make Packer, the foot post, a coat." In 1616, Packer was sent by the
same official to Brewham to collect rents, and was paid 3s. 8d. for a
journey, out and home, of 60 miles. This system of a foot post to
collect money in King James the First's reign appears to be an early
application of the somewhat analogous plan, which of recent years has
been under departmental consideration as "C.O.D.," or collection of
business and trade charges by the postman on delivery of parcels--an
exemplification of there being nothing new under the sun!

That travelling and the conveyance of letters was difficult in 1626 is
evident from the fact that nearly L60 was spent in setting up wooden
posts along the highway and causeway at Kingswood, for the guidance of
travellers, the tracks being then unenclosed, so that the "foot post"
must have had no enviable task on his journeys. In October, 1637, John
Freeman was appointed "thorough post" at Bristol, and ordered to provide
horses for all men riding post on the King's affairs of King Charles I:
Letters were not to be detained more than half a quarter of an hour,
and the carriers were to run seven miles an hour in summer, and five in
winter. A Government "running post" from London to Bristol and other
towns was ordered on July 31st, 1638. No messengers were thenceforth to
run to and from Bristol except those appointed by Thomas Withering, but
letters were allowed to be sent by common carriers, or by private
messengers passing between friends. The postage was fixed at twopence
for under 80 miles, and at fourpence for under 140 miles.

In 1644 Lord Hopton "commanded" the grant of the freedom of Bristol to
one Richard Allen, "Postmaster-General." In August, 1643, Lord Hopton
was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Bristol, and held that appointment
until 1645, when Fairfax took the city. Probably Allen was
Postmaster-General of Bristol, and his authority may have extended to
other parts of the country that were held by the King's forces. Prideaux
was appointed Master of the Posts by Parliament, and his jurisdiction
extended as far as the country was under the control of Parliament, as
distinguished from such parts of England as adhered to the King. In
1644, however, very few places--Bristol was one of them--still adhered
to Charles. At an earlier stage of the civil war special posts had been
arranged for the King's service, and it is thought Bristol was one of
the places to which these special posts