the greatness of cities-第9章

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　7。　Of　privileges

　　　　The　people　are　in　these　our　days　so　grievously　oppressed　and　taxed　by　their　princes；　who　are　driven　to　it　partly　of　covetousness　and　partly　of　necessity；　that　they　greedy　embrace　the　least　hope　that　may　be　of　privilege　and　freedom　whensoever　it　is　offered。　thereof　the　marts；　fairs　and　markets　bear　good　witness；　which　are　frequented　with　a　mighty　concourse　of　tradesmen；　merchants　and　people　of　all　sorts；　not　for　any　respect　else　but　that　they　are　there　free　and　frank　from　customs　and　exactions。　　　　　In　our　days　the　princely　city　of　Naples；　through　the　exemptions　and　freedoms　granted　to　the　inhabitants；　is　most　nobly　increased；　both　in　buildings　and　in　people；　and　it　would　have　increased　a　great　deal　more　if　through　the　griefs　and　suits　of　the　barons　there　whose　lands　were　unfurnished　of　people；　or　for　some　other　peculiar　reason；　the　King　of　Spain　had　not　severely　forbidden　to　enlarge　it　with　further　buildings。　　　　　The　cities　in　Flanders　are　the　most　merchantable　and　the　most　frequented　cities　for　commerce　and　traffic　that　are　in　all　Europe。　If　you　require　the　cause；　surely　the　exemptions　from　custom　is　the　chiefest　cause　of　it。　For　the　merchandise　that　is　brought　in　and　carried　out　（and　it　is　infinite　that　is　brought　in　and　carried　out）　paid　but　a　very　small　custom。　　　　　All　such　as　have　erected　new　cities　in　times　past；　to　draw　concourse　of　people　to　it　have　granted　of　necessity　large　immunities　and　privileges；　at　least　to　the　first　inhabitants　thereof。　The　like　have　they　done　that　have　restored　cities　emptied　with　the　plague；　consumed　with　the　wars；　or　afflicted　otherwise　with　some　other　scourge　of　God。　　　　　The　plague　mentioned　by　Boccaccio；　that　languished　all　Italy　near　three　years　together；　was　so　fierce　that　from　March　to　July　it　took　out　of　the　world　about　an　hundred　thousand　souls　within　Florence。　It　slew　also　such　a　number　within　Venice　as　in　a　manner　it　became　a　desert；　so　that　the　Senate；　to　have　it　reinhabited；　caused　proclamation　to　be　made　that　all　such　as　would　come　thither　with　their　families　and　dwell　there　two　years　together　should　have　the　freedom　of　the　city。　The　same　commonwealth　of　Venice　hath　been　also　more　than　once　delivered　out　of　extreme　necessity　of　victuals　by　promising　privilege　and　freedom　to　such　as　brought　them　corn。

