[34] Register of Council of State, 7th May 1653, vol. xvi. pp. 34-6.
[35] Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series), 1652-3, p. 455.
[36] "The case of the first undertakers for reducing letters to half the former rates, viz. Clem. Oxenbridge, Rich. Blackwell, Fra. Thompson, and Wm. Malyn. We observed that the postage of inland letters was long continued at 6d. a letter, and that the whole benefit went into one hand, to the grievance of many. Being encouraged by the votes of the last Parliament (made in the time of their primitive, free, and public actings, viz. 16 August 1642) that the taking of letters from and the restraints and imprisonments of Gower, Chapman, Cotton, and Mackedral were against the law and the liberty of the subject ... and that the said secretaries and Witherings were delinquents, being also encouraged by the opinion of the judges given in the House of Lords, that the clause in Witherings' patent for restraint of carrying letters was void and against law—we attempted to put the same in practice, but through the interest of Mr. Prideaux, who for many years had enjoyed excessive gains by the former high rates, we met with all the obstruction he could make against us, by stopping our mails, abusing our servants, etc., though he always held forth that it was free for any to carry or send letters as they pleased."—Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series), 1653/1654, p. 22. Cf. John Hill, A Penny Post, London, 1659.
[37] "Cross posts did not exist. Between two towns not being on the same post road, however near the towns might be, letters could circulate only through London; and the moment London was reached an additional rate was imposed. Hence the apparent charges, the charges as deduced from the table of rates, might be very different from the actual charges. Bristol and Exeter, for instance, are less than 80 miles apart; but in 1660, and for nearly forty years afterwards, letters from one to the other passed through London, and would be charged, if single, not 2d. but 6d., and if double, not 4d. but 1s. That is to say, the postage or portage, as it was then called, would consist of two rates, and each of these rates would be for a distance in excess of 80 miles."—H. Joyce, History of the Post Office, p. 29. Cf. infra, Appendix B, pp. [390-1].
This practice of charging according to the route traversed and not according to direct distance was also followed in other countries. It is perhaps comparable to the practice of computing railway charges on the basis of the distance by railway, and not as the crow flies.
[38] H. Scobell, Collection of Acts and Ordinances, London, 1658, p. 511.
[39] 12 Car. II, cap. 35.
[40] See, e.g., Royal Proclamations, 16th January 1660-1 and 16th July 1667.
[41] See Appendix, pp. 388-391.
[42] "As early as William's reign they (the Postmasters-General) had been asked to estimate how much an additional penny of postage would produce; ... the necessities of the Civil List had prompted the inquiry."—H. Joyce, History of the Post Office, p. 119.