and Iurea Now in Chanells and in Riuers for their better ease of conduct and of trafique besides the length of their courses we haue before spoken the depth the pleasantnes the thicknes of the water and the largnes thereof is of much moment to them The depth bycause deepe waters beare and susteine the greater burdens and the nauigation is the more safe without perill The Pleasantnes bycause it makes the nauigation easie vp and downe which way soeuer you bend your course Wherein it seemes to some they haue been much mistaken that had the ordering of the Chanell that comes from Thesinum to Milan Forasmuch as by the great fall of the water and the great aduantage giuen to the water it hath so strong a currant and is so violent that with infinit toyle and labor and losse of time they haue much a do to saile vpward But as towching Riuers nature hath shewed her selfe very kinde to Gallia Celtica and Belgica for asmuch as in Gallia Celtica the riuers for the most part are most calme and still and therefore they saile vp and downe with incredible facilitie because many of them come forth as it were in the plaines euen grounds By the meanes where of their course is not violent and they runne not between the mountaines nor yet a short and little way but many hundred miles through goodly and euen plaines Where for their recreation and their pleasure otherwhile men take their course one way another while another now go on forwardes and then turne back againe and so by this winding and turning too and fro they helpe diuers cities and prouinces with water and victualls or other such things as they need But there is not a country in Europe better furnished and prouided of Riuers than that part of Gallia Belgica that cōmonly we call Flanders The Meuse the Schelde the Mosella Tevora Ruer and Rhene deuided into three great Armes or branches runne pleasantly and gallantly forthright and ouerthwart the Prouince mightely enritch it by the cōmoditie of nauigation trafique of infinit treasure which certainly wants in Italie For Italie being long and strait and parted in the middest with the Apenine Hills the Riuers of Italie through the shortnes of their cou◅se cannot neither much encrease nor yet abate the violence of their Streames The Riuers of Lombardy come all as it were either out of the Alpes as Thesinum Adda Lambro Seruo A◅liga or out of the Apenine hills as Tarro Lenza Panarus Rhene and but a short way neither wherein they rather deserue to be called land floods than Riuers For they soone find out the Po which takes his course between the Appenine hils the Alpes So that he only resteth nauigable For washing this Prouince ouer by all his whole length he hath time to growe great and enrich himselfe with the helpe of many Riuers and to moderate his naturall swiftnesse by the long way he maketh But this
and the water affordeth to the conduct of goods and traffique But where conduct and carriage is easie you see not for all that a notable and famous cittie by and by For without question the port of Messina is farre much better than the port of Naples that notwithstanding Naples if you behold the people exceedeth more than two Messinas The port of Carthagena exceeds in all respects the porte of Genoua and yet Genoua for multitude of people for wealth and for all manner of good things besides mightily exceedeth Carthagena What Port is more faire more safe or more spacious than the Chanell of Catharo And yet is there not any memorable Cittie in that place What shall I say of Riuers In Perù there is the Riuer Maragnone which it is sayd doth runne a marueilous thing to report six thousaÌ„d myles in length and is in breadth at the mouth thereof three score myles and more You haue the Riuer of Plate there by which though it giue place to Maragnone for the length of his streame and course it beareth yet more water a great deale And at the mouth of it they say it is one huÌ„dred fiftie myles wyde In new France there is the Riuer of Canada wyde at the mouth thirtie fiue myles and 200 fathame deepe In Africa there are also verie great Riuers Senaga Gambea and Coanza which last is a riuer late found out in the Kingdome of Angola which is thought to be wyde at the mouth 35 myles And yet amongst these there is not a famous citie to be found Nay further on the riuer of Coanza the barbarous people there liue in dennes and hyde themselues in caues couered with boughes in the companie fellowship as it were of crabbes and lobsters which through vse and custome grow wonderous familiar and secure with them In Asia although Menan which in their language signifieth the mother of riuers and Meicon which is nauigable for more than two thousand miles and likewise Indus and other royall riuers be sufficiently inhabited