English: HENRY VIII (1491-1547), King of England and Ireland. Letter signed ('Henry R') to Sir Richard Long and Michael Stanhope, Captain and Lieutenant of Kingston upon Hull, Westminster, 8 March 1541/2.

11 lines on one page, 210 x 315mm, integral address leaf, remnant of signet seal (sealing slits, seal tear, a few old punctures, some weakness at folds, lower left corner torn off).

Appointing a master gunner in the garrison at Hull. Henry had previously sent a schedule of the garrison at Hull with their wages, and now adds a master gunner to their number, who is to be Thomas King, with wages of eightpence a day, and fourpence for his assistant.

'And where by o[u]r scedule signed w[i]t[h] our hande and sent unto you we have determyned Uppon the nombre of p[er]sonnes appointed to be in our garryson of Hull w[i]t[h] the wage for every of the same. Forasmuche as sithens [since] that tyme we have thought it necessary to adde also therunto a M[aste]r Gunner w[hi]ch shalbe our s[e]rv[a]nt and have theversight undre you of all th[e] other gunners, You shall Undrestande that we have named to that Rome and office Thomas King nowe M[aste]r Gunner at Hull aforsaid'.

Henry had visited Hull during his tour of the north in August and September 1541, and made extensive orders for its fortification and garrisoning over the following months, perhaps in preparation for his attack on Scotland later in 1542.