Editing Thomas Gresham (section)

==Agent in the Low Countries==
In 1543 the [[Worshipful Company of Mercers|Mercers' Company]] admitted the 24-year-old Gresham as a [[liveryman]], and later that year he left England for the [[Low Countries]], where, either on his own account or that of his father or uncle, he carried on business as a [[merchant]] whilst acting in various matters as [[Foreign agent|agent]] for [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]]. In 1544 he married Anne Ferneley, widow of the London merchant Sir William Read, but maintained residence principally in the [[Low Countries]], basing his headquarters at [[Antwerp]]{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} in present-day [[Belgium]] (then the [[Spanish Netherlands]]), where he became renowned for his adept [[Financial market|market-play]].