yet for all that Obuius which is the greatest there amongst them For where it falleth into the Scithian Ocean it is 80. myles broad which makes some men think the Mare Caspium disburdeneth it selfe that way into the Ocean hath not any famous citie in it After this another question also ryseth how it comes if the commodious meanes of conduct doe at full accomplish the greatnes of a citie How I say it comes to passe where vpon the Shoare of one selfe riuer the conduct is euen easie and a like that one Citie yet is greater than an other Without doubt it sufficeth not alone that the transportation of goods too and fro be easie and commodious but there must be else besides that some peculier vertue attractiue that may draw men and allure men more to one place than to another whereof we shall in the next booke speake more at large OF THE CAVSES OF the greatnes and magnificencie of Cities THE SECOND BOOKE HYtherto haue we spoken of aptnes of the scite of the fruitfulnes of the soyl of the commodious transportacion of commodities too and fro for the helpe and encrease of our Citie Let vs now se what those things are that may allure the people who are of nature indifferent to be heere or there to the choyse of one place before another to make their habitacions in and what causeth commerce and traffique And let vs first declare the proper meanes the Romaines tooke and then afterward the meanes that generally were common to them and others CAP. I. The proper meanes of the Romanes THe first meanes the Romanes vsed was the opening of the Sanctuary and giuing libertie fredome to all that would to come vnto them which Romulus did to the end his neighbours at that time euill entreated by Tyrants and the countrie swarming full with discontented persons Rome might by that meanes be the sooner peopled through the benefite of their safety they were sure to finde there neither was he therein deceiued a whit for thither flockt with their goods a number of people that were either thrust out of their habitations or vnsafe and vnsure of their liues in their countreys But when they found afterward a want of women necessarie for propagation Romulus proclaimed certaine great and solemne feasts at which he stole and held away by force the greatest part of the youngest women that did resort to see them so that it is no maruaile if out of so fierce and stoute a people there rose so fierce and stoute an yssue The verie same reason in a manner in these our daies hath encreased so much the city of Geneua forasmuch as it hath offered entertainment to all commers out of Fraunce and Italy that haue either forsaken or been exiled their countreys for religion sake And the same Countrey of Germany they call Francorum Vallem by the sufferance of Cassimire one of the Count Palatins of Rhene later erected by the Belgians that were for Religion thrust out of their countreis hath doneth like Cosmus the great Duke of Tusâ—…an to appopulate the Port Ferato gaue protection to such as would flye thethâ—…r and confined a number that for their offences had worthily deserued punishment Which course the great Duke Franciscus his Sonne obserued afterward for the peopling of Pisa and Liuorno But as we haue afore sayd it is neither strength nor necessity that haue power to make a citie frequented or to rayse it vnto greatnes For a people enforst and violently driuen to rest in one place is like vnto seede sowen in the Sands wherein it neuer taketh root to grow vnto ripenes But let vs returne vnto our sanctuarie It cannot be denyed but that a moderate libertie and a lawfull place of safetie very greatly helpeth to draw a multitude of people to a resting place And hereof it comes that free Cities are in coÌ„parison of other places more famous more replenished with people then Cities subiect vnto Princes to monarchies The secoÌ„d means wherwith Rome increased was that they made the townes that well deserued of theÌ„ which they after called Municipia to be partakers of their Franchises and of their offices For these honors to be Citizens of Rome and to enioy the great priuiledges annexed to their enfranchisemeÌ„t drewe into the City all such as through adherencie through fauour or through seruice done vnto the common weale might haue any hope to beare office or rule therein and such as lookt not so high resorted yet thither to serue their kinsmens turnes or their friends with their voices to aduance them to some good office And thus Rome was frequented and enriched with concourse of an infinit sight of people both noble and rich that in particular or in common were honored with the enfraÌ„chisement and freedome of Rome The third meanes was the continuall entertainment the Romaines
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