LIEGE, the capital of the bishopric of the same name, stands upon the Maes, in a fine valley, surrounded with woods and hills, being a free imperial city, and one of the largest and most eminent in Europe. Though it is 100 miles from the sea by water, the Maes is navigable up to it. The city has 16 gates; 17 bridges, some of them very handsome; 154 streets, many of them straight and broad; a fine episcopal palace; a very large stately cathedral, in which, besides five great silver coffers full of reliques, are several silver statues of saints, and a St George on horseback of massy gold, presented to the cathedral by Charles the Bold, by way of atonement for using the inhabitants cruelly in the year 1468. Of the other churches, that of St Paul is the most remarkable, both for its structure and fine ornaments in painting and marble. The city is well fortified, and there are also two castles on the mountain of the Holy Walburg for its defence. Besides a great number of other convents of both sexes, here is a college of English Jesuits, founded in the year 1616, and a fine nunnery of English ladies. Indeed, churches, convents, and other religious foundations, take up the greater part of it. The reader, therefore, no doubt, will take it for granted, that it is a most blessed, holy, and happy city. But however it may fare with the profane, unhallowed laity, it is certainly the paradise of priests, as it is expressly called, by way of eminence. It is divided into the old and new, or the upper and lower; and the latter again into the island, and the quarter beyond the Maes. The houses are high, and built of bluish marble. In the town and suburbs are 12 public places or squares, 10 hospitals, a begum-house, and two fine keys, planted with several rows of trees, for the burghers to take the air; but a great part of that within the walls is taken up with orchards and vineyards. The manufactures of this city are arms, nails, leather, serge, and beer. In St William's convent, without the city, is the tomb of the famous
English traveller Sir John Mandeville, with an inscription in barbarous French, requesting those who read it to pray for his soul. Near it are kept the saddle, spur, and knife, that he made use of in his travels. After having seen most of the cities of any note in the world, he made choice of this to spend the eve of his life in. A little way from the city, on the other side the Maes, stands the episcopal palace of Seraing, in which the bishops generally reside during the summer. The latitude of this city is 50° 36' and the longitude 5° 40'.