'Friday. Italy, Germany, Flanders, Kent, Holland, Sweedland, Denmark and Downs.
'Saturday. All parts of Wales, North Britain, England and Ireland.
'Letters return from all parts of England and North Britain, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; from Wales, Mondays and Fridays, from Kent and the Downs every day; but from beyond Sea uncertain.
'The Carriage is 2d. a Sheet 80 Miles, double 4d. and 8d. an Ounce for more than Letters. All Letters more than 80 Miles is 3d. Single and 6d. Double Pacquet 12d. an Ounce. A Letter to Dublin 6d. Single, Double 1/ and 1/6 an Ounce.'
Foreign postage was not so very dear. In 1705, for instance, a letter of a single sheet could be carried to the West Indies for 1s./3d. and 2 sheets for 2/6; whilst from thence to England it was respectively 1/6 and 3/, or by weight 6/ per oz.
In 1708 Mr. Povey established a foot post—carrying letters, in the London district only, for one halfpenny. How long he kept it up does not seem clear; the Post Office authorities stopped him; but there is an advertisement referring to it in the Daily Courant of July 4, 1710: 'Whereas a Person in some Distress sent a letter by the Halfpenny Carriage on Monday night last,' etc., and this clearly shows it was in existence at that date.
The Gazette Nov. 29/Dec. 1, 1709, has the following Advertisement: 'Whereas Charles Povey and divers Traders and Shop Keepers in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, Borough of Southwark and Parts adjacent, and several Persons ringing Bells about the Streets of the said Cities and Borough, have set up, imploy'd, and for sometime continued a Foot Post for Collecting and Delivering Letters within the said Cities and Borough, and Parts adjoining, for Hire under the Name of the Halfpenny Carriage. Contrary to the Known Laws of this Kingdom, and to the great Prejudice of her Majesty's Revenues arising by Posts; her Majesty's Postmaster General has therefore directed Informations in her Majesty's Court of Exchequer, to be exhibited against the said Charles Povey, and several Shop Keepers and Ringers of Bells, for Recovery against every of them of £100 for such setting up, and for every week's continuance thereof; and also £5 for every Offence in Collecting and Delivering of Letters for Hire as aforesaid, contrary to the Statute for erecting and establishing a Post Office.'
These additions to the rate of postage, of course, induced people to look after franks—the granting of which, however, had not assumed anything like the proportions it did later on.
But there was not the hurrying and driving in business then as now. Men lived over their shops or counting houses, and, being easily accessible, did their work in a deliberate, leisurely manner, and began their business very early in the day. For instance, when Sir William Withers, Lord Mayor in 1707, was putting up for a seat in Parliament, he adduced, as showing he would have time for his parliamentary duties, that 'There is not above one Cause in a Day throughout the whole Year, to be Heard after Ten a Clock in the Morning.'[166] 'Change was earlier than now; 'Crowds of People gather at the Change by One, disperse by Three.'[167] It is thus humorously described:[168] 'The Exchange is the Land's Epitome, or you might call it the little Isle of Great Britain did the Waters encompass it. It is more, 'tis the whole World's Map which you may here discern in its perfectest Motion, justling and turning. 'Tis a vast heap of Stones, and the confusion of Languages makes it resemble Babel. The Noise in it is like that of Bees; a strange Humming or Buzzing, of walking tongues and feet; it is a kind of a still Roaring, or loud Whisper. It is the great Exchange of all Discourses, and no Business whatsoever but is here on Foot. All things are sold here, and Honesty by Inch of Candle; but woe be to the Purchaser, for it will never thrive with him.'
In the centre of the Exchange was a statue of Charles II., and here the stock jobbers hovered about—when they were not at Robin's or Jonathan's in Exchange Alley; and all about, each under his own nationality, stood the trim Italian, the Hollanders and Germans, with their slovenly mien, and uncouth, unkempt beards and moustachios. The Dons, in flat crowned hats and short cloaks, took snuff prodigiously, and smelt terribly of garlic; there were the lively Gauls, animated and chattering, 'ready to wound every Pillar with their Canes, as they pass'd by, either in Ters, Cart, or Saccoon.' Jews of course, amber necklace sellers from the Baltic in fur caps and long gowns, a sprinkling of seedy military men, and the merchants. These were the constituent parts of 'Change in those days, and it must have been a sight worth seeing. Round about were shops as now, where the spruce young Cits ogled the pretty glove sellers, or bought a Steinkirk, or a sword knot. Contemporary accounts of these fair damsels are not very good, but it was rather a libellous or scurrilous age as regards women, and they might not be true, or at all events be taken with much salt.