m 
 
 no. Q 
 
14 
 
 GIFT 
 
 Papers from the Historical Seminary 
 of Brown University 
 
 Edited by J. FRANKLIN JAMESON, Ph. D., Professor of History 
 
 II 
 
 THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE COLONIAL 
 
 POST-OFFICE 
 
 BY 
 
 MARY E. WOOLLEY 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE 
 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 PROVIDENCE, R. I. 
 I8 94 
 
Papers from the Historical Seminary 
 of Brown University 
 
 Edited by J. FRANKLIN JAMESON, Ph. D., Professor of History 
 
 II 
 
 THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE COLONIAL 
 POST-OFFICE 
 
 BY 
 
 MARY E. WOOLLEY 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE 
 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 PROVIDENCE, R. I. 
 
 1894 
 

EARLY HISTORY OF THE COLONIAL POST 
 OFFICE. 
 
 A letter written in 1652, by Samuel Symonds of Ipswich, 
 to John Winthrop, Jr., at Pequot, says : " I cannot say but its 
 besides my intentions that I write not more frequently unto 
 you ; I can onely plead this for my excuse (soe farr as it will 
 
 goe) and the uncertainty when and how to 
 
 convey letters."* 
 
 A glance at the correspondence of that period shows that 
 Mr. Symonds was not the only one inconvenienced by the "un 
 certainty when and how to convey letters." With no domestic 
 postal service the writers of that day were dependent upon 
 individual bearers and pressed neighbors, relatives, mer 
 chants, sea captains, any and every one whom they could 
 reach, into the service. Indians were often used as messen 
 gers. Roger Williams writing to John Winthrop, at some 
 time in the 3o s, speaks of word "by this bearer Wequash 
 whome (being a Pequt himselfe) I commended for a guide in 
 the Pequt expedition ;" again, "I pray let your servant direct 
 the native with this letter ;" and at still another time, 
 "From your owne hand (by Robin Causasenamont)."f 
 
 John Endicott writes to John Winthrop, April 13, 1638 : 
 "Your kinde lines I receaued by Mascanomet ; " and a letter 
 from the Isle of Wight (near Long Island), dated "Aprill 27, 
 1650," says, " I resavid yours by the Indian. "J 
 
 *Mass. Historical Collections, 4th Series, Vol. VII., p. 128. 
 
 ^Mass. Historical Collections, 4th Series, Vol. VI., pp. 242, 256, 276. 
 
 \Mass. Historical Collections, 4th Series, Vol. VII. 
 
Until 1639 there is no trace of a postal system, but under 
 the Massachusetts General Court Records, of that year* (Nov. 
 5th), is the following entry: "For preventing the miscarriage 
 of letters, ... It is ordered that notice bee given, that Rich 
 ard Fairbanks, his house in Boston, is the place appointed for 
 all letters, which are brought from beyond the Seas, or are to 
 be sent thither ; . . . . are to be brought unto him and he is 
 to take care, that they bee delivered, or sent according to their 
 directions and hee is alowed for every such letter id. and 
 must answer all miscarriages through his owne neglect in 
 this kind ; provided that no man shall bee compelled to bring 
 his letters thither except hee please." 
 
 This action on the part of the Massachusetts General Court 
 was, as far as can be discovered, the first effort by the colo 
 nies to provide a post office. Eighteen years later, June 
 12, 1657, an ordinance was passedf by the director general 
 and council of the New Netherlands, forbidding the boarding 
 of incoming vessels until visited by the governing officer and 
 the letters delivered, the penalty for evading the law being 
 fixed at thirty guilders.^ 
 
 Since private shippers were in the habit of taking letters 
 from the New Netherlands and Curagoa, without placing them 
 in a sealed bag, the directors of the West India Company, at 
 the chamber in Amsterdam, in 1659 (October 30) adopted a 
 resolution requiring captains of vessels to enter into bond not 
 to carry letters to Holland from New Netherlands or Curagoa, 
 unless received from persons authorized to collect them, under 
 penalty of one hundred Carolus guilders ; and on the second of 
 the following June (1660) the director general and council of 
 the colony passed an ordinance warning citizens to observe 
 this resolution. A box was placed in New Amsterdam, in 
 the office of the secretary of the province, for the receipt of 
 letters, and for all those capable of registry, three stivers 
 in wampum were to be paid. These movements on the part 
 of Massachusetts and New Netherlands concerned foreign 
 
 *Mass. Colonial Records, I., p. 281. Mass. Historical Collections, 3d Series, 
 Vol. VII., p. 48. 
 
 fLaws and Ordinances of New Netherlands. 
 
 JLaws and Ordinances of New Netherlands, pp. 379, 380. 
 
letters simply ; until 1672 there were apparently no arrange 
 ments for the transmission and delivery of domestic letters. 
 In December of that year, there was an effort to start a 
 monthly post between New York and Boston, a project origi 
 nating with Francis Lovelace, governor of New York. In a 
 letter to John Winthrop, governor of Connecticut, dated De 
 cember 27, 1672, he says :* " I herewith present you with 2 
 rarities, a pacquett of the latest intelligence I could meet 
 
 withal, and a post by the latter you will meet 
 
 with a monthly fresh supply ; so that if it receive but the 
 same ardent inclinations as first it hath from myself, by our 
 monthly advisers all publique occurences may be transmitted 
 between us, together with severall other great conveniencys 
 of publique importance, consonant to the commands laid upon 
 us by his sacred majestic, who strictly enjoins all his Ameri 
 can subjects to enter into a close correspondency with each 
 other this person that has undertaken the employ 
 ment I conceaved most proper, being voted active, stout and 
 
 indefatigable I have affixt an annuall sallery on him, 
 
 which, together with the advantage of his letters and other 
 small portable packes, may afford him a handsome livelyhood. 
 
 The maile has divers baggs, according to the towns 
 
 the letters are designed to, which are all sealed up till their 
 arrivement, with the seal of the secretarie s office, whose care 
 it is on Saturday night to seale them up. Only by-letters are 
 
 in an open bag, to dispense by the wayes I shall only 
 
 beg of you your furtherance to so universall a good work ; 
 that is, to afford him directions where, and to whom to make 
 his application to upon his arrival at Boston ; as likewise to 
 afford him what letters you can to establish him in that em 
 ployment there. It would be much advantageous to our de- 
 signe, if in the intervall you discoursed with some of the most 
 able woodmen, to make out the best and most facile way for 
 a post, which in processe of tyme would be the king s best 
 highway ; as likewise passages and accommodation at rivers, 
 fords, or other necessary places." 
 
 The first post messenger started from New York, January 22, 
 1672, with sworn instructions to behave civilly, to inquire of 
 
 *Brodhead, History of the State of New York, Vol. II., pp. 196-98. 
 
Winthrop how to form the best post road, and to mark the 
 trees for the direction of passengers. 
 
 To quote from the Memorial History of New York :* " It is 
 recorded as creating great excitement in the little village of 
 Harlem, when that first postman drew up at the tavern door 
 to refresh himself, as he undoubtedly did, with some good 
 home-brewed Harlem beer his port mantles (port man. 
 teaux) crammed with letters and small portable goods/ 
 the locked box in the office of the colonial secretary 
 accumulating the next month s mail, and what he had brought, 
 being carried to the coffee house to be well thumbed 
 until called for." Nothwithstanding this auspicious beginning, 
 the project fell through, probably because of the Dutch and 
 other wars of the time, and was not revived by this colony 
 until 1684, when Thomas Dongan, governor of New York, and 
 Thomas Treat, governor of Connecticut, conferred concern 
 ing a post between New York and the British colonies as far 
 as Boston. f 
 
 In the meantime Massachusetts had taken up the question 
 again, \ the general court on January 6, 167^, ordering that 
 post messengers, who had previously received no stated allow 
 ance, should thereafter receive ^d. a mile in money and full 
 satisfaction for the expenses of man and beast. || 
 
 In 1677 (June i), further action was taken, the general 
 court, in response to a petition of sundry merchants of Bos 
 ton^ appointing John Hayward, scrivener, to "take in and 
 convey letters according to the direction ;" evidently there 
 was more than one candidate, and one account poetically 
 says of the court s decision: "It" 1 Richard May suggested 
 John Hayward selected." The same year (October 8, 1674), 
 the general court of Connecticut, meeting at Hartford,^]" gave 
 specific instructions regarding the allowance for post riders ; 
 from Rye to Hartford, I2s. for the expenses of the horse, and 
 
 * Memorial History of N. Y., Vol. I., pp. 355-56. 
 
