©National Archives

Stamp Signature of Henry VI, 1436 This is one of the earliest examples of a signature by stamp. It is taken from a petition to King Henry VI by Master Richard Praty, dean of the chapel of the King's Household, dated 1436.

English monarchs from the late 14th century onwards employed the signature stamp. It saved the monarch the trouble of personally signing each document. Other monarchs to make use of it included Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, James I and George IV.