Part 29

In the first place, a certen office or compting house to be by his Ma^{tie} appointed w^{th}in the cittie of London, of purpose for carrying out & receiving in of all L[~r]es to be conveyed from y^{e} cittie of London into all p^{ts} w^{th}in his Ma^{ts} dominions & answers thereof retorned to the said Cittie of London, according as occasion shall serve.

Inprimis, for the Northerne and Scotland roade, All l[~r]es to be put into one Portmantle that shalbe directed to Edenburgh in Scotland, and for all places of the s^{d} roade, or neere the s^{d} roade, to be accordinglie put into y^{e} s^{d} Portmantle, w^{th} [p=]ticuler baggs directed to such Postm^{rs} as live upon the Road neere unto any Cittie or Towne Corporate.

_As for Example_--

One Bagge to be directed to Cambridge w^{th} such l[~r]es therein as shalbe directed to that place or neere thereunto; to take port for them as is now p[~d] to the Carriers, w^{ch} is Two pence a single l[~r]e, and so accordinglie as they shalbe in bignes. At Cambridge a footpost to be provided, w^{th} a knowne badge of his Ma^{ts} Armes, whome upon the markett daies is to goe to all Townes w^{th}in 6: 8: or 10 miles, there to receive & deliver all such l[~r]es as shalbe directed to those places. The l[~r]es that the s^{d} footpost shall then and there receive, hee is to bring them to the s^{d} Towne of Cambridge before the retorne of the Portmantle out of Scotland, w^{ch} is to retorne at a certen daie & houre, by w^{ch} meanes they maie be upon the verie instante comeing back of the s^{d} Portmantle, as before, put into a little bagge, w^{ch} s^{d} bagg is to be put into y^{e} s^{d} Portmantle as aforesaid. It is alwaies to be understood that upon the verie instant cominge of the Portmantle to Cambridge, the bagg of l[~r]es for that place & thereaboutes ymmediatly to be tooke out of the s^{d} Portmantle; the said Portmantle being presentlie to goe forwards, night and day, w^{th}out stay, to Huntingdon, w^{th} fresh horse & man. At w^{ch} place the like rule is to be observed as before at Cambridge, & so the s^{d} Portmantle is to goe from Stage to Stage, night & day, till it shall come to Edenburgh. The bags of l[~r]es to be left at all Stages as at Cambridge and Huntingdon, as before.

Only it is to be understood, that the further the l[~r]es shall goe, the port thereof is to be advanced, as to 3^{d}, 4^{d}, & 6^{d}, & to Scotland more. By this way of carrying and recarrying of l[~r]es, his Ma^{ts} subjects shall, once in 6 daies, receive answer from Edenburgh in Scotland, and so consequently from all p^{ts} betwixt London & Scotland.

The daie and howre of the comeing and going of the s^{d} Portmantle to and from London to be alwaies certaine. By w^{ch} meanes all Stages upon the Road will knowe at what certen howre the Portmantle is to come to y^{t} place.

It is truth it maie be alledged, that some Citties & Townes of noate will lye so farre from any of the mayne Roads of England, as Hull & other Townes of noate upon the Sea coasts, as that it wilbe impossible for a footman to carry and recarry the s^{d} l[~r]es w^{th}in such time as shalbe limitted: for remedie thereof a horse is to be provided for the s^{d} footpost, for the execu[=co]n of the s^{d} service w^{th} more expedi[=co]n.

The like rule is to be observed to Westchester & so to Ireland.

The like rule is to be observed to Oxford, Bristoll, & so to Ireland.

The like rule is to be observed to Worcester, Shrewesbury, and so to y^{e} Marches of Wales.

The like rule to be observed to Exceter, & so to Plymouth.

The like rule to be observed to Canterbury, & so to Dovo^{r}.

The like rule to be observed to Chelmesford, Colchester, and so to Harw^{ch}.

The like rule to be observed to Newmarket, Bury, Norw^{ch}, and so to Yarmouth.

In the first place, it wilbe a great furtherance to the correspondency betwixt London & Scotland, & London & Ireland, and great help to Trades, & true affec[=co]n of his Ma^{ts} subiects betwixt theis kingdomes, which, for want of true correspondency of l[~r]es, is now destroyed, & a thing above all things observed by all other nations.