 \Brodhead, History of N. Y., Vol. II., p. 413. 
 
 \Mass. Historical Collections, 3d Series, Vol. VII., p. 49. 
 
 \\Mass. Historical Collections, 3d Series, Vol. VII., p. 48. 
 
 Mass. Records, Vol. V., pp. 147, 148. 
 
 ^Colonial Records of Connecticut, Vol. II., p. 242. 
 
20s. for those of the man, with the addition of 8d. from the 
 " midle of October to the last of Aprill," and the special 
 injunction that " hyred " horses should not be deprived of 
 their allowance. The number of routes mentioned, twenty- 
 four, shows the extent of the effort made at that time. 
 
 The next move came from New York, Gov. Dongan s prop 
 osition of 1684,* to which reference has already been made, 
 adding to Lovelace s scheme of a post between New York and 
 Boston, the suggestion that post houses be established along 
 the coast from Carolina to Nova Scotia. A letter to him 
 from Sir John Werden (August 27, 1684), whose title to the 
 profits from the English post officef was held to include the 
 British provinces, approves the project and suggests that the 
 privilege be offered for three or five years by way of form, 
 with a reservation of not less than one-tenth of the profits to 
 the duke. Six months later (February 18, i68j), Dongan 
 writes^: him that he had sent permission to set up a post 
 house but no power to do it, although the neighboring colo 
 nies much desired it and in some places had established foot 
 and horse messengers. He adds, "I am going to Connecti 
 cut to-morrow, to do all possible to settle a post office to 
 Pemaquid this spring and endeavor settlement of post house 
 at Boston." 
 
 On his return from Connecticut (March 2, 168*), the gov 
 ernor ordained in the New York council, \\ "That for the 
 better correspondence between the colonies of America, a 
 post office be established ; and that the rates for riding post 
 be per mile three pence ; for every single letter, not above 
 one hundred miles, three pence ; if more, proportionably." 
 
 A letter from Sir Edmund Andros to John Allyn, 
 dated November 23, 1687, speaks of a contemplated post from 
 Boston to the farthest settlements of Connecticut, John 
 Perry to go between Hartford, Fairfield and Stamford once a 
 month in the winter, and every three weeks during the sum- 
 
 *Brodhead, Vol. I. 
 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. Y., Vol. III., pp. 349-350. 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. V., Vol. III., p. 355. 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. Y., Vol. III. 
 ^Connecticut Records, Vol. III., pp. 392, 393,398. 
 
8 
 
 mer, as Allyn suggests in his answer. A letter from Samuel 
 Sewall* to Samuel Mather, at Windsor, Connecticut, as early 
 as March 6, i68j?f, mentions John Perry as bearer and a post 
 age of 3^. That this project was carried out is evident from 
 the complaint brought before the council of New YorkJ by 
 John Perry, that on his way to Boston he was laid hold on by 
 warrant from the usurper Leysler, brought to New York and 
 his letters opened, the apparent object beipg to destroy com 
 merce and trade. 
 
 June nth, 1689, the Massachusetts general court || ap 
 pointed Richard Wilkins, postmaster, to receive all letters 
 and deliver them out at id. each. 
 
 In 169^, a new era opened for the colonial post office. On 
 February 7th, of that year, William and Mary, by letters 
 patent, granted to "Thomas Neale, Esq., his executors, 
 administrators and assignes, full power and authority to erect, 
 settle and establish within the chief parts of their majesties 
 colonies and plantations in America, an office or offices for 
 the receiving and dispatching letters and pacquets, and to 
 receive, send and deliver the same under such rates and sums 
 of money as the planters shall agree to give, and to hold and 
 enjoy the same for the terme of twenty-one years." 
 
 To govern and manage the general post office,^]" Neale 
 appointed (April 4th, 1692) Andrew Hamilton, an Edinburgh 
 merchant, who in 1685 had emigrated to New Jersey, and 
 become special agent of the proprietors. 
 
 On the deposition of Andros in 1689, Hamilton embarked 
 for England to consult with the proprietors ; on the voyage 
 was taken prisoner by the French, but soon released, and in 
 1692 was made governor of New Jersey. Hamilton s applica- 
 
 * Letter Book of Sam. Sewall, Vol. I., p. 25. 
 
 fThe discrepancy in dates leads to the supposition that John Perry 
 served as bearer before his actual appointment. 
 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. Y., Vol. III., p. 682. 
 
 \\Mass. Provincial Records. 
 
 Mass. Historical Collections, 3d series, Vol VII., pp. 50-51. 
 
 ^Mass. Historical Collections, 3d series, Vol. VII., p. 51, also Palfrey s 
 History of New England. 
 
9 
 
 tion to the colonial legislatures* to "ascertain and establish 
 such rates and terms as should tend to quicker maintenance 
 of mutual correspondence among all neighboring colonies and 
 plantations and that trade and commerce might be better pre 
 served," met with a favorable response from the colonial gov 
 ernments. 
 
 He first presented the subject to Governor Fletcher and 
 the New York legislature.! The council, meeting at Fort 
 Wm. Henry, October 29, 1692,$ after reading his proposition, 
 and also a letter from the queen to the governor, urging him 
 to assist Hamilton in settling the office, appointed Colonels 
 Courtlandt and Bayard a committee|| to deliver the proposi 
 tion to the house of representatives, and in November (1692) 
 the bill was passed by both houses and signed by the gov 
 ernor. The chief provisions of the bill are as follows : A 
 general letter office was to be " erected and established in 
 some convenient place within the city of New York," one 
 master of the general office to be appointed from time to time 
 by Hamilton, who with his servant or agent should have the 
 "receiving, taking up, ordering, dispatching, sending post or 
 with speed and delivery of all letters and pacquets whatso 
 ever, which shall from time to time be sent to and from all 
 and every of the adjacent collonies and plantations on the 
 main land and continent of America or any other of their 
 majesties kingdoms and dominions beyond the Seas." The 
 postmaster was to "prepare and provide horses and furniture 
 unto all through posts and persons riding in post." Rates 
 for single letters to or from Europe, the West Indies or else 
 where to and from beyond the seas, were 9^., and the same 
 from Boston or Maryland to New York; from Virginia, I2d., 
 and to or from any place not exceeding eighty miles from 
 New York, four pence half penny. 
 
 All postmasters were freed from excise and all public ser 
 vices, with the exception of the postmaster of the city of New 
 
 *Palfrey, IV., p. 329. 
 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. K, Vol. IV, p. 200. 
 
 ^.Journal of the Legislative Council of New York,VQ\. I, pp. 26, 31, 32, 34. 
 
 \Journal of the Assembly, pp. 26, 28. 
 
 Copied from the original MS. at Albany. 
 
10 
 
 York, who was exempt only from public services. Any per 
 sons or "body politick or corporate others than the P. M. 
 Gen. aforesaid" presuming to "carry, recarry or deliver let 
 ters for hire, other than as before excepted, or to set up or 
 imploy any foot-post, horse-post or pacquet boat whatsoever" 
 for the carrying of letters or pacquets, or providing "horses 
 and furniture for the horses of any through posts, or persons 
 riding post with a guide and horn," should forfeit ;ioo cur 
 rent money, one-half going to the governor and the other half 
 to the postmaster-general. All letters and pacquets brought 
 by ship or vessel were to be delivered to the postmaster of 
 New York or to his servants, provided "that no letters going 
 up or coming down Hudson s river and going to or from Long 
 Island shall be carried to the post-office, everything herein 
 contained to the contrary notwithstanding," this clause, 
 together with that regarding exemption from public service 
 and excise, being amendments by the council to the bill as 
 presented by the house. 
 
 The act was in force for three years,* and in 1695 (July 2d 
 and 3d) a bill was passed for continuing the act three years 
 longer, " every article,! rule and clause therein mentioned to 
 remain in full force and effect." 
 
