Antonio Bonvisi
Encyclopedia
Antonio Bonvisi was an Anglo-Italian merchant in London. He was also a banker, and employed by the English government, as well as being an agent for the Italians appointed as Bishop of Worcester
. He was on good terms with the English humanists of the time, and a close friend of Thomas More
.
. In 1513 he was already a thriving merchant, and laying the foundation of the great wealth for which he was famous. In that year he received from the king, Henry VIII, a remission of customs for five years in repayment of a loan to the crown. He dealt largely in wool, and also imported jewels and other foreign articles, for which Cardinal Wolsey was one of his principal customers.
He acted as banker for the government, transmitting money and letters to ambassadors in France, Italy, and elsewhere, and sometimes through his correspondents obtaining earlier news of foreign events than the government did. He was a patron and friend of learned men, more especially of those who had visited and studied in Italy. Thomas Starkey
, Thomas Wynter
, Florence Volusenus, and others express their obligations to him. Sir Thomas More, in one of his last letters from the Tower of London
, speaks of himself as having been for nearly forty years 'not a guest, but a continual nursling of the house of Bonvisi,' and styles Antonio the most faithful of his friends. Reginald Pole also spoke highly of him; when Mary came to the throne, Bonvisi acted as intermediary with Pole. He helped William Peto, who had fled to the Low Countries after preaching a sermon against King Henry VIII.
He resided at London, in Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate Street (Crosbyes Place it was then called). He at first leased it from the priory of St. Helen's, a lease he bought from More. After the dissolution of the priory, he purchased it from the king, together with a house in St. Mary Axe and the site of a friary in Moulsham
, near Chelmsford
. This was in the period 1538 to 1542. The house in St. Mary Axe he sold to Balthazar Guercy, a distinguished fellow of the College of Physicians, and formerly medical attendant to Queen Catherine of Aragon
. At the beginning of the reign of Edward VI he settled his affairs, and later left for the continent; the lease of Crosby House he made over to his tenants William Roper and William Rastell
, and he also conveyed the ownership; but almost all involved were Catholics who went into exile before he did. The house, with those of Dr John Clement
and Guercy, was seized by the sheriffs of London, on 7 February 1550, and came into the hands of Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Temple Hurst. Bonvisi soon recovered it, during the reign of Queen Mary.
In the general pardon which concluded the acts of the parliament of 7 Edward VI (1553) he was specially excepted, together with Cardinal Pole, the two doctors above mentioned, John Story
, and a few others. He died on 7 December 1558, and was buried at Leuven
, leaving a nephew Benedict Bonvisi, son of his brother Martin, to inherit his English property.
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
. He was on good terms with the English humanists of the time, and a close friend of Thomas More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
.
Life
His family was settled in England before his time, and he perhaps was born there, as his denisation does not appear to be on the patent rollsPatent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
. In 1513 he was already a thriving merchant, and laying the foundation of the great wealth for which he was famous. In that year he received from the king, Henry VIII, a remission of customs for five years in repayment of a loan to the crown. He dealt largely in wool, and also imported jewels and other foreign articles, for which Cardinal Wolsey was one of his principal customers.
He acted as banker for the government, transmitting money and letters to ambassadors in France, Italy, and elsewhere, and sometimes through his correspondents obtaining earlier news of foreign events than the government did. He was a patron and friend of learned men, more especially of those who had visited and studied in Italy. Thomas Starkey
Thomas Starkey
Thomas Starkey was an English political theorist and humanist.Starkey attended the University of Oxford and gained an MA at Magdalen College in 1521. After this, Starkey stayed in Padua until around 1526...
, Thomas Wynter
Thomas Wynter
Thomas Wynter or Winter was the supposed illegitimate son of Thomas Wolsey by his mistress, Joan Larke. Wolsey was archbishop of York, English cardinal, candidate for the papacy and chief minister of Henry VIII of England. The evidence of the kinship of Wynter and Wolsey is disputed...
, Florence Volusenus, and others express their obligations to him. Sir Thomas More, in one of his last letters from the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, speaks of himself as having been for nearly forty years 'not a guest, but a continual nursling of the house of Bonvisi,' and styles Antonio the most faithful of his friends. Reginald Pole also spoke highly of him; when Mary came to the throne, Bonvisi acted as intermediary with Pole. He helped William Peto, who had fled to the Low Countries after preaching a sermon against King Henry VIII.
He resided at London, in Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate Street (Crosbyes Place it was then called). He at first leased it from the priory of St. Helen's, a lease he bought from More. After the dissolution of the priory, he purchased it from the king, together with a house in St. Mary Axe and the site of a friary in Moulsham
Moulsham
Moulsham is a suburb of Chelmsford, Essex, England. It is located to the south of the town centre and has two distinct areas: Old Moulsham and Moulsham Lodge.-History:...
, near Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
. This was in the period 1538 to 1542. The house in St. Mary Axe he sold to Balthazar Guercy, a distinguished fellow of the College of Physicians, and formerly medical attendant to Queen Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
. At the beginning of the reign of Edward VI he settled his affairs, and later left for the continent; the lease of Crosby House he made over to his tenants William Roper and William Rastell
William Rastell
-Life:He was born in London. At the age of seventeen he went to the University of Oxford, but did not take a degree, being probably called home to superintend the printing business of his father John Rastell....
, and he also conveyed the ownership; but almost all involved were Catholics who went into exile before he did. The house, with those of Dr John Clement
John Clement (physician)
John Clement was an English Roman Catholic physician and humanist. He was tutor to Thomas More's children, and became President of the College of Physicians.-Life:...
and Guercy, was seized by the sheriffs of London, on 7 February 1550, and came into the hands of Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Temple Hurst. Bonvisi soon recovered it, during the reign of Queen Mary.
In the general pardon which concluded the acts of the parliament of 7 Edward VI (1553) he was specially excepted, together with Cardinal Pole, the two doctors above mentioned, John Story
John Story
Blessed John Story , English Roman Catholic martyr, was born the son of Nicholas Story of Salisbury and educated at Hinxsey Hall, University of Oxford, where he became lecturer on civil law in 1535, being made later principal of Broadgates Hall, afterwards Pembroke College.He appears to have...
, and a few others. He died on 7 December 1558, and was buried at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, leaving a nephew Benedict Bonvisi, son of his brother Martin, to inherit his English property.