_As for Example_--

If anie of his M^{ats} subiects shall write to Madrill, in Spain, hee shall receive answer sooner & surer then hee shall out of Scotland or Ireland. The l[~r]es being now carried by carriers or footposts 16 or 18 miles a day, it is full two monthes before any answer can be received from Scotland or Ireland to London, w^{ch} by this Conveyance all l[~r]es shall goe 120 miles at y^{e} least in one day & night.

It will Secondlie be alledged, that it is a wrong to the Carriers that bring the said letters. To which is answered, a Carrier setts out from Westchester to London on the Mundaie, w^{ch} is 120 miles. The s^{d} Carrier is 8 daies upon the Road, and upon his cominge to London delivers his letters of advise for his relodinge to Westchester againe, and his forced to staie in London two daies at extraordinary charges before he can get his loding redy.

By this Conveyance l[~r]es wilbe fr[=o] Westchester to London in one day & night, so that the s^{d} Carriers loading wilbe made ready a weeke before the s^{d} Carriers shall come to London, and they no sooner come to London but maie be redy to depte againe.

The like will fall out in all other pts.

Besides, if at any time there should be occasion to write from anie of the coast Townes in England or Scotland to London, by this Conveyance l[~r]es wilbe brought ymmediatly: & from all such places there wilbe weekely advise to & from London.

_As for Example_--

Anie fight at Sea: any distress of his Ma^{ts} shipps, (w^{ch} Godd forbidd), anie wrong offered by any other nation to any of y^{e} Coaste of England, or anie of his Ma^{ts} forts: the Posts being punctually paid, the newes will come sooner then thought.

It wilbe, thirdlie, alledged that this service maie be [^p]tended by the Lo: Stanhope to be in his graunt of Post M^{r} of England. To w^{ch} is answered, neither the Lo: Stanhope, nor anie other that ever enjoyed the Postm^{s} place of England, had any benefitt of the carrying and recarrying of the subiects L[~r]es: beside, the profitt is to paie y^{e} Posts of the Road, w^{ch} next unto his Ma^{tie}, belong to y^{e} office of the s^{d} Lo: Stanhope, and upon determina[=co]n of any of the s^{d} Posts places, by death or otherwise, the Lo: Stanhope will make as much of them as hath heretofore bin made by this said advancement of all theire places.

The Lord Stanhope now enioying what either hee or any of his Predecesso^{s} hath ever heretofore done to this day.

(Indorsed by Sec. Coke)

"Proposition for Missive Letters."

--_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office_ (_Commons_), 1844, Appx., pp. 55-6.

(iv) THE MONOPOLY AND THE GENERAL FARM OF THE POSTS.

No. 1.

"Whereas heretofore sundry wayes have bene devised to redresse the disorders among the postes of our realme in generall, and particularly to prevent the inconveniences, both to our owne service and the lawfull trade of the honest merchants, by prohibiting that no persons whatsoever should take upon them, publiquely or privately, to procure, gather up, receive ... any packets or letters to or from the countreys beyond the seas, except such our ordinarie posts and messengers for those parties, etc."--royal Proclamation, April 26th 1591.

No. 2.

"There has long been a constant trade betwixt London and Norwich in sundry sorts of stuffs and stockings made in Norwich and Norfolk, which trade has always been maintained by the merchants of Norwich employing their stocks in buying wares of the makers and sending them up weekly in carts by common carriers to London, whence they are dispersed into all parts of this kingdom, and also exported to foreign parts, in which intercourse of trade we always had our letters safely and speedily carried by our common carrier, by a horseman, not in manner of postage by change of horses, but as is usual by common carriers, and for little or no charge to us. Of late Mr. Witherings has intercepted our letters and molested our carriers, forbidding them to carry any of our letters otherwise than to go along with their carts, and no faster."--Petition to Privy Council, 1638; J. W. Hyde, _The Post in Grant and Farm_, London, 1894, p. 131.

No. 3.