　8。　Of　having　in　her　possession　some　merchandise　of　moment

　　　　It　will　also　greatly　help　to　draw　people　to　our　city　if　she　have　some　good　store　of　vendible　merchandise　always　in　her　possession；　which　haply　may　be　where；　through　the　goodness　of　the　soil；　either　all　of　it　doth　grow；　or　a　great　part；　or　that　at　least　which　is　more　excellent　than　other：　all；　as　the　cloves　in　the　Moluccas；　the　frankincense　and　sweet…smelling　gums　in　Sabaea；　the　balsam　in　Palestine；　or　where　a　good　part　of　it　doth　grow；　as　pepper　doth　in　Calicut　and　cinnamon　in　Ceylon；　or　where　it　is　most　excellent；　as　salt　is　in　Cyprus；　sugars　at　Madeira　and　wool　in　some　cities　of　Spain　and　England。　There　is　also　to　be　added　unto　this　the　excellency　of　art　and　workmanship　which；　through　the　quality　of　the　water　or　the　skill　and　cunning　of　the　inhabitants；　or　some　hidden　mystery　of　theirs；　or　other　such　like　cause；　chanceth　to　be　in　one　place　more　excellent　than　another；　as　the　armour　in　Damascus　and　in　Shiraz；　tapestry　in　Arras；　rash　in　Florence；　velvets　in　Genoa；　cloth　of　gold　and　silver　in　Milan；　and　scarlet　in　Venice。　　　　　And　to　this　purpose；　I　cannot　pass　it　over　but　I　must　declare　unto　you　that　in　China　all　arts　in　a　matter　flourish　in　the　highest　degree　of　excellency　that　may　be；　for　many　reasons　but　amongst　the　rest　chiefly　for　this；　because　the　children　are　bound　to　follow　their　father's　mystery　and　trade。　So　that　forasmuch　as　they　are　born；　as　it　were；　with　a　resolute　mind　to　follow　their　father's　art；　and　the　fathers　hide　not　from　them　anything；　but　teach　them　and　instruct　them　with　all　affection；　assiduity；　diligence　and　care；　workmanship　is　by　this　means　there　grown　to　that　fullness　of　excellency　and　perfection　that　may　be　possibly　desired；　as　may　be　seen　in　these　few　works　that　are　brought　out　of　China　to　the　Philippines；　from　the　Philippines　to　Mexico；　and　from　Mexico　to　Seville。　But　let　us　return　to　our　purpose。　　　　　There　are　also　some　other　cities　masters　of　some　commodities；　not　because　the　goods　do　grow　in　their　country　or　be　wrought　by　their　inhabitants；　but　because　they　have　command　either　of　the　country　or　of　the　sea　that　is　near　them：　the　command　of　the　country；　as　Seville；　unto　which　infinite　wealth　and　riches　are　brought　from　Nova　Hispania　and　Peru；　the　command　of　the　sea；　as　Lisbon；　which　by　this　means　draweth　to　it　the　pepper　of　Cochin　and　the　cinnamon　of　Ceylon　and　other　riches　of　the　Indies；　which　cannot　be　brought　by　sea　but　by　them；　or　under　their　leave　and　licence。　　　　　After　the　same　sort　in　a　matter　Venice；　about　four…score　and　ten　years　agone；　was　Lady　of　the　Spiceries；　for　before　the　Portuguese　possessed　the　Indies　these　things　being　brought　by　the　Red　Sea　to　Suez；　and　from　thence　upon　camels'　backs　to　Cairo；　and　after　that　by　Nile　into　Alexandria；　there　were　they　bought　up　by　the　Venetians　who　sent　thither　their　great　argosies；　and　with　incredible　profit　to　them　carried　them　in　a　matter　into　all　the　parts　of　Europe。　　　　　But　all　this　commerce　and　trade　is　now　quite　turned　to　Lisbon；　unto　which　place；　by　a　new　way；　the　spiceries　（taken　as　it　were　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Moors　and　Turks）　be　yearly　brought　by　the　Portuguese；　and　then　sold　to　the　Spaniards；　Frenchmen；　Englishmen　and　to　all　the　northern　parts。　This　commerce　and　trade　is　of　such　importance　as　it　alone　is　enough　to　enrich　all　Portugal　and　to　make　it　plentiful　of　all　things。　　　　　There　are　some　other　cities　also　lords；　as　it　were；　of　much　merchandise　and　traffic；　by　means　of　their　commodious　situation　to　many　nations；　to　whom　they　serve　of　warehouse　room　and　storehouses：　such　are　Malacca　and　Ormuz　in　the　East；　Alexandria；　Constantinople；　Messina　and　Genoa　in　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　Antwerp；　Amsterdam；　Danzig　and　Narva　in　the　Northern　Seas；　and　Frankfurt　and　Nuremberg　in　Germany。　In　which　cities　many　great　merchants　exercise　their　traffic　and　make　their　warehouses；　unto　the　which　the　nations　thereunto　adjoining　use　to　resort　to　make　their　provisions　of　such　things　as　they　need　because　they　have　commodious　means　for　transportation　of　it。　And　this　consisteth　in　the　largeness　and　the　safeness　of　the　ports；　in　the　opportunity　and　fitness　of　the　gulfs　and　creeks　of　the　seas；　in　the　navigable　rivers　that　come　into　the　cities；　or　run　by　or　near　them；　in　the　lakes　and　chattels；　as　also　where　the　ways　be　plain　and　safe。　　　　　And　here　to　the　purpose；　because　I　speak　of　ways；　I　cannot　pass　over　those　two　ways　which　the　kings　of　Cuzco　（called　in　their　language　Incas）　in　the　long　process　of　time　cut　out　throughout　their　dominion；　about　two　thousand　miles　in　length；　so　pleasant；　so　commodious；　so　plain　and　so　level　as　they　give　no　place　to　the　magnificent　works　of　the　Romans。　For　there　shall　you　see　steep　and　high　hills　laid　even　with　the　plain；　and　deep　valleys　filled　up；　and　horrible　huge　stones　cut　in　pieces；　there　shall　you　see　the　trees　that　are　planted　here　and　there；　in　excellent　good　order　even　by　a　line；　yield　both　with　their　shade　a　comfort　and　with　the　charm　of　the　birds　that　there　abound　in　great　plenty；　a　marvellous　delight　and　pleasure　to　the　travellers　that　pass　those　ways。　Neither　are　there　wanting　on　those　ways　many　good　inns　for　lodging　and　for　entertainment；　plentiful　of　all　necessary　things；　nor　palaces　and　goodly　buildings　that　in　eminent　and　open　places；　as　it　were；　to　meet　you；　present　you　with　a　pleasant　and　beautiful　show　of　their　excellency　and　rareness；　nor　pleasant　towns；　nor　sweet　countries；　nor　a　thousand　other　delights　and　pleasures　to　feed　both　the　eye　with　variety　and　the　mind　with　admiration　at　the　infinite　effects；　partly　wrought　by　nature　and　partly　by　the　handiwork　of　man。　But　to　return　to　our　purpose。　　　　　It　is　a　good　matter　and　a　great　help　to　a　prince　to　know　the　natural　site　of　his　country；　and　with　judgment　to　have　an　understanding　how　to　amend　it　by　art　and　industry。　As；　for　example；　to　defend　his　ports　with　rampiers　and　with　bulwarks；　to　make　the　lading　and　unlading　of　merchandise