Mecha in Arabia Petræa, stands in a most unfruitfull country, that wants water, amongst the Rocks (as Vertomannus describes it) and yet it is a most elegant and pleasant city, by reason of the traffick of the East and West. Ormus in Persia is a most famous Mart-Town, hath nought else but the opportunity of the haven to make it flourish.

Corinth a noble city (Lumen Græciæ, Tully calls it) the Eye of Greece, by reason of Cenchreas and Lecheus, those excellent Ports, drew all that traffick of the Ionian and Ægean seas to it; & yet the country about it was curva & superciliosa, as Strabo terms it, rugged and harsh. We may say the same of Athens, Actium, Thebes, Sparta, and most of those towns in Greece.

Noremberg in Germany is sited in a most Barren soil, yet a noble Imperial city, by the sole industry of Artificers, and cunning Trades, they draw the riches of most countries to them, so expert in Manufactures, that as Salust long since gave out of the like, Sedem animæ in extremis digitis habent, their soul, or intellectus agens, was placed in their fingers ends; & so we may say of Basil, Spire, Cambray, Francfurt, &c.

It is almost incredible to speak what some write of Mexico, and the Cities adjoyning to it, no place in the world at their first discovery more populous. Mat. Riccius the Jesuite and some others, relate of the industry of the Chinaes most populous countreys, not a begger, or an idle person to be seen, and how by that means they prosper and flourish.

We have the same means, able bodies, pliant wits, matter of all sorts, Wool, Flax, Iron, Tin, Lead, Wood, &c. many excellent subjects to work upon, only industry is wanting. We send our best commodities beyond the seas, which they make good use of to their necessities, set themselves a work about, and severally improve, sending the same to us back at dear rates, or else make toyes and bables of the Tails of them, which they sell to us again, at as great a reckoning as they bought the whole.

In most of our cities, some few excepted, like Spanish loyterers, we live wholly by Tipling-Inns and Ale-houses; Malting are their best ploughs, their greatest traffick to sell ale.

Meteran and some other object to us, that we are no whit so industrious as the Hollanders: Manual trades (saith he) which are more curious or troublesome, are wholly exercised by strangers: they dwell in a Sea full of Fish, but they are so idle, they will not catch so much as shall serve their own turns, but buy it of their neighbors. Tush Mare liberum, they fish under our noses, and sell it to us when they have done, at their own prices.

— Pudet hæc opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse, & non potuisse refelli. I am ashamed to hear this objected by strangers, and know not how to answer it.

Amongst our Towns, there is only London that bears the face of a City, Epitome Britanniae, a famous Emporium, second to none beyond Seas, a noble Mart: But sola crescit, decrescentibus aliis; and yet in my slender judgement, defective in many things.

The rest (some few excepted) are in mean estate, ruinous most part, poor and full of beggers, by reason of their decayed trades, neglected or bad policy, idlenesse of their Inhabitants, riot, which had rather beg or loyter, and be ready to starve, then work.

I cannot deny but that something may be said in defence of our Cities, that they are not so fair built, (for the sole magnificence of this Kingdom (concerning buildings) hath been of old in those Norman Castles and Religious Houses) so rich, thick sited, populous, as in some other countries; besides the reasons Cardan gives, Subtil. Lib. 11. we want Wine and Oyl, their two Harvests, we dwell in a colder Air, and for that cause must a little more liberally feed of Flesh, as all Northern Countries do: Our provision will not therefore extend to the maintenance of so many:

yet notwithstanding we have matter of all sorts, an open sea for traffick, as well as the rest, goodly Havens. And how can we excuse our negligence, our riot, drunkennesse, &c. and such enormities that follow it? We have excellent laws enacted, you will say, severe statutes, houses of correction, &c. to small purpose it seems, it is not houses will serve, but cities of correction, our trades generally ought to be reformed, wants supplied.

In other countries they have the same grievances, I confesse, but that doth not excuse us, wants, defects, enormities, idle drones, tumults, discords, contention, Law-suits, many Laws made against them to represse those innumerable brawls and Law-suits, excesse in Apparel, Diet, decay of Tillage, Depopulations, especially against Rogues, Beggars, Ægyptian vagabonds (so termed at least) which have swarmed all over Germany, France, Italy, Poland, as you may reade in Munster, Cranzius, and Aventinus; as those Tartars and Arabians at this day do in the Eastern countries: