of seamen on board the packets, [83];
of certain postmasters in England, [50], [293], and in Scotland, [117];
of mail-guards, [263]
Waghorn, Thomas, [409]
Wainwright, postmistress of Ferrybridge, her original mode of supplying an omission, [159]
Walcot, John, secretary to the Post Office in Ireland, terms of his agreement with Barham, packet agent at Dover, [222]
Walpole, Sir Robert, maintains an office for the opening of letters, [170]
Walpole, Galfridus, postmaster-general from 1721 to 1725. See Postmasters-General, Part IV.
Walpole, Horace, precautions taken by, to secure his correspondence against inspection, [172]
Walsingham, Thomas, Lord, postmaster-general from July 1787 to July 1794. See Postmasters-General, Parts VI. and VII.
Warwick, Robert, Earl of, acquires Witherings's patent and claims possession of the letter office, [21];
attempts to obtain it by force, [22];
continues to assert his claim, [23]
Warwick, course of post to, altered in 1695, [57]
Waterhouse, Benjamin, Secretary to the Post Office, [131] note
Watson, Sir Charles, [296]
Way letter, meaning of term, [147]
Weights to be attached to sea-borne mails, [82]
Wellesley, Sir Arthur, sets aside objections to improving communication with Ireland, [390]
West Indies, packets to the, established, [78];
amount of correspondence in 1705, [80];
service discontinued in 1711, [109];
resumed in 1745, [173];
improved arrangements for disposing of the West Indian mails, [310]
Westmorland, John, Earl of, postmaster-general from September 1789 to March 1790, [266]
Weston, Henry, secretary to the Post Office, harsh treatment of, [152]
Weston brothers, trial of, [290]
Wetherall, Robert, master of ship Albinia, proceedings against, for refusing to take mails on board, [362] note
Weymouth, constituted a packet station, [313]
Whinnery, Thomas, postmaster of Belfast, his revolving "alphabet," [375];
his mode of delivery, [375]
Whitworth, Richard, [192]
Wildman, Colonel John, postmaster-general from July 1689 to March 1690, [44]
Willatt, Dame, postmistress of Manchester in 1792, [292];
granted a pension, [301]
Willes, Doctor, Dean of Lincoln, afterwards Bishop of St. Davids; the "chief Decypherer," [171]
Willes, Mr. Justice, his judgment upon the question of free delivery, [200]
William III., confers a pension upon Dockwra, [41];
refuses to exempt postmasters from the quartering of soldiers, [51];
is unwilling to prosecute for the illegal conveyance of letters, [54];
his opinion as to the requirements of a mail packet, [75];
the soundness of that opinion confirmed, [76]
Williamson, Peter, sets up an office for the delivery of letters in Edinburgh, [300]
Willimott, Receiver-General, [398] note
Wilson, mail-coach contractor, his exorbitant bill for horsing the King's coach, [251]
Witherings, Thomas, succeeds De Quester as foreign postmaster, [14];
is commissioned to examine into the inland posts, [14];
suggests a scheme of reorganisation, [16];
introduces postage, [17];
contemplates posts being self-supporting, [17];
but not, apparently, a source of revenue, [19];
becomes postmaster for both inland and foreign letters, [20];
his appointment is sequestered, [21];
assigns his patent, [21]
Wolters, Dirick, a suspected person, to be searched for at Harwich, [88]
Worthing, course of post from London to, in 1666, [34]
Wren, Sir Christopher, surveys the Post Office premises in Lombard Street, [71]
York, salary of postmaster in 1792, [293]
J. D. & Co.
Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] 9 April, 17 Elizabeth.—Further att the same Common Hall [of the town of Leicester] it was for dyuers cawses thought good and mete for the service of the Prince to have at the chargies of the Towne certen poste horses kepte, whearevppon theare was appoynted foure to be kepte, which, thees persouns vnderwritten have vndertaken to kepe, and to serve from tyme to tyme so oft as nede shalle requier, for and dureinge the space of one wholle yeare nexte after the date hereof, viz. Mr. Roberte Eyricke, one; Fraunces Norris, chamberlayn, twoe; Thomas Tyars, one. For the which theyre is allowed vnto them of the towne for euerie horse thurtie-three shillinges and foure pence, that is to say for foure horses vili. xiiis. iiiid. Provyded always that if theye the said Robert Eyricke, Frauncis Norrys, and Thomas Tyars doe not kepe good and able horses for that purpose and to be readie vppon one half howres warnynge to forfitt, lose, and paye for euerie tyme to the Chamber of the Towne of Leycester the somme of fyve shillinges. For the payement of the said xxli. nobles it is further agreed vppon, in the manner and forme followinge, That is to saye, the Mayor and euerie of his bretherene called the xxiiii. to paye iis. a pece, and euerie of the xlviii. xiid. a pece, and the Resydue that shalbe then lackinge to be levied of the commonaltie and inhabitantes of the said towne and the liberties thereof.—Appendix to the Eighth Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, p. 425.
[2] The two posts were, at first, distinguished by different names. The travellers' post was called "The thorough poste," and the letter post was called "The Poste for the Pacquet."
[3] Austria, in the infancy of her post office, appears to have had much the same experience. "The postmasters," writes M. Læper, Director of Posts at Markirch, "were in no way protected from the most outrageous behaviour on the part of travellers, and were unable to prevent them from overloading the horses and vehicles with unreasonably heavy things, chests, boxes, and similar articles, by which the conveyance of the same was delayed. They could not hinder many travellers from riding heavily-laden horses at full speed over hill and dale without drawing rein, so that the animals were crippled, disabled, or even ridden to death, and in consequence the postmasters were frequently unable to carry out the service for want of horses. The worst treatment, however, which the postmasters experienced was at the hands of cavaliers and couriers, who often demanded more horses than they needed, took them by force, overloaded the coaches with two or three servants, and with an immoderate quantity of luggage, and paid an arbitrary sum, just whatever they pleased, often not half what was due."—L'Union Postale of October 1, 1885.
[4] An amusing illustration of the value which, at the end of the sixteenth century, was set upon cloth made in London is afforded by a letter from Frederick the Second of Denmark to Queen Elizabeth. This letter, dated the 14th of June 1585, is thus summarised in the 46th Annual Report of the Deputy-Keeper of the Public Records, Appendix ii., page 28: "Has for some years past had cloth prepared in London of different colours and after a particular pattern, for his use in hunting both in summer and winter. Hears now that certain German merchants, having found this out, have had similar cloth manufactured, which they sell everywhere, outside his Court and family, to many inquisitive and foolish imitators, at a very dear rate. It is no concern of his what anybody may wear, but still, as this cloth was made of a special kind and colour for himself, he takes it ill that it should be sold to others, and begs her therefore (on the application of his agent, Thomas Thenneker) strictly to prohibit the sale."