" ... By a Proclamation dated about July 1635 his Majestie did expresse his pleasure, that _Thomas Witherings_ should have the carriage of the said letters who would settle it in a better and more speedy course; thereupon he undertook the said work, and for a long time, after his said undertaking, it cost him some weeks 20l. 30l. 40l. more than he received, to the great weakening and hazard of the ruine of his estate. It is verie true, that untill he had his patent of his Office granted unto him for his life, which was in the yeare 1637, he did in some places lay horses of his owne, in others he did make use of the ordinarie Post-horses, and because he desired quick dispatch, hee paid them for a guide and a horse to carrie the male 6d. _per_ mile, after not conceiving a guide necessarie he made only use of one horse, and paid 3d. _per_ mile.... for the other Posts, they have 3d. _per_ mile which is more than ordinarie pay. But the objection which seems to carrie the greatest shew, or colour of probabilitie with it is; That the P^{mrs} had formerly 4,000_l._ _per annum_ fee, onely for carrying his Majesties packets, that Witherings hath reduced this to 2,053l. _per annum_, and yet puts a greater burthen upon them by carrying his male; hath displaced many of them and received 4,000l. for Post places."--_Full and cleare answer to a false and scandalous Paper entituled: The humble Remonstrance of the grievances of all his Majesties Posts of England, together with Carriers, Waggoners, etc._, 1641, pp. 2, 3.

No. 4.

Reasons presented to the Committee for Postmasters why the office should not be farmed:--

(1) What is of public interest, if farmed, often becomes a great public grievance.

(2) The postmasters who have served faithfully and others who run best to Lynn, Yarmouth, etc., must be restrained and will complain as they did in 1642 to the late Parliament which ordered them redress.

(3) By farming, the pay of postmasters will be made so inconsiderable that they will grow careless.

(4) The expectations of the people now at this juncture so highly raised to hopes of ease and freedom, will be disappointed when they see new monopolies.

* * * * *

Suggestions for reducing the office into one channel, for easing the people, encouraging the postmasters and raising money for the public:--

1. To declare it unsafe for private persons to erect post stages without licence.

2. To chose faithful persons in all the roads and appoint a supervisor on each road.

3. To declare that you have appointed them postmasters and give power to their controller only to sign labels for speedy conveyance of mails and give them writs of assistance.

Signed by Robert Girdler and seven others.--_Calendar of State Papers_ (_Domestic Series_), 26th November, 1652.

No. 5.

Offers of the well-affected postmasters to the Posts' Committee....

The order of the Council in the case of the Inland Post Office being that it be improved to the greatest advantage either by farm or account, they conceive the advantages consist not so much in the advance of money, as the service and safety of the State, and beg to offer,

1. That persons of known integrity may be employed in all parts, and a sufficient salary allowed, as becomes a trust of that great concernment.

2. That a fit person be appointed for the control thereof, according to orders from the State, etc.

3. As righteousness exalteth a nation, it is hoped that after the expense of so much blood and treasure, the very things adjudged and condemned in others (viz. monopolies) will not now be practised, but that next to public safety, you will be tender of the people's just liberty; for both by the laws of God and man it is lawful for every man to employ himself in a lawful calling, especially in that to which he has been bred, and it is also lawful for divers men to employ themselves in one calling, otherwise there must be as many callings as men.

4. For avoiding of many inconveniencies that will follow in the farming of it, viz.

The persons depositing or obliging themselves for so much money a year, will not lay out themselves and their estates without expectation of profit, which must arise either out of the people's letters or postmasters' labour, besides the hazard to the Commonwealth; for notwithstanding the faithfulness of the postmasters yet if they will not do their work at their rates (which may prove an oppression too heavy, like that in Egypt) others shall.--_Calendar of State Papers_ (_Domestic Series_), May 1653.

No. 6.

"Petition of John Mann, Mayor, and 22 aldermen & inhabitants of Norwich:--

"Having much commerce with London we have always employed a faithful and careful messenger to carry letters, bills of exchange, etc., but he has lately been molested by John Manley whose agents have not only rifled and detained our letters and goods, but charged more than double price for small parcels of ware, which is a greater burden to many of us than the monthly assessment....

