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.
