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.
The Present Post-Master-General, keeps constantly, for the transport of
the said Letters and Pacquets;
{France, two Pacquet-Boats.
Between England and {Flanders, two Pacquet-Boats.
{Holland, three Pacquet-Boats.
{Ireland, three Pacquet-Boats.
And at Deal, two Pacquet-Boats for the Downs.
All which Officers, Post-Masters, Pacquet-Boats, are maintained at his
own proper Charge.
And as the Master-piece of all those good regulations, established by
the present Post-Master-General, for the better Government of the said
Office, he hath annexed and appropriated the Market-Towns of England, so
well to their Respective Post-Stages, that there is no considerable
Market-Town, but hath an easie and certain Conveyance for the Letters
thereof, to and from the said Grand Office, in the due course of the
Males every Post.
Though the Number of Letters Missive in England, were not at all
Considerable in our Ancestors days, yet it is now so prodigiously great,
(since the meanest People have Generally learned to write) that this
Office is Farmed for above 40, rather 50,000_l_. a Year.
(vi) THE CROSS POSTS.[759]
No. 1 (_a_).
To the R^{t}. Hon^{ble}. Sidney L^{d}. Godolphin Lord High Trearer of
England.
May it please y^r. Lo^{pp}.
My Lord Grandville and seaverall Gentlemen of Cornwell having
represented to Us that by reason of the Post Road passing along the
South Coast of Cornwell seaverel Inland Towns are under great
disadvantages in their Correspondence paying two pence p^r Letter over &
above the Common Postage being serv'd only by a By Post; We did give
directions to Our Deputys of Exeter, Plym^o, and Lanceston to meet and
Consult what Method might be proper to serve those parts more
conveniently, and at as Easie an Expence to Her Ma^{tie}. as might be,
and to Report to Us their Opinion of that Matter with an Estimate of the
Charge; which they accordingly did, and have proposed a Scheme of that
Matter how 'tis to be performed with the Charge of each Stage, which
amounts according to their Computation to about [L]260 p^{r} Ann a Sum
more considerable than We at first apprehended; but We doubt the Charge
Her Ma^{tie}. will be put to will Scarce be recompenced by the increase
of Letters upon Settling such a Stage, especially when We consider the
great Number of Letters for that Country which pass Frank: If Y^{r}
Lo^{pp}. shall think fitting a Post be Settled for the Midland Towns, as
well as for the South Coast, We shall upon y^{r} Directions endeavour to
do it with the best Husbandry We can, and as We hope to the Satisfaction
of the Country, and shall lay before Y^{r}. Lo^{pp}. an Establishm^t. to
be approved by Y^{r}. Lo^{pp}.
We have indeed found by Experience in other Places, That where We have
made the Correspondence more Easie and Cheap, the Number of Letters has
been thereby much increased; and therefore do believe such a Settlement
may be attended with the like effect in those Parts. All which is humbly
Submitted to y^{r}. Lo^{pp}.
R.C. T.F.
GEN^{L}. POST OFFICE,
22^{d}. _Novemb^{r_}. 1703.
No. 1 (_b_).
After my hearty Comendations, Whereas my very good Lord John Lord
Grandville and seaveral Gentlemen of Cornwall have Represented to you,
That by reason of the Post Road passing along the South Coast of
Cornwall, Seaveral Inland Towns are under great disadvantages in their
Correspondence; Whereupon you have proposed to Me the Settlement of a
New Post for the Midland Towns, as well as for the South Coast, the
better to Serve those parts, the Charge whereof will Amount to Two
hundred and Sixty pounds p. Ann I approve of what you have proposed, And
do hereby Authorize and Require you to Settle and Establish such a Post
accordingly. But you are at twelve months End to Represent to Me or the
Lord High Treasurer or Commiss^{rs}. of the Treasury then being, how far
such a Post doth answer the Expence Her Ma^{tie}. is at in Settling the
Same. And for so doing this shall be y^{r}. Warrant. Whitehall Treary
Chambers the 7th December 1703.
GODOLPHIN.
To my very loving Friends
S^{r}. Rob^{t}. Cotton Kn^{t}. and
S^{r}. Thom^{s}. Frankland Bar^{t}.