 In 1699 (May 5) the act was again continued,! this time for 
 two years, the new bill stating that "the advantage which the 
 inhabitants of this province daily have, the mutual corre 
 spondence which they have with their neighboring collonies 
 and plantations and for the promoting of trade and wealth of 
 each other, encourage to the continuance of the same." 
 In 1 702 1| the act coming again before the Assembly and 
 Council was continued for four and one-half years from 1700; 
 and in i7os (July 5, 6, Sand 10, and August 14) it was re- 
 continued for three years from October, 1704.^]" 
 
 Concerning the passage of this act Lord Cornbury wrote 
 
 * Journal of Legislative Council, I., pp. 79, 80. 
 
 \Journal of the Assembly. 
 
 \Journal of the Legislative Council, I., pp. 136, 137, 138, 143. 
 
 \Journal Legislative Council, I., 186, 187, 189, 
 
 ^Journal of the Assembly, pp. 154, 226, 227, 234. 
 
 ^Journal of the Assembly, pp. 198, 200, 203. 
 
II 
 
 to the Lords of Trade that it was absolutely necessary ; other 
 wise the post to Boston and Philadelphia would be lost.* 
 
 At the meetingf of the first session of the eleventh Assem 
 bly at Fort Anne, August 20, 1708, Governor Cornbury in 
 his opening speech said :J "I can t omit putting you in 
 mind that Act for encouraging a Post Office is expired ; that 
 it is of so general Advantage that I hope you will revive it." 
 The next month (September 3, 7, 10, 13, and 18, 1708) the act 
 was considered and passed. At a meeting of the council in 
 New York, || June 21, 1709, one of the members was ordered 
 to go to the assembly and " desire them to provide for and 
 settle a Post from Albany to Westfield for holding a Corre 
 spondence Between Boston and Albany for the service of the 
 present Expedition the Province of Massachusetts Bay hav 
 ing already settled a Post from Boston to Westfield;" but 
 action was not taken before 1715. 
 
 The letters of this period throw light upon the condition of 
 the post with regard to regularity and frequency. 
 
 The Earl of Bellomont writing from New York to Secre- 
 retary Popple in London, May 25, 1698, says : "The sure way 
 of conveying letters to me is by way of Boston, whence the 
 post comes every week to this place;" and Lord Cornbury 
 writes to the Lords of Trade,^[ December 12, 1702: "But I 
 entreat your Lords?? 5 to consider that but few ships goe di 
 rectly from this port to England, So that I must depend upon 
 the Boston and Philadelphia posts for conveying my letters 
 to such ships as may be going to England ; and sometimes 
 both these Conveyances faile;" and again in a letter to the 
 Lords of Trade, June 30, 1704:!!*"! beg your Lords?? 5 to con 
 sider likewise the difficulty I lye under, with respect to oppor 
 tunity s of writing into England, which is thus The post 
 that goes through this place goes Eastward as far as Boston, 
 but Westward he goes no further than Philadelphia and there 
 
 * Colonial Documents of N. Y., IV., pp. 1167-68. 
 
 ^Journal of the Council, I., p. 247. 
 
 ^Journal of the Assembly, 219, 223, 224. 
 
 \Journal of the Legislative Council, I., p. 285. 
 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. Y., IV., p. 317. 
 
 ^Colonial Documents of N. Y., IV., p. 1017. 
 
 ||* Colonial Documents of N. Y., Vol. IV., p. 1113. 
 
12 
 
 is no other post upon all this Continent, so that if I have any 
 letters to send to Virginia or to Maryland I must either send 
 an Express who is often retarded for want of boats to cross 
 those great rivers they must go over or else for want of 
 horses, or else I must send them by some passengers who are 
 going thither. The least I have known any Express take to 
 go from hence to Virginia, has been three weeks, so that very 
 often, before I can hear from Coll: Nicholson what time the 
 fleet will sail and send my packets, the fleet is sailed. I hope 
 we shall find a way to remedy that shortly, for Coll: Nicholson 
 and Coll: Seymour have wrote me word that they will be here 
 in September, and I do then intend to propose to them the 
 
 settling of a Post, to go through to Virginia 
 
 I must further acquaint Your LordsP? 5 that our letters do not 
 come safe by the way of Boston, I have had several letters by 
 that way which have been broken open." 
 
 Cornbury s scheme, as he tells us in another letter to the 
 Lords of Trade, written November 6, 1704,* was to lay a tax 
 in each province by act of assembly, for defraying the 
 charges of the post, which might then have gone from Boston 
 to North Carolina, but his failure to meet the men with whom 
 he proposed to discuss it, thwarted the plan. 
 
 June 9, 1693, Massachusetts passed in councilf an act 
 for encouraging the post office, selecting Boston as the place 
 for the general letter office, the master to be appointed by 
 Hamilton. Rates to Europe or to any place beyond the seas, 
 were fixed at 2d., to different places within the colonies, they 
 varied according to distance ; from Boston to Rhode Island 
 they were 6d, to the Connecticut colonies gd., to New York 
 I2d., to Eastern Pennsylvania or to Western Jersey 15^., and to 
 Maryland or to Virginia 2s. A fine ot 40*. in the current money 
 of the colony, was imposed upon those who carried or deliv 
 ered letters without authority, one-half the fine recurring to 
 their majesties for the support of the government of the 
 province, and one-half to the postmaster-general for suing 
 and prosecuting for same. Non-delivery or neglect of main 
 taining a constant post was fined 5^., one-half going to their 
 
 * Colonial Documents, p. 1120. 
 
 \Mass. Historical Collections, 30! Series, Vol. VII. 
 
13 
 
 majesties and one-half to the party aggrieved; the ferryman 
 "neglecting, refusing or delaying conveyance/ also forfeited 
 5-y. The postmaster was to pay the shipmaster one-half 
 penny for each letter or pacquet brought, but all letters of 
 public concern for their majesties service were to be free of 
 charge. 
 
 That the first few years of the post in Massachusetts were 
 not very lucrative, is shown by the numerous complaints of 
 grievances and petitions of Duncan Campbell, appointed by 
 Hamilton deputy postmaster.* The charges are thrice the 
 income, he complains, and begs that a salary be given, urging 
 the example of the governor and assembly of New York in 
 voting ,50 per annum for the support of the office in that 
 province. This petition meeting with no response, he asked 
 for freedom from public rates, taxes and excise for retailing 
 strong drink, and in 1694 (June 20) obtained a grant of 2$ 
 per annum from the public treasury of the province for two 
 years. In 1696 (May 27) he petitioned for a renewal of the 
 act encouraging a post office and also for a continuation of 
 the postmaster s salary. The salary was voted (July I, 1696), 
 but no steps taken toward reviving the Post Office Act, for 
 in 1703 (May 26) John Campbellf renewed the petition to 
 the general court stating that the act had not been in force 
 after 1696, and praying that since Hamilton was out of purse 
 to the extent of .1,400 restitution might be made by a con 
 tinuance of the privilege to his heirs. : The same petition was 
 presented to Governor Joseph Dudley and to the council and 
 representatives in General Assembly two months later (June 
 3, 1703), but with no result as far as renewal was concerned. 
 Five years later (Nov. 3, 1708), a committee was appointed 
 to inquire what allowance should be made for encouraging 
 the post office, but up to the time of Queen Anne s Act in 
 1710 no decision had been reached. 
 
 Campbell s memorandum of 1703 (July 19) is interesting as 
 showing the cost of maintaining the office between Philadel- 
 
 *Mass. Historical Collections, 3d Series, Vol. VII., pp. 55-60. 
 fThe successor of Duncan and famous as the publisher of the News 
 Letter. 
 
 \Mass. Historical Collections, 3d Series, Vol. VII., pp. 60, 69. 
 
14 
 
 phia and Piscataqua. The annual outlay was 680, and the 
 receipts little more than ^400, leaving a deficit of ,275. 
 
 The Campbells had other grievances.* In a petition to the 
 governor, the council and the assembly, soon after the act of 
 1693, Duncan begged that a fine be imposed for failure to 
 deliver letters from ships to the postmaster. In 1694 the 
 request was repeated, and in answer to this petition a bill 
 was presented ordering all persons not bringing letters which 
 ought to be delivered into the post office, to pay four times 
 as much as was due on the letters, damages to be made good 
 to the party injured. The house voted in the affirmative 
 May 8, 169*, but the council seems to have taken no action 
 in the matter. In 1696 (May 27) Campbell sent a similar 
 petition, asking also that the rates on foreign letters might be 
 advanced from two to three pence, and the payment to mas 
 ters of ships from an half penny to id., "which," he adds, 
 "will be a great encouragement to masters not to deliver 
 news to other persons." 
 
