Book One is basically just a conversation between More, Raphael Hythloday and Peter Giles.
With a man named Cuthbert Tunstall, More visited Flanders as well as places that are now in present-day Belgium. More and Raphael meet through Peter Giles who More encounters in Antwerp. Raphael has befriended many of the natives he had encountered in the past and therefore they can depend on him as well as vice versa. Although he met all these wonderful people, Raphael did have some pretty terrible judgments on England after spending numerous months in the country. As Raphael beings to retell his journeys, he tends to focus more on the political aspects rather than the details in themselves. He seems very well educated as he goes on and goes telling the eager Thomas More about where he's been, who he's encountered and what he's learned. His opinions are very strong and it seems like he "knows what he's talking about."
"Raphael" (which many may know of) is the name of a guardian angel and the last name, "Hythloday," means "peddler of nonsense." I feel like this relates to Raphael's personality and character greatly and that there was probably a purpose behind this when More was writing the tale.
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Of course there is a reason. Didn't you notice and read the first couple of pages in the introduction which say why some of the places and things are named as such. For example Noplace. It is word play to show that this does not exist. It is clever word play and I am glad that it was picked up. For everyone read the basic introduction to the story and you will see the "no" nouns and why he does that.
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