In April, the King moved to secure the town of Hull — a major port with trading links to Europe and the site of an arsenal of weapons stored after the recent wars against Scotland. King Charles was also anxious to secure a safe landing place for Queen Henrietta Maria, who had left England the previous month to raise money and munitions from Europe in preparation for the struggle against Parliament. But Parliament had taken precautions to secure Hull for itself by appointing Sir John Hotham as governor and issuing instructions that the town and its arsenal were not to be surrendered without parliamentary authority. Consequently,
When Charles arrived with his entourage before Hull on 23 April 1642, he found the town gates barred against him. After several hours’ fruitless negotiation between the royal heralds, Hotham and the aldermen of Hull, King Charles rode away to York. The following day, he pronounced Sir John Hotham guilty of high treason. He latter refomed his troops at Anlaby on the boundary of Hull