I observe in Turinge in Dutchland (twelve miles over by their scale) 12 counties, and in them 144 cities, 2000 villages, 144 towns, 250 castles. In Bavaria 34 cities, 46 towns, &c. Portugallia interamnis, a small plot of ground hath 1460 parishes, 130 monasteries, 200 bridges. Malta a barren Iland, yeelds 20000 inhabitants.

But of all the rest, I admire Lues Guicciardines relations of the Low-countries. Holland hath 26 cities, 400 great villages: Zeland 10 cities, 102 parishes. Brabant 26 cities, 102 parishes. Flanders 28 cities, 90 towns, 1154 villages, besides Abbies, castles, &c. The Low-countries generally have three cities at least for one of ours, and those far more populous and rich: and what is the cause, but their industry & excellency in all maner of trades?

Their commerce, which is maintained by a multitude of Tradesmen, so many excellent chanels made by art, and opportune havens, to which they build their Cities: all which we have in like measure, or at least may have. But their chiefest Lodestone which draws all maner of commerce and merchandize, which maintains their present estate, is not fertility of soyl, but industry that enricheth them, the gold mines of Peru, or Nova Hispania may not compare with them.

They have neither gold nor silver of their own, wine nor oyl, or scarce any corn growing in those united Provinces, little or no Wood, Tin, Lead, Iron, Silk, Wooll, any stuff almost, or Mettle; and yet Hungary, Transilvania, that brag of their mines, fertile England cannot compare with them.

I dare boldly say, that neither France, Tarentum, Apulia, Lombardy, or any part of Italy, Valence in Spain, or that pleasant Andalusia, with their excellent fruits, Wine and Oyl, two Harvests, no not any part of Europe is so flourishing, so rich, so populous, so full of good ships, of wel built cities, so abounding with all things necessary for the use of man. Tis our Indies, an Epitome of China, and all by reason of their industry, good policy, and commerce.

Industry is a Load-stone to draw all good things; that alone makes countries flourish, cities populous, and will enforce by reason of much manure, which necessarily follows, a barren soyl to be fertile and good, as Sheep, saith Dion, mend a bad pasture.

Tell me Politicians, why is that fruitfull Palestina, noble Greece, Ægypt, Asia Minor, so much decayed, and (meer carcasses now) faln from that they were? The ground is the same, but the government is altered, the people are grown sloathfull, idle, their good husbandry, policy, and industry is decayed. Non fatigata aut effœta humus, as Columella well informs Sylvinus, sed nostrâ fit inertiâ, &c.

May a man believe that which Aristotle in his politicks, Pausanias, Stephanus, Sophianus, Gerbelius relate of old Greece? I find heretofore 70 Cities in Epirus overthrown by Paulus Æmilius, a goodly Province in times past, now left desolate of good towns and almost inhabitants. 62 Cities in Macedonia in Strabo’s time. I finde 30 in Laconia, but now scarce so many Villages, saith Gerbelius.

If any man from Mount Taigetus should view the countrey round about, and see tot delicias, tot urbes per Peloponesum dispersas, so many delicate and brave built cities with such cost and exquisite cunning, so neatly set out in Peloponesus, he should perceive them now ruinous and overthrown, burnt, waste, desolate, and laid level with the ground. Incredibile dictu, &c.

And as he laments, Quis talia fando Temperet a lachrymis? Quis tam durus aut ferreus, (so he prosecutes it) Who is he that can sufficiently condole and commiserate these ruines? Where are those 4000 cities of Ægypt, those 100 cities in Crete? Are they now come to two?

What saith Pliny and Ælian of old Italy? There were in former ages 1166 cities: Blondus and Machiavel, both grant them now nothing neer so populous, and full of good towns as in the time of Augustus (for now Leander Albertus can finde but 300 at most) and if we may give credit to Livy, not then so strong and puissant as of old: They mustered 70 Legions in former times, which now the known world will scarce yeeld.

Alexander built 70 cities in a short space for his part, our Sultans and Turks demolish twice as many, and leave all desolate. Many will not beleeve but that our Iland of Great Britain is now more populous then ever it was; yet let them read Bede, Leland, and others, they shall finde it most flourished in the Saxon Heptarchy, and in the Conquerors time was far better inhabited, then at this present. See that Domesday-Book, and shew me those thousands of Parishes, which are now decayed, cities ruined, Villages depopulated, &c.

The lesser the Territory is, commonly the riches it is. Parvus sed bene cultus ager. As those Athenian, Lacedæmonian, Arcadian, Aelian, Sycionian, Messenian, &c. Common-wealths of Greece make ample proof, as those Imperial Cities, and free States of Germany may witnesse, those Cantons of Switzers, Rheti, Grisons, Walloons, Territories of Tuscanie, Luke and Senes of old, Piedmont, Mantua, Venice in Italy, Raguse, &c.

That Prince therefore as, Boterus adviseth, that will have a rich Countrey, and fair Cities, let him get good Trades, Priviledges, painfull inhabitants, Artificers, and suffer no rude Matter unwrought, as tin, Iron, Wool, Lead, &c. to be transported out of his Country. A thing in part seriously attempted amongst us, but not effected.

And because industry of men, and multitude of Trade so much avails to the ornament and enriching of a Kingdom; Those ancient Massilians would admit no man into their city that had not some Trade. Selym the first Turkish Emperor procured a thousand good Artificers to be brought from Tauris to Constantinople.

The Polanders indented with Henry Duke of Anjou, their new chosen King, to bring with him an hundred Families of Artificers into Poland. James the first in Scotland (as Buchanan writes) sent for the best Artificers he could get in Europe, and gave them great rewards to teach his Subjects their severall Trades. Edward the third, our most renowned King to his eternal memory, brought clothing first into this Iland, transporting some families of Artificers from Gaunt hither.

How many goodly cities could I reckon up, that thrive wholly by Trade, where thousands of Inhabitants live singular wel by their fingers ends: As Florence in Italy by making cloth of Gold; great Millan by Silke, and all curious Wroks; Arras in Artois by those fair Hangings; many cities in Spain, many in France, Germany, have none other maintenance, especially those within the Land.