"THE ROYAL MAIL: ITS CURIOSITIES AND ROMANCE"
AND "A HUNDRED YEARS BY POST"

LONDON

ADAM & CHARLES BLACK

1894

PREFACE

There has not hitherto been published any detailed account of the first establishment, in this country, of the Post Office as a public institution; nor does it appear that anything has been made known of the men who were instrumental in building up this useful fabric, in the years of its infancy, beyond the barren mention of their names. In some cases, moreover, in such bald notices as have been given of the early posts, important names are wholly omitted, and in others the names of men are associated with events in which they had little concern. What is disclosed in the following pages is an attempt not only to give a fairly full and true account of the first forty years' existence of the Inland Posts in Britain, but to tell something of the men to whom the credit is due of contriving and bringing into working shape this great machine of public convenience and utility. The facts here narrated are collected from the Public Records, original documents, and other authentic sources. In the extracts which have been made from original papers, modern orthography, as being more convenient for the reader, has been generally employed; but in a few cases the tone and flavour of the antique have been retained in the original spelling.

I have to acknowledge with gratitude the very kindly assistance given me by librarians, not only in Edinburgh but elsewhere, and by other gentlemen in public positions, who have assisted me in clearing up points of difficulty.

Edinburgh, 1894.

CONTENTS

[CHAPTER I]
PAGE
The King's Post—John Stanhope's patent, 1590 [1]
Wages of Chief Postmaster— Confusion of terms"post," "packet," etc. [2]
Charles I. in need of money—Offices bought and sold—Scopeof Lord Stanhope's patent [4]
New office created of Postmaster for Foreign Posts,out of the king's dominions [5]
De Quester and his son appointed Foreign Postmasters [6]
Contest between Stanhope and the De Questers—Whothe De Questers were [7]
William Frizell and Thomas Witherings succeed theDe Questers [8]
Letters for the public carried by the Foreign Postmasters—Delaysof the posts [11]
Philip Burlamachi, subsequently Acting Postmaster—Whohe was [13]
Orders for the Foreign Posts drawn up by SecretaryCoke [14]
Witherings visits the Continent [15]
Posts by estafette, or fixed stages, established—Doverpacket [16]
Quarrels between Witherings and others—Witheringssuspended from office [17]
Witherings and Frizell contend for possession of theoffice [19]
Sir John Coke, Witherings' patron [21]
Conflicting opinions of Witherings [22]
Merchants petition in favour of Witherings [23]
Attempts to set up rival posts [24]
[CHAPTER II]
Witherings recovers his office [27]
Settlement of accounts during period of sequestration [28]
Post stages in France [29]
Robberies of Channel packets [30]
Measures taken to resist attacks—More outrages [33]
People of Calais attack the English packet boat [39]
Armed packet boat, the Speedy Post, provided [42]
Witherings' family connection [43]
Stated to have been a papist, and Gentleman Harbingerto the Queen [44]
Probable interest at Court—Said to have been a mercerof London—His wife—She assists in purchasinghis office—Value of money in middle of seventeenthcentury [45]
Corruption and Court favouritism [46]
Inland Posts [47]
Means for sending inland letters—Probable conveyanceby postmasters on their own account [48]
Conveyance by carriers [49]
Postmasters on Western Road set up a chain of postsfor letters of the public, 1630—Foot post fromBarnstaple to Exeter to work into the Londonposts [50]
Project for Inland Public Posts, 1633—Estimatednumber of letters then reaching London [52]
Troubles with postmasters and hackneymen on DoverRoad as to charges [53]
Pressing of horses—Difficulties between postmastersand public [54]
Stanhope interferes with the public conveyance ofletters by the Western postmasters—He tries toraise the price of purchase of their offices [57]
Petition of Foreign Post messengers dismissed byWitherings [59]
Foot post between London and Dover—Carrying goldout of the realm [60]
Speed of posts, 1633 [62]