"Having bought our liberties at vast expense of blood and treasure, we hope not again to be troubled with distasteful monopolies but to have liberty to convey our letters freely."--_Calendar of State Papers_ (_Domestic Series_), 1653-4, p. 25.

No. 7.

"Also it hinders a man to be as civil as otherwise he would, or might be, in having, or returning an accompt to, or from his friend, many a man in these times being forced to set a greater value of 6d. or 3d. then of three times as much in former times, when money was more plentiful; and certainly any man but a Farmer wil confess it to be a strange imposition, that a man cannot have an accompt of the condition of his Wife or Family, without paying thrice as much as he need; & it seems as unreasonable for a man to be forced to pay 3d. for what may be done for a penny, (in relation to Letters) as for a man to be compelled to pay thrice as much for meat or any other commodity, as the price currant."--J. Hill, _A Penny Post_, London, 1659, p. 7.

No. 8.

1657, CAP. 30.

_Postage of England, Scotland, and Ireland settled._

"Whereas it hath been found by experience, That the Erection and Settling of one General Post Office, for the speedy Conveying, Carrying, and Re-carrying of Letters by Post, to and from all Places within England, Scotland and Ireland, and into several parts beyond the Seas, hath been, and is the best means, not only to maintain a certain and constant Intercourse of Trade and Commerce betwixt all the said Places, to the great benefit of the People of these Nations, but also to convey the Publique Despatches, and to discover and prevent many dangerous, and wicked Designs, which have been and are daily contrived against the Peace and Welfare of this Commonwealth, the Intellegence whereof cannot well be Communicated, but by Letter of Escript,

"Be it Enacted by His Highness the Lord Protector and the Parliament, And it is Enacted and Ordained by Authority thereof, That from henceforth there be one General Office, to be called and known by the name of the Post Office of England, and one Officer from time to time to be nominated, etc."--H. Scobell, _A Collection of Acts and Ordinances_, London, 1658, p. 511.

(v) EXTRACT FROM "THE PRESENT STATE OF LONDON,"

By Tho. de Laune, Gent., London, 1681.

_Of the Post-office._

This Office is now kept in Lumbard-street, formerly in Bishopsgate-street, the Profits of it are by Act of Parliament settled on his Royal Highness the Duke of York. But the King by Letters Patents, under the Great Seal of England, constitutes the Post-Master-General.

From this General Office, Letters and Packets are dispatched:

On Mondays-- To France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Flanders, Sweedland, Denmark, Kent, and the Downs. On Tuesdays-- To Holland, Germany, Sweedland, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, and all parts of England and Wales. On Wednesdays-- To all parts of Kent, and the Downs. On Thursdays-- To France, Spain, Italy, and all parts of England and Scotland. On Fridays-- To Flanders, Germany, Italy, Sweedland, Denmark, Holland, Kent, and the Downs. On Saturdays-- All parts of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Letters are returned from all parts of England and Scotland, certainly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; from Wales every Monday and Friday; and from Kent and the Downs every day: But from other parts more uncertainly, in regard of the Sea.

* * * * *

A Letter containing a whole sheet of Paper is convey'd 80 Miles for 2d. two sheets for 4d. and an Ounce of Letters for 8d. and so proportionably; a Letter containing a sheet is conveyed above 80 miles for 3d. two sheets for 6d. and every Ounce of Letters for 12d. A sheet is conveyed to Dublin for 6d. two for a shilling, and an Ounce of Letters for 12d.

This Conveyance by Post is done in so short a time, by night as well as by day, that every 24 hours, the Post goes 120 Miles, and in five days, an answer of a Letter may be had from a Place 300 Miles distant from the Writer.

Moreover, if any Gentlemen desire to ride Post, to any Principal Town of England, Post Horses are always in readiness, (taking no Horse without the consent of his owner) which in other Kings Reigns was not duly observed; and only 3d. is demanded for every English Mile, and for every Stage to the Post-Boy, 4d. For conducting.