 In 1703, John Campbell offered a memorial to the general 
 court, complaining "that every body carrying of letters to 
 and from towns where post offices are settled, is a very great 
 hindrance and discouragement to said office," letters from 
 Connecticut colony being carried to Piscataqua, and after 
 lying in the office there some weeks and months, at last come 
 to Boston, the office being blamed for the delay without a 
 cause, and that one-half the letters from Europe and West 
 Indies and other places by sea, were not brought to the 
 office at all. The ferrymen also came in for their share of 
 blame, as being very backward in carrying those employed in 
 the post office, sometimes even demanding money for ferri 
 age. The petition was granted (July 22, 1703), and 20 for 
 the year past and 40 for the one ensuing allowed to Camp 
 bell. Again in 1706 (April 12 and October 30) 50 was 
 granted to him. In 1709 (November 18) he wrote to the 
 Governor that six months after his appointment by Hamilton 
 in 1701, he had represented to the General Assembly that he 
 could not serve, since the salary was so small, and two mem 
 bers of the upper house had then suggested a salary of 
 
 *Mass. Historical Collections, 30! Series, Vol. VII., pp. 56-60. 
 
which, reduced by the vote of the lower house to 20, had 
 been paid until within three years. He recalled the fact that 
 the post office saved the country above ^"150 per annum, 
 which it would be obliged to pay for express, if there were no 
 office. The public letters, passed free, had cost more than 
 the postmaster s allowance, besides the charge of sending 
 the governor s letters weekly to Roxbury " in times of snow 
 or rain." The queen, unwilling to augment the charge of the 
 office to what it was in Hamilton s time, was then at above 
 200 sterling charges yearly, to support it between New 
 Hampshire and Pennsylvania, and if the several offices had 
 half salary allowed them, it would cost her majesty ;ioo 
 sterling more. Accordingly he thought it but just that public 
 letters for the time past should be paid for, the postmaster 
 recompensed for sending the governor s letters to Roxbury, 
 and some provision made for conveying them in the future. 
 Otherwise, he would be obliged to represent the case to the 
 postmaster-general of Great Britain, which he had foreborne 
 to do, hoping that the general court would prevent it. 
 
 The council took no cognizance of the petition, as we learn 
 from its renewal in 1711.* 
 
 The action of New Hampshire relative to a post, occurred 
 at about the same time as that of Massachusetts. John 
 Usher,f writing to the New Hampshire council, from Boston, 
 March 25, 1693, said that the postmaster-general in Bos 
 ton was desirous of knowing what salary would be allowed 
 or how much a letter for a post from Piscataqua to Boston, 
 adding that it might be an advantage to gain news from Eng 
 land and the West Indies, and that they would like a post 
 weekly or once in two weeks. The council (March 27, 1693) 
 was of the opinionj that a post was necessary, and that there 
 should be an allowance per letter, according to other places 
 in like circumstances, proportionate to the distance from 
 Boston, " Every one to pay for his own Lett 1 "." A record|| 
 in the "Journal of the Council and Assembly" of July 29, 
 
 *Mass. Historical Collections, 3<i Series, Vol. VII., p. 80. 
 ^N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. II., p. 100. 
 \N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. II., p. 101. 
 \N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., p. 1 1. 
 
i6 
 
 1693, says : " Maj. Vaughan and Mr. Waldron were appointed 
 to prepare and drawe up a Bill for settling a Post Office in 
 this Province," and on the fourth of August the council con 
 curred with the bill which had been passed by the lower 
 house. 
 
 It was enacted that* "a Poste Office and officers be hence 
 forth appointed and settled in some Convenient place within 
 the Towne of Portsmouth for Receiveing & dispatching 
 awaye according to direction all letters and packetts that 
 shall be brought thereinto & no Person or Persons whatsoever 
 shall presume to Carry or recarry any letter or letters for 
 hire but only such as belongs to the Poste Office dureing their 
 power and authority from the aforesaid Thos. Nele Except 
 such letters of Merchants and Masters which shall be sent 
 by any Master of any Ship Boat or other vessel of Merchan 
 dise or by any other Person employed by them for the carry 
 ing of such letters aforesaid According to the Respective 
 Direction And also Except letters to be sent by any private 
 friend or friends in their way of Journey or Travill or by any 
 Messenger or Messengers sent on purpose for or concerning 
 the private affaires of any Person or Persons." Whoever of 
 fended against this Act should "forfeit the sum of ten pounds 
 one halfe to their Majesties Towards the support of the 
 Governor of this province The other halfe to the Postmaster 
 Genrl." All " Letters & Packetts" were to be delivered 
 by the importer at the post house or to the post officer, receiv 
 ing in return a half-penny for each, the person to whom di 
 rected paying two pence for each letter, and for a " Packett 
 no lesse than 3 letters besides Bills Loading Invoyces Ga 
 zette etc four pence And for each letter brought from 
 Boston in to this Province not exceeding five pence and 
 Doble fora Packett and so proportionately for Letters on this 
 sid Boston shall be paid with the customary allowance in the 
 Government from whense they come." Neglect of duty in 
 keeping constant post or in delivering letters was punishable 
 by a fine of .5, "The one halfe to their Majesties the other 
 halfe to the party agreved." All letters concerning their 
 majesties service were to be received and dispatched with all 
 
 *Copied from the original, also in Hist. Magazine, Vol. III., p. 351. 
 
17 
 
 possible speed free from charge. It was " further enacted and 
 ordained that the officer of the Post House haveing Licence 
 granted to Retaile Beer Sider & Ale within Doors according 
 to Law shall have his Excise free and no officer of the Excise 
 shall demand anything of him for the same and his Person to 
 be excused from watching and warding." The foregoing 
 Act was to continue in force for three years from the publi 
 cation, but in 1694 (May I2th), an additional act for the 
 encouragement of the post office was passed,* since "not 
 withstanding a late act for the Setling a Poste Office within 
 this Province Sundrie Letters are brought by ships and other 
 vessell a longe shore to the Prejudice of those who are at the 
 charge of keeping a poste goeing once a week by land." It was 
 "Enacted by the Liet. Governor Counsill & Representatives 
 convened in Genl. Assembly" that thereafter all masters of 
 sloops or other vessels arriving within the Province should 
 deliver all letters brought in by them, except such as con 
 cerned the loading of their vessels, to the collector or other 
 post officer to be carried "with all convenient speed" to the 
 post house. 
 
 The next year (May 21, 1695), a petition from Campbell for 
 encouraging the post office, was answered by a bill settling 
 a salary of 12 for the ensuing year.f In 1698$ (April 7th) 
 another petition from Campbell for continuing the support 
 of the post office was read in the council and sent to the 
 assembly, but returned without their allowing anything. July 
 2d, 1703, a committee of both houses was appointed to con 
 sider the petition of John Campbell, Duncan s successor, and 
 in February (8th), 170!, 21 4^ was voted. 
 
 A year later || (May 30, 1705) the council and General As 
 sembly voted to pay 6 out of the next provincial rate, to 
 Campbell for his "extraordinary Service in forwarding his 
 Excellency s and Government letters for her Majesty s ser 
 vice relating to this province;" again in 1707 (April 8th) he 
 
 *N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., p. 1 8. 
 
 fA 7 : H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., p. 30. 
 
 %N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., pp. 61, 248, 257, 279. 
 
 || A". H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., p. 304. 
 
i8 
 
 was granted* 6 out of the treasury, and in 1708 (May 6th) 
 another 6 for " diligent care of expresses and letters." 
 
