The Greatness of Cities [26]
as without doubt amongst the cities of Europe the chiefest place is due to it. For the very court alone of that prince maintaineth of horsemen and of footmen not less than thirty thousand very well appointed. In Africa, Algiers, lately become the Metropolitan of a great state, is now by that means grown very populous. Tlemsen when it flourished contained sixteen thousand households, Tunis nine thousand, Morocco an hundred thousand, Fez, which is at this day the seat of the mighty King of Africa, containeth threescore and five thousand. Amongst the kingdoms of Christendom (I speak of the united, and of one body) the greatest, the richest and most populous is France. For it containeth twenty-seven thousand parishes, including Paris in them. And the country hath above fifteen millions of people in it. It is also so fertile through the benefit of nature, so rich through the industry of the people, as it envieth not any other country. The residence of the kings of so mighty a kingdom hath for a long time hitherto been kept at Paris, by the means whereof Paris is become the greatest city of Christendom. It is in compass twelve miles, and containeth therein about four hundred and fifty thousand persons, and feedeth them with such plenty of victuals and with such abundance of all delicate and dainty things as he that hath not seen it cannot by any means imagine it. The kingdoms of England, of Naples, of Portugal and of Bohemia, the earldom of Flanders and the dukedom of Milan are states, in a manner, alike of greatness and of power; so that the cities wherein the princes of those same kingdoms have at any time made their residence have been in a matter also alike, as London, Naples, Lisbon, Prague, Milan and Ghent, which have each of them asunder more or less an hundred and threescore thousand persons in them. But Lisbon is indeed somewhat larger than the rest, by means of the commerce and traffic of Ethiopia, India and Brazil, as likewise London is by means of the wars and troubles in the Low Countries. And Naples is within these thirty years grown as great again as it was. In Spain there is not a city of any such greatness, partly because it hath been till now of late divided into divers little kingdoms, and partly because through want of navigable rivers it cannot bring so great a quantity of food and victual into one place as might maintain therein an extraordinary number of people. The cities of most magnificency and of greatest reputation are those where the ancient kings and princes held their seats, as Barcelona, Saragossa, Valencia, Cordova, Toledo, Burgos, Leon, all honourable cities and populous enough, but yet such as pass not the second rank of the cities of Italy. Over and besides the rest there is Granada, where a long time the Moors have reigned and adorned the same with many rich and goodly buildings. It is situated part upon the hills and part upon the plain. The hilly part consisteth of three hills divided each from other. It aboundeth of water of all sorts, with the which is watered a great part of her pleasant and goodly country, which is by the means thereof so well inhabited and manured as none can be more. Seville is increased mightily since the discovery of the New World, for thither come the fleets that bring unto them yearly so much treasure as cannot be esteemed. It is in compass about six miles. It containeth fourscore thousand persons and above. It is situated on the left shore of the river Betis, which some call Guadalquivir. It is beautified with fair and goodly churches, and with magnificent and gorgeous palaces and buildings. The country there about it is as fertile as it is pleasant. Valladolid is not a city, but for all that it may compare with the noblest cities in Spain, and that by reason of the residence the King of Spain hath long time made there in it, as Madrid is at this day much increased and continually increaseth by the court that King Philip keepeth there. Which is of such efficacy and power as although the country be neither plentiful nor pleasant it doth