| London | to | Waltham, | 12 | miles. |
| Waltham | " | Ware, | 8 | " |
| Ware | " | Royston, | 13 | " |
| Royston | " | Caxton, | 9 | " |
| Caxton | " | Huntingdon, | 7 | " |
| Huntingdon | " | Stilton, | 9 | " |
| Stilton | " | Stamford, | 14 | " |
| Stamford | " | Witham, | 8 | " |
| Witham | " | Grantham, | 8 | " |
| Grantham | " | Newark, | 10 | " |
| Newark | " | Tuxford, | 10 | " |
| Tuxford | " | Scroby, | 12 | " |
| Scroby | " | Doncaster, | 7 | " |
| Doncaster | " | Ferribrigs, | 10 | " |
| Ferribrigs | " | Tadcaster, | 10 | " |
| Tadcaster | " | Yorke, | 8 | " |
| Yorke | " | Burrowbridge | 12 | " |
| Burrowbridge | " | N. Allerton, | 15 | " |
| N. Allerton | " | Darlington, | 12 | " |
| Darlington | " | Durham, | 12 | " |
| Durham | " | Newcastle, | 12 | " |
| Newcastle | " | Morpeth, | 12 | " |
| Morpeth | " | Alnwicke, | 16 | " |
| Alnwicke | " | Belford, | 12 | " |
| Belford | " | Berwick, | 14 | " |
| —— | ||||
| 272 | ||||
| ==== |
The number of despatches weekly to the principal continental cities, and the times allowed for transit to or from London, were these:—
| Madrid, | once | a week, | transit, | 21 | days. |
| Venice, | " | " | " | 15 | " |
| Geneva, | " | " | " | 17 | " |
| Marseilles, | " | " | " | 11 | " |
| Paris, | twice | " | " | 4 | " |
| The Hague, | " | " | " | 3 | " |
| Brussells, | " | " | " | 3 | " |
| Frankfort, | once | " | " | 12 | " |
| Dantzicke, | " | " | " | 16 | " |
| Stockholme, | " | " | " | 20 | " |
| Cologne, | twice | " | " | 6 | " |
| Mayence, | once | " | " | 10 | " |
| Hamburg, | twice | " | " | 8 | " |
| Copenhagen, | " | " | " | 14 | " |
| Leghorne, | " | " | " | 21 | " |
| Naples, | once | " | " | 25 | " |
About this time Joseph Williamson became editor of the London Gazette; and for his purpose, as well as for the use of the Government, all manner of news was collected through the Post Office. Williamson had a rival in the news business in one Muddiman, who had previously had charge of Williamson's correspondence. Hickes exerted himself to the utmost in opposing Muddiman, writing to his correspondents "to assure them that Muddiman, being dismissed by Williamson from the management of his correspondence, for turning it to his own advantage, could not communicate much news, and that his letters were no longer to be franked." The zeal of Hickes carried him so far as to violate Muddiman's letters; and as listeners often hear unpleasant things of themselves, so Hickes had a like experience in looking into the rival's letters. A copy of one of Muddiman's letters to his correspondents, left in Hickes' own handwriting, runs as follows:—
"James Hickes, a little fellow of the Post Office, having written about him, he informs them that, on a misunderstanding with Williamson about the Gazette, he has quitted that office, turned his correspondents to Secretary Morice, and will write fully and constantly as before. Has discovered Hickes in some practices, and has not therefore given him his letters to sign, nor a copy of them to write after." The following are specimens of the news sent up from the country to Hickes:—
7th March 1665—from Richd. Foster, Newcastle. "In the impress of seamen, the Mayor, Sir Ralph Delaval, and others agreed to make volunteers of Capt. John Wetwyng's pressmasters, who, knowing the haunts of most of the seamen of the town, managed so well that almost as great a number of volunteers and pressed men will be returned as will be had out of Scotland; as none can escape the pressmasters, many come in as volunteers because they will not be pressed; there are hundreds of stout young keel and barge men who could do good service, and hundreds would go volunteers, if they may be employed."
19th March 1665—from Luke Whittington, Hull. "Col. Morley, the present governor of Hull, sent out several files of Musketeers to Serjeant Bullock's house, two miles off, where a conventicle of 100 to 300 fanatics was held; only 20 were seized, as their scouts were out, and they fled."
10th June 1665—from Edward Suckley, Landguard Fort. "On the 9th, the Duke of York with all his fleet came to Sole Bay, where they are at anchor, with 15 Dutch ships taken and 2000 prisoners; 35 sail are sunk or taken; Opdam, Trump, and Eversen, and other commanders, killed. On our side Lords Fitzherbert and Falmouth, and two other Lords, are killed."
20th October 1666—from Fras. Newby, Harwich. "A mighty eagle lighted yesterday on the ropehouse on the Green; her wings seven feet long, and one claw 9 inches long; she is thought to have come from some far country, and to have been extremely weary, for she budged not at the first shot made at her, and was killed by the second. Has sent him a dried salmon," etc.
At this period (1666), the riding work seems to have been very slow indeed. On the 18th May of this year, Hickes gives a return which shows the following results:—