 The first entry in the Colonial Records of Rhode Islandf 
 regarding a post is in I/74- 
 
 Connecticut s earliest efforts toward the establishment of a 
 post have already been mentioned in connection with New 
 York and Massachusetts. On May loth, 1694, the court of 
 election at Hartford passed the following Act for the encour 
 agement of a post office. J 
 
 "Whereas their most excelent Ma ties King W m and Queen 
 Mary by their letters pattents have granted a Post Qffice to 
 be set up in these partes of N. E. for the receiving and diss- 
 patching of letters and pacquetts from one place to another 
 for their Ma ties speciall service and the benefit of theire Ma ties 
 good Subjects in these parts. This court being willing to 
 encourage so good a worke, doe order and enact that all such 
 persons as shall be imployed by the Post Master Gen. in the 
 severall stages within this Colony of Connecticut shall and 
 may pass and repasse all and every ferry within this Colony, 
 from the day of the date hereof for and during this courts 
 pleasure, without payeing any rate or sume of money either 
 for his own or horses passage." 
 
 May, i698,|| in response to a complaint that posts and other 
 travellers met with great difficulty in journeying through 
 the colony, especially in the township of Stonington, the 
 court ordered the selectmen to lay out convenient high 
 ways, kept cleared and open, unless they passed through 
 ancient common fields, or the general or county court or 
 dered otherwise, and "made good with sufficient causeis and 
 bridges as need shall require," failure to observe these in 
 structions to be punished by a fine of ;io into the public 
 treasury, and for a continuance of the offence by an annual 
 fine of 10 to be levied upon the selectment or inhabitants. 
 
 In May, I7O4, the general court decreed that since the 
 
 *N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. III., p. 343. 
 
 \ Colonial Records of Rhode Island. 
 
 \ Colonial Records of Connecticut, Vol. IV., p. 123. 
 
 || Colonial Records, Vol. IV., p. 246-47. 
 
 Colonial Records, Vol. IV., p. 468. 
 
19 
 
 post was often impeded, "in cases extraordinarie the au- 
 thoritie may grant a bill to the Constables for the defraying 
 of such charges as are really necessary." 
 
 Watson,* in his Annals of Philadelphia, bases on MSS. 
 in the possession of the Pemberton family, his statement that 
 as early as July, 1683, a weekly post was established by order 
 of William Penn and a grant given to a certain Henry Waldy 
 of Tekonay to hold one, and "supply passengers with horses 
 from Philadelphia to New Castle or the Falls of the Dela 
 ware ; the rates from the Falls to Philadelphia ^d, to Chester 
 $d, to New Castle *jd, to Maryland 9^, and from Philadelphia 
 to Chester 2d, to New Castle 4^, to Maryland 6d. Winsor, 
 in the Narrative and Critical History, adds that the notices of 
 the departure of the post were put on the meeting-house 
 doors and in other public places. 
 
 The same year (1683)! a ^ aw was passed at Philadelphia 
 directing the way in which official letters should be dis 
 patched, in order that the governor might obtain "true and 
 speedy information regarding public affairs, as well from 
 Europe as the neighboring colonies and remote parts of this 
 province and territories thereof." "Be it Enacted by 
 the authority aforesaid, That every Justice of the Peace, 
 Sheriff or Constable within the respective counties of this 
 province and territories thereof, to whose hands or knowledge 
 any Letter or Letters shall come, directed to or from the 
 governor, shall dispatch them, within 3 hours at the farthest, 
 after the receipt or knowledge thereof, to the next Sheriff or 
 Constable, and so forwards, as the Letter directs, upon the 
 penalty of 2os. for every hour s delay. And in such cases, 
 all Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs or Constables are hereby 
 empowered to press either man or horse for that service, al 
 lowing for a horse or man, 2 pence by the mile, to be paid out 
 of the public stock." 
 
 September 5th, 1700, Penn writes to Logan that he sends a 
 package for Governor Blackestonf to be forwarded to the 
 
 *Watson, Vol. II., p. 391. Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, Vol. 
 III., p. 491. Historical Magazine, Vol. III., p. 221. 
 ^Historical Magazine, Vol. III., p. 223. 
 \Penn and Logan Correspondence. 
 
20 
 
 sheriff of New Castle, showing that the custom was in vogue 
 seventeen years after its origin. 
 
 The Duke of Yorke s Laws* under the laws made and 
 passed by Benjamin Fletcher, governor of Pennsylvania, and 
 the council and representatives, May I5th and June ist, 1693, 
 records one for the erection of a post office in Philadelphia 
 by Andrew Hamilton, "from whence all letters & packets 
 may be with all expedition sent into any of the parts of New 
 England and other adjacent colonies in these parts of 
 America, at which said office all returns and answers may be 
 received." Andrew Hamilton, or some other postmaster- 
 general appointed by the king, was to demand and receive 
 postage according to the following rates: single foreign let 
 ters 2d., and each packet 4</.; letters sent from Philadelphia 
 to New York ^d. half penny, to Connecticut 9^., to Rhode 
 Island \2d., to Boston 15^., to points beyond Boston igd., to 
 Maryland and Virginia 9^, and to every place within eighty 
 miles of Philadelphia ^d. half penny. If foreign letters were 
 left forty-eight hours uncalled for, they were to be delivered 
 and one penny more for each demanded from receiver. Public 
 letters were to go post free ; ferriage was to be free for all, 
 and constant posts were to be maintained from Philadelphia 
 to New York and New Castle. 
 
 At an assembly held at Philadelphia,! May 2Oth, 1697, 
 Joseph Growden, " chairman of the grand comittee appointed 
 to consider of Andrew Hamilton s memorial for encourage 
 ment to support the post," reported "that it was the vote of 
 the comittee that a bill be prepared for encouragement to 
 support the post both by the publick and upon private 
 letters." 
 
 Since the charge of the office had much exceeded the post 
 age, J the assembly, "being sensible of the benefit of the said 
 office to trade and commerce, and to the province and terri 
 tories in general if it be continued, and of the great loss that 
 will happen to both if it should happen to fall for want of en 
 couragement," it was voted that the rates be raised on foreign 
 
 *Duke of Yorkers Laws, p. 224. 
 
 ^Pennsylvania Colonial Records, Vol. I., p. 524. 
 
 \Duke of Yorke s Laws, p. 262. 
 
21 
 
 letters received from 2d. to 4^., on those sent from Philadel 
 phia to New York from ^d. to 8d., and other rates propor 
 tionately. Hamilton was to receive 20 in the silver money of 
 the province from the public treasury annually for three years, 
 the period during which the law was to be in force. 
 
 In 1700, a bill was passed to be in effect seven years, 
 which says :* 
 
 " Considering that maintenance of speedy correspondence 
 is good for trade and is best carried on by public post, Be it 
 enacted, that there be a General Letter Office erected 
 and established in Philadelphia to send letters to colonies 
 planted in America or in any of the King s Kingdoms in 
 foreign lands." Rates were regulated by bulk, as well as by 
 distance, a sheet of paper being accounted as a single letter 
 and a packet equal to three letters, at the least ; the post of a 
 single letter from Philadelphia to Boston or Rhode Island was 
 i&/., to Piscataqua and other parts east of Boston 2s., to 
 New York 8<^., to Maryland and Virginia iSd. if by post, if 
 by private person to the office 4^., all letters for the prop 
 rietary or for the governor to be free. The fine for a neglect 
 ful ferryman was $, for any one who should presume to 
 carry letters for hire or set up or employ any post, 4.0. 
 
 "Whereas, letters to merchants were often delayed and 
 given to untrustworthy persons who may open them and get 
 trade secrets," shipmasters were ordered to give letters only 
 to the postmaster or to his assistants. 
 
 In 1701 (June 23d), in response to a petition from Patrick 
 Robinson in behalf of Col. Andrew Hamilton, " Postmaster 
 General in America and Gov r of the Jerseys," praying for 
 the payment from the "publick stock" of the 20 per year 
 for three years, which had been allowed him by the act of 
 1697, the treasurer was ordered to pay the sum as soon as 
 there was sufficient money in his hands. 
 
 April nth, 1706,1 a grant was given a certain Hugh Huddy 
 to establish stages from Burlington to Perth Amboy, and 
 April 4th, 1709, an act for the encouragement of the post 
 office was passed by the New Jersey assembly. The masters 
 of the offices were to be appointed from time to time by the 
 
 *Martin^s Bench and Bar of Philadelphia, pp. 126-130. 
 ^Pennsylvania Magazine, Vol. IX., p. 444. 
 