Her Ma^{ties}. Post-M^{r}. Gen^{l}.
No. 2.
S^{r}. Robert Cotton Kn^{t}. and Sir Thomas Frankland Baronet Her
M^{ties}. Post Master Gen^{l}. in the Kingdoms of England Scotland
and Ireland and in all Her M^{aties} other Dominions Territorys and
Isles thereunto belonging in Europe Affrica and America.
To all People to whom this shall come Greeting know ye, that whereas the
County of Lincoln has not hitherto been Served so well with the
Correspondence by Letters as other parts of the Nation, several Towns
therein not having had the Convenience of a Post at all, and others
having been obleig'd to pay an extraordinary Tax above the Common
Postage, We have thought it proper to appoint Mr. Richard Bigg of
Winslow in the County of Buckingham Gentleman, and Mr. Richard Dixon of
Bourn in the County of Lincoln Gentleman (having receiv'd good Testimony
of the fidelity and Loyalty of both and each of them to Her Ma^{tie}.
and reposing great trust & confidence in the knowledge Care and Ability
of them both) to be our lawfull and Sufficient Deputys with full Power
and Authority to Erect Settle and Establish Posts in such Towns of the
said County for the Carrying and Conveying the Letters as well those
called the London Letters as the By Letters of the said County, as shall
be judged most proper for Her Ma^{ties}. Service, and the improvem^{t}.
of the Correspondence of the said County and to Agree and Contract with
such Persons as the said Richard Bigg and Richard Dixon or either of
them shall think fitt to Agree and Contract with for performing the
Riding part through such Stages as shall be Erected by them or for
keeping Letter Offices in any Towns of the said County, And do by these
presents Depute Constitute Authorise and Appoint the said Rich^{d}. Bigg
and Richard Dixon to be our Lawfull and Sufficient Deputys in manner and
form aforesaid from the tenth day of August next ensuing the date hereof
during such time as We or the Postmaster Gen^{l}, for the time being
shall think fit under such Conditions payments and Instructions to be
faithfully observ'd perform'd and done by the said Rich^{d}. Bigg and
Richard Dixon their Deputys and Servants as they shall from time to time
receive from the Gen^{l}. Post Office in London in writing Subscribed by
Us our Deputy or Deputys in the Post Office, in Witness whereof We the
said S^{r}. Robert Cotton and Sir Thomas Frankland have hereunto sett
our hands & Caused the Seal of the said Office in such Cases used to be
affixed this fourth day of August 1705.
R.C. T.F.
No. 3.
To y^{e} Rt. Honble y^{e} Lords Com^{rs}. of his Majestys Treary.
May it please your L.sps--
A Proposall having some time since been made to your Lordsps That a
Cross Post might be settled between Bristol & Shrewsbury, you were
pleased to refer y^{e} same to Us to Consider of it & Report Our
opinions thereupon w^{ch} Wee did accordingly and acquainted yo^{r}
Lordsps Wee did hope Wee should find some persons who would at their
Owne Cost and Charges undertake to Settle a Cross Post, upon such terms
as his Majesty would not be a loser and the people receive the benefit
they proposed.
The Establishing such a Cross Roade would undoubtedly be of great Use to
Trade & Convenience to y^{e} People and appeares to be very much desired
by the several Countrys thro' w^{ch} it wou'd pass; but as at present it
might become loss to y^{e} Revenue Wee think it Our Duety to lay y^{e}
whole state of the Case before Yo^{r} Lorsps to receive yo^{r} further
Directions and have hereunto annexed a scheme both of the Charge & loss
that may accrew to the Office thereby.