Condition of roads and difficulty of travelling [63]
Quality of English horses and riders [68]
[CHAPTER III]
Witherings propounds a scheme of Inland Posts foruse of public, 1635 [69]
Proclamation issued for giving effect to his proposals [75]
Probable difficulties of working [77]
Deputy postmasters unable to supply fit horses [78]
Arrears of deputies' pay [80]
Stanhope's removal from office, 1637 [85]
He petitions for arrears of pay [86]
Reasons for his removal suggested [88]
The manner of his removal [90]
Patent granted to Witherings for Foreign Letter Office [91]
Stanhope's place granted to Secretaries Coke andWindebank [92]
Witherings appointed their Deputy—Claim to Stanhope'slate office by Endymion Porter [93]
Servile language of the period [96]
William Lake applies for some benefit in the Post Office [100]
Deputy Postmaster of the Court [101]
Scale of wages allowed to deputy postmasters [104]
Direct courses of old roads [107]
New regulations for the posts, July 1637 [108]
The king's troubles in Scotland [121]
The mails run thick [122]
Women oppose the introduction of the Service-Book [122]
Plague at Hull, 1637 [125]
Method of disinfecting letters [126]
[CHAPTER IV]
The Secretaries consider as to the removal of Witherings—Reasonsfor proposed removal [127]
Troubles with public carriers—Carriers contend fortheir right to convey letters [129]
They are supported by the Norwich merchants [131]
Concessions made to the carriers [133]
Jason Grover, carrier, imprisoned [135]
Proclamation settling Witherings' office [138]
Complaints made by postmasters [140]
Demands for horses [145]
Complaints against postmasters made by the public [146]
Traffic in postmasterships [153]
More petitions from postmasters [155]
Witherings quarrels [156]
Difficulty with the Earl of Northumberland [158]
[CHAPTER V]
Sickness of Witherings and his reported death—PhilipBurlamachi applies for Witherings' office [161]
Divisions in the kingdom [163]
Proposed opening of post letters [164]
Burlamachi's services to the King's party [165]
Fight for the possession of a post letter [166]
A proposed duel over the seizing of post horses [169]
Packet boat employed between Whitehaven andDublin—Witherings' office sequestered [173]
Attacks upon Witherings [175]
Nature of charges made against him [177]
The Secretaries of State try to undo Witherings—Witheringsimprisoned—Assigns an interest in hisplace to the Earl of Warwick [179]
Committee of the House of Commons to considerquestion of the Posts—Deliverance in favour ofWitherings as regards the Foreign Letter Office [181]
Deliverance respecting the Inland Posts [182]
Decision against Witherings, Coke, and Windebank,in regard to imprisonment of carriers [183]
Rough treatment of Witherings [185]
Earl of Warwick urges ejection of Burlamachi [186]
[CHAPTER VI]
Inland Letter Office to be delivered to Earl of Warwick [187]
Burlamachi required to produce accounts [188]
Mails to be seized and delivered to the Earl ofWarwick [189]
Burlamachi imprisoned—He produces accounts [190]
Foreign Letter Office remains with Witherings, theInland Letter Office with the Earl of Warwick [191]
James Hickes, clerk in the Foreign Letter Office—Goesover to the King at Oxford [192]
King Charles sets up an independent system of Posts [193]
Imprisonment of Hickes [195]
Witherings assessed by Committee for Advance of Money [196]
Earl of Warwick removed from the Post Office, andMr. Prideaux ordered to settle post stages [197]
Orders to search the mails—Witherings to prosecuteWilkes for seditious speeches [198]
Witherings prosecuted on a charge of taking part inan insurrection in Essex [199]
He is acquitted—Has a serious illness, and makes hiswill [200]
Packet boat taken by the Irish—Irish packets in 1650 [201]
The Council recommend that the Posts be in the solepower and disposal of Parliament [202]
Council of State place Mr. Prideaux, Attorney-General,in charge of the Inland Posts—Witherings stillenjoys the Foreign Letter Office [203]
Serjeant-at-Arms ordered to search the mails [204]
Vigilance of the Council [205]
Council consider the question of the Foreign LetterOffice [206]
Renewed charges of delinquency against Witherings [207]