22 
 
 postmaster-general. No other persons were to receive, dis 
 patch or deliver letters or packets except such as were sent 
 by masters or merchants in ships of which, or of the cargo of 
 which, they were entirely or in part owners, or " except letters 
 to be sent by any private Friend or Friends in their ways of 
 journey or Travel, or by any Messenger or Messengers sent of 
 purpose for or concerning the private affairs of any person or 
 persons."* The rates were fixed according to bulk as well as 
 distance, the post of every single letter from Europe, the 
 West Indies and other parts beyond the seas, was four pence 
 half-penny, all letters to be accounted single if they did not 
 exceed one sheet of paper. The postage on each "pacquet" 
 of letters from these places was gd. a " pacquet " being ac 
 counted three sheets, at the least. The post of every letter 
 from Boston not exceeding one sheet of paper, was I.T. 3^., 
 the post of every letter not exceeding two sheets, 2s. 6d., and 
 the post of every "pacquet of letters or other things whatso 
 ever, 2s. 6d. for every ounce, Troy weight, and for the post 
 of every letter not exceeding one sheet of paper, for any 
 place not exceeding one hundred and fifty miles, gd., and so 
 in proportion to the bulk." Carrying letters for hire, or 
 setting up or employing any foot, post, horse or paquet boat 
 for carrying letters or paquets or providing and maintaining 
 horses or furniture for the horsing of any through post, was 
 punishable by a fine of ,100 current money for every several 
 offence, one-third to go to the governor, one-third to the use 
 of the colony and the remaining third to the informer. 
 Any ferryman neglecting, delaying or refusing to convey 
 posts forfeited $. 
 
 As late as 1791 there were only six post offices in the 
 colony, and none south of Trenton. f 
 
 The Maryland archives contain no reference to a post be 
 fore 1710. 
 
 In March, i66j, the following actj was passed by the Vir 
 ginia assembly: "Whereas the remotenesse of diverse places 
 in the country from James Citty and the necessity of com- 
 
 *Copied from the original. 
 ^Pennsylvania Magazine, Vol. IX., p. 444. 
 J Herring s Statutes at Large, Vol. II., p. 109. 
 
23 
 
 municating diverse businesses to the utmost lymitts of itt, 
 would (if messengers were purposely prest) put the country 
 to an annuall greate expense for prevention whereof, Be it 
 enacted that all letters superscribed for the service of his 
 Majesty or publique shall be imediately conveyed from plan 
 tation to plantation to the place and person they are directed 
 to under the penalty of 350 pounds of tobacco to each de 
 faulter." 
 
 March 2d, 1692,* an act was passed for encouraging the 
 erection of a post office in each county of the colony, Thomas 
 Neale and his deputies to settle and establish the post at their 
 own cost. Rates were to vary according to bulk and distance, 
 state letters and public orders of the governor and council 
 were to be sent free, and merchants were not to be pro 
 hibited from sending letters by the masters of vessels or 
 others. The act was to be in force during the term granted 
 by their majesties letters patent to Thomas Neale. 
 
 Cooper s Statutes at Large of South Carolina^ records an 
 enactment regarding the post, of September loth, 1702, by 
 John Grenville, Esq., Pallatine, and the other lords and pro 
 prietors of the province of Carolina with the consent of the 
 other members of the General Assembly. A certain Ed. 
 Bourne was appointed postmaster and ordered to fix an exact 
 list of letters received and dispatched in some public place in 
 his house for thirty clays, for each packet or letter receiving 
 one-half royal, and for any neglect of duty forfeiting 40^. 
 July 1 2th, 1707, an actj to erect a general post office was 
 ratified and continued for two years. 
 
 The first act regarding a post office in North Carolina was 
 in I787.|| 
 
 The correspondence of the period shows when the post be 
 came an established fact. About 1700, letters begin not with 
 the names of the bearers, but with expressions such as the 
 following: " The post is just blowing his horn and cannot 
 
 *Hening s Statutes at Large, Vol. III., pp. 112, 115. 
 fCooper s Statutes at Large, Vol. II., pp. 188-89. 
 % Cooper s Statutes at Large, Vol. II, p. 308. 
 ||Iredell, Laws of North Carolina. 
 
24 
 
 help it that I write no more particularly."* " I had not time 
 to say more by the last post than I did." " Sent by post last 
 week." "Having no letter from you by the post." Individ 
 ual bearers were still made use of, often probably for the 
 reason which Logan gives in a letter to Penn, written Feb 
 ruary, 1708.1 " I send this chiefly to accompany the enclosed 
 
 to Wm. Aubrey, I therefore request thee to peruse it 
 
 and to let it be sealed up, directed in some hand like mine, 
 as J. Jeffreys, and delivered. I send it thus without cover to 
 save postage, which is now very high to Boston." It is to be 
 hoped that Lovelace s description of the first post as " active, 
 stout and indefatigable," would apply equally to his suc- 
 essors, for they too went laden with " letters, portable goods 
 and divers bags." Wait Winthrop writes from Boston to 
 Fitz-John Winthrop, " Gov r of his Maj ts Collonye of Conecti- 
 cott in New London," " I have had yours by the post with 
 little bundle ;" " If Sudance can bundle up John s freise Jacket 
 & Mingoe s cloth Jacket in an old towell pray let the post 
 
 bring them." "Post will bring you a pair of Simpsons 
 
 could not goe to direct the man about the glass, or els it 
 had gone by this Post " and " If Anthony has lamed the 
 horses he may dispatch them quite that they may be no fur 
 ther trouble ; but if their legs are fit to bring them, I desire 
 they may be sent by the post, unless some safer opportu 
 nity present in two or three days."J 
 
 The early history of the colonial post office ends in 1710. 
 With Queen Anne s Act of that year a new era began, intro 
 ducing a system of greater uniformity, of greater detail and 
 of closer connection with the home government. 
 
 *Mass. Historical Collections, 6th Series, Vol. V., pp. 64, 65, 66, 70. 
 
 \Penn and Logan Correspondence, Vol. II., p. 257. 
 
 \Mass. Historical Collections, 6th Series, Vol. V., pp. 52, 101, 116, 140. 
 
 MARY E. WOOLLEY. 
 
PATENT TO THOMAS NEALE. 
 
 [The preceding pages were reprinted from the Publications of the 
 Rhode Island Historical Society, January, 1894. Subsequently there was 
 received from the Public Record Office in London, by the kindness of 
 Hubert Hall, Esq., F. S. A., a copy of the patent to Thomas Neale, men 
 tioned on page 8, preceding. The document is of fundamental impor 
 tance to the history of the colonial post office. It instituted, for the first 
 time, a royal intercolonial post, an American post office ; and the Ameri 
 can post office was the first of American executive departments, the first 
 continental institution, and contributed, in its way, toward the unification 
 of America. The patent is therefore given in full below. It is believed 
 that it has never before been printed. It is designated, " Patent Roll 
 (Chancery) 4 William and Mary, Part i, No. 3." Its date proves to be 
 February 17, 169^, not February 7. 
 
 The patent to Thomas Neale was a piece of court favor. A few facts 
 respecting the man himself may be of interest. Thomas Neale was an 
 amusing person. All that the editor has been able to discover respecting 
 him shows, with the utmost consistency, the confirmed office-holder, the 
 determined and adventurous speculator, quick to seize any opportunity 
 for persona] profit. In the first place, as to his marriage. Pepys, January 
 i, i66|, mentions that there was much talk at the coffee-house about a 
 very rich widow, said to be worth ^80,000, and young and handsome. Her 
 husband, Sir Nicholas Gold, a merchant, had not been dead a week yet, 
 and already great courtiers were looking after her. She was the daughter 
 of Sir John Garrard (Burke, Extinct and Dormant Baronetage, 214). June 
 20, 1664, Pepys tells a remarkable story of the bold manner in which 
 Neale had won this prize, Lady Gold and he having been married in spite 
 of her brother s opposition. By 1684 Neale had become installed in the 
 palace, in the doubtless lucrative office of groom porter (London Gazette, 
 July 28, 1684; Malcolm, "Anecdotes of London down to 1700," i. 378, iii. 
 50). The duties of this office are described by Pepys under date of Janu 
 ary i, 166^. "They were," says Macaulay (iv. 391), "to call the odds 
 when the Court played at hazard, to provide cards and dice, and to decide 
 any dispute which might arise on the bowling-green or at the gaming 
 table." Neale organized lotteries after the Venetian manner, and in 1694 
 built extensively, for speculative purposes, about the Seven Dials (Eve 
 lyn s Diary, Nov. 14, 1693 ; Oct. 5, Nov. 22, 1694). In that same year he 
 was employed by the government to conduct the lottery loan for the 
 State, though some, says Macaulay, thought the treasury lowered itself 
 thereby. But, after all, he was more of a personage than would, perhaps, 
 be gathered from Macaulay s description. If he was not identical with 
 
