Very early in his Florentine career Savonarola had proved himself to be fully as great an administrator as an orator.
The Convent of San Marco dominated by his personal authority, had made him Prior in 1491, and he was already engaged in a thorough reform of all the Dominican monasteries of Tuscany.

It was usual for the Priors elect of S.Mark to pay a complimentary visit to the Medici, their patrons.

Savonarola, thinking this a worldly and unseemly custom, omitted to observe it.

Lorenzo, noticing the discourtesy, is reported to have said, with a smile: 'See now! here is a stranger who has come into _my house_, and will not deign to visit me.' He forgot that Savonarola looked upon his convent as a house of God.

At the same time the prince made overtures of goodwill to the Prior, frequently attended his services, and dropped gold into the alms-box of S.Mark's.