'The Post Master is obliged to receive of every Person, Riding Post with Horses and Guide, thus 3d. per Mile for each Horse Hire and 4d. per Stage for a Guide.
'And no Person carrying a Bundle that doth not exceed 80 lbs. Averdupoise, shall be charged for it.
'If through the default of the Post Master, any Person Riding Post shall fail of being furnished, he shall forfeit 5l. Or if the Post Master cannot, or do not furnish any Person with Horses for Riding Post, then they are at Liberty to provide Horses for themselves; but no Horses to be seized without the Owner's Consent.
HACKNEY COACH.
'The other way that Gentlemen commonly Travel is in Stage Coaches, which is from about 2d. Farthing to 3d. per Mile. The Flying Coach is a Stage Coach, that is drawn by 6 Horses, and will sometimes run 90 or 100 English Miles on one day.
'It may also be noted that Carriage by Waggon or Pack Horses, is about 5 Shillings for carrying 112 Pound Weight 100 Miles; and so in proportion; though 'tis something cheaper in the Summer than Winter.'[597]
The Hackney coach was a very useful institution, in spite of all said against it. We have read Ward's description of the bumping he had in one; in another part of the London Spy he says: 'Would you have me, said I, undergo the Punishment of a Coach again, when you Know I was so great a Sufferer by the last, that it made my Bones rattle in my Skin, and has brought as many Pains about me, as if troubled with the Rheumatism. That was a Country Coach, says he, and only fit for the Road; but London Coaches are hung more loose, to prevent your being Jolted by the roughness of the pavement.'
The ordinary hackney coaches do not seem to have been provided with glasses. 'For want of Glasses to our Coach, having drawn up our Tin Sashes, pink'd like the bottom of a Cullender, that the Air might pass thro' the holes, and defend us from Stifling.'
By the 5 & 6 Will. and Mary, cap. 22, the number of hackney coaches was fixed at 700, and a tax was imposed of 4l. per annum each, 1l. to be paid every quarter day, besides a fine of 50l. for their first licence for 21 years; and 8l. per annum on stage coaches.