26 
 
 the Thomas Neale who represented Petersfield in the Parliament of 
 1661-78 (Parl. Hist., iv. 198), he was certainly member for Ludgershall in 
 all the subsequent parliaments of Charles II., in that of James II., and in 
 the second and third parliaments of King William (5 W. & M., c. 7, sec. 
 69; letter of F. Bonnet to the Elector of Brandenburg, in Ranke, vi. 238; 
 Parl. Hist., iv. 1082, 1157, 1301, 1346, v. 544,961; Grey s Debates, viii. 
 380). Moreover, a list in Harl. Misc. viii. 512, prepared in July, 1698, 
 identifies him with Thomas Neale, the master of the mint, Sir Isaac New 
 ton s predecessor in that office. No doubt he was the author of a pamph 
 let on " Mending the Coin," London : 1695, which Allibone mentions. In 
 fact, Neale was master of the mint from 1679 to 1699 (Ruding, Annals of 
 the Coinage, i. 29, 35, ii. 30, 33, 46, 466). As the office was for life, and 
 Newton succeeded upon a vacancy (Brewster s Sir Isaac Newton, ii. 193), 
 it is probable that Neale died in 1699. He should have died rich, for a 
 report in the Commons Journals in 1697 (xi. 447, 453) gives us the charac 
 teristic touch that by his percentages on coinage he made apparently above 
 ; 14,000 a year, while a deputy, paid ^400, did almost all the work in his 
 absence. Yet it seems that he died insolvent, and failed to carry out a 
 large building contract into which he had entered with Sir Walter Clarges 
 (Malcolm, Londin. Rediv., iv. 328). Malcolm also says (Anecdotes of 
 London in the Eighteenth Century, i. 36) that he left money for a charity 
 school. The "Gentleman s Magazine" (ii. 631), mentions, under date of 
 Feb. 17, 1732, the death of the widow of Thomas Neale, Esq , ast. 96, in 
 Old Palace Yard. 
 
 By way of corrigendum to Miss Woolley s paper, it should be men 
 tioned, out of Mr. F. H. Norton s notes to his edition of the Journal of 
 Hugh Finlay, that the Virginian act of i66|, cited on p. 22, above, was 
 preceded by an act of similar tenor in 1657. EDITOR.] 
 
D con "1 WILLIAM AND MARY by the Grace of God &c 
 Neale Af I To all to whome these presents shall come 
 Grant f GREETING whereas our Trusty and welbeloved 
 3 J servant Thomas Neale Esquire hath lately 
 
 humbly represented unto us that there never yet hath bin 
 any post established for the conveying of Letters within or 
 between Virginia Maryland Delaware New Yorke New Eng 
 land East and West Jersey Pensilvania and Northward as far 
 as our Dominions reach in America And that the want 
 thereof hath bin a great hindrance to the Trade of those 
 parts And he the said Thomas Neale haveing humbly desired 
 us to grant to him Letters Patents for the settling of such 
 a post at his owne charge and Wee being fully satisfied that 
 the same may be of service to Trade and correspondence and 
 alsoe willing to encourage such an undertakeing know yee 
 therefore that wee of our especiall grace certaine knowledge 
 and meer mocon and with and under the condicons and agree 
 ments herein after mentioned on the part and behalfe of the 
 said Thomas Neale his executors and assignes to be per 
 formed have given and granted and by these presents for us 
 our heires and successors doe give and grant unto the said 
 Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes full 
 power and authority to erect settle and establish and from 
 time to time dureing the Terme herein after mentioned shall 
 and may continue and enjoy within every or any the chief e 
 Ports of the severall Iselands Plantacons or Colonies belong 
 ing or to belong unto us our heires or successors in America 
 an Office or Offices for the receiving and dispatching away of 
 letters and packquetts with full power and authority and free 
 liberty leave and lycence to and for him the said Thomas 
 Neale his executors administrators and assignes and to and 
 for such person or persons as he or they shall from time to 
 time in this behalfe nominate to receive at the respective 
 Offices aforesaid of and from any Masters of Ships Passen- 
 
28 
 
 gers or others any letters or Pacquetts whatsoever which 
 shall be brought into the said Colonyes and Iselands or any 
 of them from England or from any other parts whatsoever or 
 which shall be sent from any parts or places of such respec 
 tive Colony or Iseland to any other parts or places of the 
 same and to dispatch send away carry and deliver the same 
 to the respective persons and places to whome or which they 
 shall be directed or sent within the said Colonys and Iselands 
 or any of them and to take or receive to the onely use and 
 behoofe of him the said Thomas Neale his executors adminis 
 trators and assignes for the postage or conveyance of all such 
 letters and Packquetts as shall be soe dispatcht sent away 
 carried and delivered such rates and sumes of money as shall 
 be proportionable to the rates for the post or carriage of let 
 ters sett downe and ascertained in and by an Act of Parlia 
 ment made in the Twelfth yeare of the reigne of our late Royall 
 Uncle King Charles the Second of Blessed memory entituled 
 (an act for erecting and establishing a Post Office) or such 
 other rates or sumes of money as the Planters and others will 
 freely agree to give for their letters or Pacquetts upon the 
 first settlement of such Office or Offices And further Wee have 
 given and granted and by these presents for us our heires and 
 successors doe give and grant unto the said Thomas Neale 
 his executors administrators and assignes and to such person 
 and persons as he or they shall from time to time nominate as 
 aforesaid full power and authority and free liberty leave and 
 lycence at the said Office or offices so to be settled as aforesaid 
 to collect and receive such letters or pacquetts as the Planters 
 or any others will send or bring to the same and to dispatch 
 such of them away for England as shall be directed thither by 
 the first ship that from time to time shall be bound for any 
 Port Towne of England to be there delivered to the Deputy 
 or Deputies of our Postmaster or Postmasters Generall for 
 the time being by him or them appointed or to be appointed 
 for the said Port Towne To the end such Deputy or Deputys 
 may from time to time send the same away to the Generall 
 Post Office in England to be delivered according to the sev- 
 erall and respective direccons of the same as by the said Act 
 of Parliament is prescribed and to dispatch away such of the 
 
2 9 
 
 said letters or Pacquetts as shall be directed or are to be car 
 ried from any of the said Islands Colonys or Plantacons from 
 time to time To have hold use exercise and enjoy the said 
 Office and Offices with the powers authorities priviledges 
 leave and lycence herein before mentioned and intended to be 
 hereby granted and to take perceive and receive the rates 
 and sumes aforesaid unto him the said Thomas Neale his exec 
 utors administrators and assignes To the onely use and 
 behoofe of him the said Thomas Neale his executors admin 
 istrators and assignes from the date of these our Letters 
 Patents for and dureing the Terme of twenty one yeares from 
 thence next ensueing and fully to be compleate and ended with 
 out any account or other matter or thing to be therefore 
 rendered or paid to us our heires or successors other then the 
 rent covenants and agreements herein after mentioned ren- 
 dring to us our heires and successors dureing the said Terme 
 the yearly rent of six shillings and eight pence to be paid into 
 our Exchequer in England at the Feast of St. Michaell the 
 Archangell yearly And Wee doe hereby for us our heirs and 
 successors authorize and comand the Postmaster and Post 
 masters Generall now and for the time being of us our heires 
 and successors from time to time to issue such Deputacons 
 as may better enable the said Thorn Thomas Neale his exec 
 utors administrators and assignes and such person or persons 
 as he or they shall from time to time nominate to exercise 
 and execute the powers and authorities to him or them 
 hereby given and granted or menconed or intended to be 
 given and granted in and about the premisses dureing the said 
 Terme of Twenty one yeares and Wee doe hereby also for 
 us our heires and successors strictly prohibit and forbid all 
 and every person and persons whatsoever (other then the said 
 Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes and 
 such person or persons as he or they shall nominate as afore 
 said) to sett up exercise or execute the like Office or Offices 
 within the Iselands Colonys and Plantations aforesaid or any 
 of them at any time or times within or during the continu 
 ance of the said Terme of one and Twenty yeares hereby 
 granted provided alwaies that nothing in these p sents con 
 tained shall extend or be construed to extend to restreyne 
 
