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very large quantities, with powders and cannon balls to fire a hundred thousand shots. There are also harnesses, bucklers, shields, muskets, arquebuses, pikes, halberds and swords, to arm fifty thousand men, which are placed in order in several ranks, in large long trains made in the form of a gallery, which are wonderfully good to see, so that when something happens in the Province, or country bordering it, there is no need to bring at great expense neither arms or artillery from the city of Sangil, since there are as many as we have said, in all six score metropolitan cities: But not in the others, nor any fortifications, so that the enemy, or some revolt, does not take advantage of them to the detriment of the public good. For as for these great cities, it should not be necessary to fear that they would be distract themselves from public obedience, being all participants in the honour, good, & utility of the principal charges of the Kingdom, having a deputy from their body who is part of the Royal council, & sometimes one, or several Senators, & even the King, so much so that there is no one from the Provinces, because of this fine order & great apparatus, who dares to stir up quarrels, or hold any assembly. |
