Note 36 — I THE RATE FOR LETTERS

"The case of the first undertakers for reducing letters to half the former rates, viz. Clem. Oxenbridge, Rich. Blackwell, Fra. Thompson, and Wm. Malyn. We observed that the postage of inland letters was long continued at 6d. a letter, and that the whole benefit went into one hand, to the grievance of many. Being encouraged by the votes of the last Parliament (made in the time of their primitive, free, and public actings, viz. 16 August 1642) that the taking of letters from and the restraints and imprisonments of Gower, Chapman, Cotton, and Mackedral were against the law and the liberty of the subject ... and that the said secretaries and Witherings were delinquents, being also encouraged by the opinion of the judges given in the House of Lords, that the clause in Witherings' patent for restraint of carrying letters was void and against law—we attempted to put the same in practice, but through the interest of Mr. Prideaux, who for many years had enjoyed excessive gains by the former high rates, we met with all the obstruction he could make against us, by stopping our mails, abusing our servants, etc., though he always held forth that it was free for any to carry or send letters as they pleased."—Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series), 1653/1654, p. 22. Cf. John Hill, A Penny Post, London, 1659.