Witherings alleges malicious prosecution—He isacquitted [209]
Contributes £1000 "to the going-away of the Lord-Lieutenantfor Ireland" [210]
Witherings' death—Epitaph to Witherings in church atHornchurch, Essex [211]
His character and work [213]
[CHAPTER VII]
Council of State to consider question of the Inlandand Foreign Posts [216]
Foreign Letter Office carried on for behoof of Witherings'son and nephew [217]
Rival claimants for possession of the Posts, Inland andForeign [218]
Suggestions made by the Committee for the Managementof the Posts—The Posts to be farmed andtenders called for [219]
Tenders [222]
Council of State let the Posts—Inland and Foreign—onfarm to John Manley [223]
Rival posts [224]
The "first undertakers" for reducing the postage [225]
Prideaux's agents murder a post-boy [228]
The "first undertakers" drive Prideaux out of thefield [229]
Council furnish Manley with warrant to take possessionof the Posts [231]
His method of taking possession [232]
[CHAPTER VIII]
Manley at the head of the Posts—Who he was [234]
John Thurloe, Secretary of State, to manage the PostOffice [235]
Act passed for Post Office, 1657 [235]
Postage rates [236]
Post Office farmed to Thurloe—Interception of letters [237]
Mails violated [238]
Mails searched for counterfeit gold—Value of PostOffice to ruling powers [240]
Thurloe removed from the Post Office [241]
The Farm passes to Dr. Benjamin Worsley [243]
His previous employments [244]
Worsley turned out of the Post Office [245]
Thomas Scott controls the Post Office [246]
Scott a regicide—His execution [247]
[CHAPTER IX]
Colonel Henry Bishop obtains the Farm—Who he was [249]
His burial-place—Some conditions of the Farm [250]
Clement Oxenbridge's influence at the Post Office [251]
Scramble for places at the Restoration [252]
Some petitions [253]
Disaffected staff in the Post Office [256]
Number of officers [258]
Letters first stamped [260]
Charges against Bishop [262]
Bishop ceases to be Farmer [264]
Colonel Dan. O'Neale succeeds to the office [266]
O'Neale's previous career [267]
Attempts to put down irregularities [269]
Independence of the Edinburgh Deputy [271]
Profits of Post Office settled on Duke of York [272]
[CHAPTER X]
Music at the Post Office [273]
The Plague of London [277]
Petition of James Hickes [280]
The Great Fire of London [282]
Locations of the Post Office [283]
Labels or post-boys' way-bills [284]
Stages from London to Berwick [286]
Times of transit of Continental Mails [287]
News collected through the Post Office [287]
Rate of travelling by post-boys in 1666 [291]
Notice taken of neglects [291]
[CHAPTER XI]
Lord Arlington becomes Postmaster-General [293]
His Deputy Postmasters-General [294]
Country deputies pay a fine for continuance in office [296]
Reduction of salaries [297]
Early post-office letter-books preserved [300]
Colonel Roger Whitley appointed Arlington's Deputy [300]
Wages further reduced—Exemptions enjoyed byDeputies [305]
Dilatoriness of the deputies in making payments [307]
Delays of mails in Wales [308]
Advantages of farming the Post Office [310]
Conciliatory character of Whitley [311]
Whitley pushes business [313]
By-letters [315]
Whitley's opinion of attorneys [317]
On Conformity [318]
[CHAPTER XII]
Caustic correspondence [319]
Liverpool's first horse-post [320]
Circulation of Irish letters [321]
One delivery a day in London [322]
The Packet Service [323]
An express way-bill [325]
Ship letters [325]
Irregular conduct of masters of packet boats [327]
Tonnage of packets [329]
Proposed transit through England of letters fromFlanders and Holland to Spain and Portugal [330]
Whitley's sympathy for his seamen [331]
Want of accommodation for letters at the post-houses [332]
Careless treatment of the mails [334]
Young post-boys [336]
Lame horses [337]
Whitley's care for Members of Parliament [338]
Foreign craftsmen brought over in packet boats [339]
Salary of post-master of Edinburgh [340]
Accidents to post riders [341]
Treatment of Dead Letters [341]
Whitley's obliging nature [343]
His views of the wicked rebellion [344]
Presents made to Whitley [345]
Whitley's love of oysters [349]
Delayed payment for conveying expresses [350]
Duke of York a Postmaster-General [351]