Besides this Excellent convenience of conveying Letters, and Men on Horse-back, there is of late such an admirable commodiousness, both for Men and Women of better rank, to travel from London, and to almost all the Villages near this great City, that the like hath not been known in the World, and that is by Stage-Coaches, wherein one may be transported to any place, sheltred from foul Weather, and foul ways, free from endamaging ones Health or Body by hard jogging, or over violent motion; and this not only at a low price, as about a shilling for every five Miles, but with such velocity and speed, as that the Posts in some Foreign Countries, make not more Miles in a day; for the Stage-Coaches, called Flying-Coaches, make forty or fifty Miles in a day, as from London to Oxford or Cambridge, and that in the space of twelve hours, not counting the time for Dining, setting forth not too early, nor coming in too late.

* * * * *

The several Rates that now are and have been taken for the Carriage of Letters, Pacquets, and Parcels, to or from any of His Majesties Dominions, to or from any other parts or places beyond the Seas, are as followeth, that is to say,

s. d. Morlaix, St. Maloes, Caen, Newhaven, and places of like {Single 0 6 distance, Carriage paid to Rouen {Double 1 0 {Treble 1 6 {Ounce 1 6

Hamburgh, Colen, Frankfort, Carriage paid to Antwerp, is {Single 0 8 {Double 1 4 {Treble 2 0 {Ounce 2 0

Venice, Geneva, Legorn, Rome, Naples, Messina, and all {Single 0 9 otherparts of Italy by way of Venice, Franct pro Mantua {Double 1 6 {Treble 2 3 {Ounce 2 8

Marseilles, Smirna, Constantinople, Aleppo, and all parts {Single 1 0 of Turky, Carriage paid to Marseilles {Double 2 0 {3/4 Ounce 2 9 {Ounce 2 8

And for Letters brought from the same places to England {Single 0 8 {Double 1 4 {Treble 2 0 {Ounce 2 0

The Carriage of Letters brought into England, from Calice, {Single 0 4 Diep, Bulloign, Abbeville, Amiens, St. Omers, Montrel {Double 0 8 {Treble 1 0 {Ounce 1 0

Rouen {Single 0 6 {Double 1 0 {Treble 1 6 {Ounce 1 6

Genoua, Legorn, Rome, and other parts of Italy by way of {Single 1 0 Lyons, Franct pro Lyons {Double 2 0 {3/4 Ounce 2 9 {Ounce 3 9 The Carriage of Letters Outwards--

To Bourdeaux, Rochel, Nants, Orleans, Bayon, Tours, and {Single 0 9 places of like distance, Carriage paid to Paris {Double 1 6 {Treble 2 3 {Ounce 2 0

Letters brought from the same places into England {Single 1 0 {Double 2 0 {3/4 Ounce 3 0 {Ounce 4 0 The Carriage of Letters Outwards--

To Norembourgh, Bremen, Dantzick, Lubeck, Lipswick, and {Single 1 0 other places of like distance, Carriage paid to Hamburgh {Double 2 0 {3/4 Ounce 3 0 {Ounce 4 0

Paris {Single 0 9 {Double 1 6 {Treble 2 3 {Ounce 2 0

Dunkirk, Ostend, Lisle, Ipers, Cambray, Ghent, Bruxels, {Single 0 8 Bruges, Antwerp, and all other parts of Flanders. {Double 1 4 Sluce, Flushing, Middleburgh, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Delph, {Treble 2 0 Hague, and all other parts of Holland and Zealand. {Ounce 2 0

All Merchants Accounts, not exceeding a Sheet, Bills of Exchange, Invoices, Bills of Lading, shall be allowed without rate in the price of the Letters, and also the Covers of the Letters not exceeding a Sheet, to Marseilles, Venice, or Legorn, towards Turkie.

* * * * *

The said Office is managed by a Deputy, and other Officers to the Number of seventy seven persons; who give their actual attendance respectively, in the dispatch of the business.

Upon this Grand Office, depends one hundred eighty two Deputy-Post-Masters in England and Scotland; most of which keep Regular Offices in their Stages, and Sub-Post-Masters in their Branches; and also in Ireland, another General Office for that Kingdom, which is kept in Dublin, consisting of Eighteen like Officers, and Forty-five Deputy-Post-Masters.