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King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing of the crown on August 22, 1485, until his death on April 21, 1509, and the first monarch of the House of Tudor. Rare vellum manuscript DS, in Early Modern English, signed “H. R.,” one page, 8 x 3.5, December 22, 1497. Official document directed to Robert Lytton, Keeper of the Great Wardrobe, boldly signed at the head by King Henry VII. In part (translated): "We will and charge you that unto Garter, Richmond, and Norroy, Kings of Arms, Windsor Herald, and Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, and to each of them, you deliver, or cause to be delivered, a coat of arms. And this our letter shall be your sufficient warrant in this behalf. Given under our signet at our palace of Westminster." In very good to fine condition, with some light toning, and a semicircular stain to the bottom edge. Accompanied by an unsigned engraving of the controversial king.
Issued by King Henry VII at Westminster in the thirteenth year of his reign, this warrant instructs the heralds of the College of Arms—Garter, Richmond, and Norroy Kings of Arms, with Windsor Herald and Rouge Dragon Pursuivant—to deliver a coat of arms, routed through Robert Litton, Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. Coming just weeks after the capture of the pretender Perkin Warbeck, this modest document offers a tangible glimpse into the personal government of the first Tudor king, whose authority was reinforced as much through the careful choreography of heraldry as through military force. Warrants of this kind rarely survive, making this a compelling piece of early Tudor administrative history.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
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