Wee must observe to yo^{r} Lordsps That Lond^{o}. (from y^{e}
establishing of a post Office) having been esteemed the Center all
letters passing thro' one Road to an other thro' Lond^{o}. have been
constantly taxed with a double post first to Lond^{o}. y^{n} to y^{e}
places where to they were directed, but the settling of this Cross Post
w^{ch} will Cause a direct Intercourse between y^{e} West Bristol &
Chester Roades, all lres, passing that way can only be Charged w^{th} a
single Post according to y^{e} distance of one place from an other; but
y^{n} it ought to be considered on the other hand That the passing thro'
Lond^{o}. is both tedious and Chargeable, and a more Speedy Conveyance
would in all probability produce of an encrease of y^{e} n^{o}. of
letters besides the bringing such into y^{e} Office as are now Conveyed
by Carryers; for where ever there are any Townes w^{ch} have Comerce one
w^{th} an other so as to occasion a Cons^{t}. Intercourse by Carryer or
Tradesmen Wee do find it a General Practice to Convey at y^{e} same time
a Considerable No. of lres as pticularly between Bristol & Worcester &
Worcester & Shrewsbury; where there are two persons that make it their
business to Colect & disperse letters and make a Considerable advantage
by it. That if y^{e} settling this Roade should have y^{t} good effect
to suppress all these By Posts (as in all probability it will)
notwithstanding at present there will be some Loss the Revenue in time
may be Improved by it; and Wee do find that the Cross Road set up 3
yeares & 1/2 since Between E[=xon][760] & Bristol doth now produce about
255l. p. annum neat proffit, but in regard this is altogether new Wee
can not possibly be so much Masters of it as to know w^{t}. terms to
propose to any undertakers that may be equall between the King and them
and therefore if yo^{r} Lordsps do agree to the Proposal Wee are of
opinion it may be most proper to be set up and managed for his Majesty
and Carryed on as far as Chester....
(vii) THE EARLY POSTS IN NORTH AMERICA.[761]
No. 1 (_a_).
To the Right Honble the Lords Comrs. of his Majesty's Treas'y.
Thomas Neale Esq^{re}. humbly sheweth
That their sacred Majesty's by their letters pattents bearing date the
17th day of February 1692 granted to the said Thomas Neale a power of
settling Post Offices in North America to be executed by a person to be
nominated by the said Thomas Neale and Deputed by the Postmaster
Generall of England and thereby directed that accounts shall be kept of
the Charge and produce of the said Post Offices, and transmitted to the
Right Honble the Lord Treasurer or Lds. Comissioners of the Treasury for
the time being.
That in pursuance of this Grant Andrew Hamilton Esq^{re}. was nominated
and Deputed to erect Post Offices, who hath at Thomas Neales great
Charge settled 'em 700 miles in Length, upon the Continent of America
and kept true accounts of the Expences and proffits thereof, which
acc^{ts}. sworne to by the said Deputy Postmaster before the Governor
of New Yorke are now humbly laid before your Lordshipps and an abstract
of it for yor. Lordspps. ease.
That the said Deputy Postmaster is come over to give your Lordshipps
Information of all matters relating to that subject which your
Lordshipps shall think fit to enquire of, and hath proposed the Method
contained in the Memoriall annexed as of absolute necessity in his
opinion to support the Post, which proves a great service to the Crowne
as well as advantage to his Majesty's subjects residing in those
Colliny's and Trading thither.
All which is humbly submitted to your
Lordshipps Judgment & direction.
THO: NEALE.
No. 1 (_b_).
To the Right Honourable the Lords Com^rs, of his Majesty's
Treasury.
The Memoriall of Andrew Hamilton Esqr. Deputed by the Postmr.
Generall of England, to mannage the Post Office in North America,
humbly offered.
The Post Office in North America produces these good Effects.
It encreases Trade and Correspondence betwixt the Colonys there.
It affords Merchts. more frequent opertunitys of Corresponding with
Europe.
It contributes much towards putting the Kings subjects in security in
time of Warr by ye. frequent Conveyance of Intelligence when allarms
happen, for want of wch. many familys have been cutt off before the
settling of the Post.
And it readily conveys Court Packets from the Colony, where they are
delivered to those whither they are addressed without any expence to the
Crowne, or said Coliny, besides many other advantages.
But not withstanding these Publick and private benefits arising by it
and the unspeakable Loss to those Collonys and England should the Post
fall Yet the Undertaker besides a Considerable sume he hath been out of
pocket already (above the Produce in carrying it on) must still be in
disburse for support of it or must let it fall.
To prevent which it is humbly offered that a postage upon all letters as
well those that come from beyond sea to North America as what go's from
Colony to Colony may be ascertained by an act of Parliament in England.
That no Masters of ships or sailers bound to America shall receive any
letters but at the Post Office to be appointed for that purpose.