30 
 
 any merchants masters or others from sending any letters or 
 pacquetts to or from the said Plantations or Colonys or any 
 of them by any masters of Ships or other vessells or by any 
 other person or persons which such merchants masters or 
 others will specially imploy or intrust for the carriage of the 
 same according to their respective direccons And the said 
 Thomas Neale Doth for himselfe his executors administrators 
 and assignes covenant promise and grant to and with us our 
 heires and successors by these presents that he the said 
 Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes or 
 such person or persons as he or they shall nominate as afore 
 said shall and will from time to time upon his or their receipt 
 or receipts of any letters or Pacquetts which shall be directed 
 into the said Iselands Colonyes and Plantations or any of 
 them from England or any other parts or from any parts or 
 places within the said Iselands Colonyes or Plantations to any 
 other parts or places within the same cause the said letters or 
 Pacquetts to be forthwith dispersed carried and delivered in 
 the severall parts of the said Iselands Colonies and Planta 
 tions as they shall be directed and from time to time as he 
 they or any of them shall collect or receive any letters or 
 Pacquetts to be sent from the said Plantations Islands or Col 
 onyes or any of them for England shall dispatch and send 
 away the same by the first Ship that shall be bound for any 
 Port of England to be there delivered to the next Deputy 
 Postmaster as aforesaid and where any letters or Pacquetts 
 shall be directed from any of the said Colonies Islands or 
 Plantations to some other of them that he or they shall dis 
 patch and send away the same according to the respective 
 direccons by the first conveniency of carriage or conveyance 
 thereof and that these services shall be performed with care 
 and without any neglect or delay at the rates before men 
 tioned And the said Thomas Neale doth further for himselfe 
 his executors administrators and assignes covenant promise 
 and grant to and with us our heires and successors by these 
 presents That he the said Thomas Neale his executors 
 administrators or assignes shall and will at his and their own 
 costs and charges keep accounts in bookes fairely written of 
 all the sumes of money and profitts whatsoever ariseing in 
 
f -.. 
 
 U 
 
 31 
 
 every yeare by the Office imployment or businesse aforesaid 
 and of all charges thereupon and shall suffer the said Bookes 
 to be inspected from time to time and coppies thereof or notes 
 out of the same to be taken by such person or persons as the 
 Comissioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England 
 for the time being shall appoint and shall and will within the 
 Twentieth yeare of the said Terme of twenty one yeares 
 hereby granted produce the said Bookes themselves or soe 
 many of them as shall be then made to the Comissioners of 
 the Treasury or High Treasurer of England then being To 
 the end he or they may have certaine knowledge of the yearly 
 value of the said Office or Offices for the future benefitt of us 
 our heires and successors And further that such publique 
 orders as the Governors of the said respective Plantacons 
 Islands or Colonies from time to time shall issue out for the 
 Imediate service of us our heires and successors shall be dis- 
 patcht and distributed by the said respective Offices without 
 any charge Provided that noe person or persons whatsoever 
 shall be capable of exerciseing the said Office or Offices or 
 any of them or any Deputacon relateing thereunto untill he 
 or they doe first take the oathes appointed by the Act of 
 Parliament made in the first yeare of our reigne Entituled 
 (An Act for the abrogateing the Oathes of Supremacy and 
 allegiance and appointing other oathes) Provided alsoe that if 
 it shall at any time hereafter be made appeare to us our 
 heires or successors that this our grant is inconvenient to our 
 subjects in generall or that the powers hereby granted or 
 mentioned to be granted or mentioned to be granted or any 
 of them is or are abused That then it shall and may be law- 
 full to and for us our heires and successors by any order of 
 or made in our or their Privy Councill to revoake determine 
 and make void these our Letters Patents and every clause 
 power and thing therein contained any thing to the contrary 
 thereof in any wise notwithstanding Provided further that if 
 the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or 
 assignes shall not within the space of two yeares next after 
 the date of these our Letters Patents establish the Post or 
 Office thereby intended within the Colonys Islands and Plan 
 tations aforesaid according to the true intent and meaning of 
 
32 
 
 these Presents Then this our grant and every power matter 
 and thing therein contained shall cease and be void any thing 
 to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And the 
 said Thomas Neale doth for himselfe his executors adminis 
 trators and assignes covenant promise and grant to and with 
 us our heires and successors that all letters or Pacquetts col 
 lected or received in any of the Plantations Iselands or Col- 
 onys aforesaid to be sent for England shall from time to time 
 be carefully put up and dispatched away by the first Ship 
 bound for any Port of England to be delivered by the next 
 Deputy Postmaster in England without any charge to the 
 Post Office here excepting and reserveing unto us our heires 
 and successors the English Inland Postage of all such letters 
 and Pacquetts last mentioned to be sent for England It being 
 hereby intended and declared that the same shall not be 
 accounted for to the said Thomas Neale his executors admin 
 istrators or assignes but that he and they shall and is and are 
 hereby obliged to satisfie and pay the masters of such 
 vessells for such conveyance and delivery of such letters 
 and pacquetts as shall be sent for England as aforesaid and 
 alsoe that he the said Thomas Neale his executors ad 
 ministrator or assignes shall and will at his and their owne 
 proper costs and charges nominate and appoint a sufficient 
 Officer in our City of London to receive and collect from time 
 to time all letters and Pacquetts for any of our Colonys or 
 Plantations aforesaid and to take care to send them duely 
 away from time to time by the first vessell bound for any of 
 those Parts And further that all letters comonly called State 
 letters which are usually carried Postage free here in England 
 shall pass free thorow all our Plantations and Iselands afore 
 said And further alsoe that he the said Thomas Neale his 
 executors administrators or assignes shall and will at the end 
 of the first three yeares next ensueing after the date of these 
 Presents transmitt or cause to be transmitted to the Com- 
 issioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England for 
 the time being a true and faithfull account in writeing upon 
 oath of the whole profitts and advantage ariseing or accrew- 
 ing by and the charge of settling and mannageing the said 
 Office or Offices herein before granted or mentioned to be 
 
33 
 
 granted and established and shall and will alsoe keep true and 
 faithful accounts in writeing of all the receipts and charges 
 aforesaid relating to the said Office or Imployment and that 
 from and after the expiracon of the said Three yeares next 
 ensueing after the date of this our Grant the like account shall 
 be yearly transmitted as aforesaid if thereunto required And 
 for the better excution of the powers and direccons herein 
 contained Wee have given and granted and by these Presents 
 for us our heires and successors doe give and grant unto the 
 said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes 
 full power and authority from time to time dureing the said 
 Terme of twenty one yeares to sett up make use and have 
 Ferrys over any River or Lake in our said Colonies Iselands 
 or Plantations where noe Ferrys are yet made nor any grant 
 thereof made or given to any other person or persons by us 
 or any of our Predecessors for the better conveyance of Post 
 age and Passengers as need shall require and to receive and 
 take the Profitts and advantage comeing or ariseing by such 
 Ferrys to the use and benefitt of him the said Thomas Neale 
 his executors administrators and assignes provided always and 
 our will and pleasure is and Wee do here for us our heires 
 and successors Declare that in all cases where such Ferry 
 or Ferrys are to be sett up and made over other Persons land 
 or water the Proprietor or Proprietors thereof shall be first 
 agreed with and his and their consent gained therein accord 
 ing to Law and Justice In Witnesse &c Witnesse ourselves 
 at Westm the seaventeenth day of February 
 
 By Writt of Privy Seale. 
 
 I certify that the foregoing is a true and authentic copy : 
 
 R. DOUGLAS TRIMMER 
 Assistant Keeper of the Public Records 
 I February 1894 
 
THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW 
 
 AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS 
 
 WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN 
 THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY 
 WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH 
 DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY 
 
 MAY 6 1940 
 
 LD21-100m-7, 39(402s) 
 
Photomounf 
 Pamphlet 
 
 Binder 
 Gaylord Bros. 
 
 Makers 
 Syracuse, N. Y 
 
 PAT. JAN 21, 1908 
 
 578854 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY