Savorgnano tour of England, August 25, 1531.

Marco Savorgnano, was a military engineer, who made a tour through Europe and England in the summer of 1531. He had studied Hebrew in Venice under the converted Jew, Marco Raphael¹, who became a great favorite of King Henry VIII. This provided him audiences with the members of the royal family which are briefly but vividly described here in a letter to an unnamed correspondent.²

Savorgnano's letter is quite long but gives an unusually clear and concise description of the country and its inhabitants circa 1531. It also gives a picture of the European conflicted reaction to Henry in light of his relationship with Anne Boleyn.

Savorgnano tour of England, August 25, 1531.

A Tour in England. — Mario Savorgnano to ———.

I quitted the Imperial Court, which was here at Brussels, on the 27^th July, and mounting a little carriage (caretta) as usual in all these places (and which is a very great convenience), arrived at Ghent, a distance of 25 Italian miles, on that same day. On the 28th, I took another carriage, there being very great plenty of these vehicles in every town in Flanders, and went a distance of 20 miles to Bruges, which is considered the handsomest and most magnificent city of any in all these countries. It contains an infinite number of large palaces, inhabited by men of divers nations, in which they carry on their mercantile traffic. Then there are houses without end, belonging to private gentlemen, part of which are by the water's side, with very handsome quays in front, with seats all made alike; and looking on the canals, I fancied myself at Venice; and barges with merchandise are constantly passing to and fro. There are also very large and most beautiful churches, and it is well peopled.

On the third day we went to another town of Flanders, not very remarkable, of the same description as Gemona, called Nieuport, 20 miles from Bruges. On the fourth day, passing through two other small towns by the side of certain rivers which form divers harbours, having the sea near at hand, we arrived at Calais, a distance of 30 miles. It is a very strong place, as I will tell on my return, and is very closely guarded by the most serene King of England, who has no other fortress than this one, and another near it. It is on the sea, and is the port of passage to the island. On that same night, two hours before daybreak, we embarked on board a middling-sized vessel, and with a pleasant south-west wind, and a calm sea, crossed from Calais to England in six hours, without trouble or inconvenience of any sort. The distance is 40 Italian miles. The island has the appearance of a fortress, the sea having advanced and given form to the cliff, producing a fine effect. It is difficult to land else where than in the harbours. Having got into port we found a little town called Dover, and I inspected a certain very ancient castle — erected for the custody of the harbour — in which were some suits of armour and spears, and several sorts of weapons, in use 800 and 1,000 years ago — a very ridiculous thing. We were here supplied with horses of marvellous speed, riding post as it were, according to the custom of travellers, so that on the fifth day after my departure from the Imperial Court at Brussels, I reached Canterbury, distant 12 miles from Dover. The place is very famous by reason of the veneration for the glorious Saint Thomas, and there is a superb and magnificent shrine containing his tomb, ornamented with precious stones and sundry jewels, with so much gold that its value is inestimable; this is a singular thing, nor do I expect to see anything handsomer or more costly. From Canterbury we passed to a small town called Gravesend, traversing a most beautiful country, with many hills and very pleasant, seeing many small streams, and the great river Thames which disembogues in the sea; and on the sixth day, which was the 1st of August, having ridden 20 miles, we embarked in a small boat, and came up this large river a distance exceeding 25 Italian miles, to London.

London is the capital of the kingdom and the residence of the ambassadors and merchants; it is a very notable city situated on the Thames, a magnificent river, navigable for vessels of any burden, 60 miles from the sea, and with a very strong tide. This river is convenient for trade, embellishing the city, and rendering it cheerful, and over it is a very large stone bridge.

London contains many houses on either side of the river, and two large churches of extreme beauty, in one of which the present King's father is buried. In various parts of the city there are many palaces of divers citizens and merchants, but the larger ones and the most superb are on the river, the owners being the chief personages of the kingdom. Besides the two belonging to the King and one to the Queen, the three dukes, the two marquises and several bishops have mansions there, each of them worth 12,000 crowns, with very delightful gardens.

The population of London is immense, and comprises many artificers. The houses are in very great number, but ugly, and half the materials of wood, nor are the streets wide. In short, I am of opinion, all things considered, that it is a very rich, populous, and mercantile city, but not beautiful.

Having arrived thus on the 2nd [August], and being well received by the most noble the Venetian ambassador [Lodovico Falier], who chose me to lodge with him, I met Messer Marco Rafael, who was of yore my preceptor for the Hebrew tongue, and is now in very great favour with this most serene King; and he sent for two of the royal councillors to show me his Majesty's palaces and rarities.

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1    Oxford University Chabad Society https://www.oxfordchabad.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/3772348/jewish/Henry-VIII-Oxfords-Hebraists-and-the-Rabbis-of-Venice-in-the-16th-Century.htm “Marco Rafael, who had renounced Judaism, was resident in England, and was in great favour with the King for having written against the dispensation granted by Julius II.”

2    State Papers,... Venice, (Rawdon Brown, ed., 1871) IV.285-9.

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