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Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
14
Henry
VIII.
instituted
the
office
of
"Master
of
the
Postes,"[4]
with
entire
control
of
the
department.
During
the
king's
lifetime
the
office
was
filled
by
one
Brian
Tuke,
afterwards
Sir
Brian.
We
gain
some
insight
into
the
duties
of
the
office,
and
also
into
the
manner
in
which
the
work
is
done,
from
the
following
letter
(found
in
the
voluminous
correspondence
of
Thomas
Cromwell)
from
the
"Master
of
the
Postes,"
no
doubt
in
exculpation
of
himself
and
his
arrangements,
which
seem
to
have
been
in
some
way
called
in
question
by
the
Lord
Privy
Seal.
"The
Kinge's
Grace
hath
no
moo
ordinary
postes,
ne
of
many
days
hathe
had,
but
betwene
London
and
Calais.
For,
sir,
ye
knowe
well,
that,
except
the
hackney
horses
betwene
Gravesende
and
Dovour,
there
is
no
suche
usual
conveyance
in
post
for
men
in
this
realme
as
in
the
accustomed
places
of
France
and
other
parties;
ne
men
can
keepe
horses
in
redynes
without
som
way
to
bere
the
charges;
but
when
placardes
be
sent
for
such
cause,
(viz.
to
order
the
immediate
forwarding
of
some
state
packet,)
the
constables
many
tymes
be
fayne
to
take
horses
oute
of
plowes
and
cartes,
wherein
can
be
no
extreme
diligence."
The
king's
worthy
secretary
thus
charges
the
postmaster
with
remissness,
and
the
mails
with
tardiness,
when
the
facts,
as
gathered
from
the
above
letter,
show
that
the
Government
had
not
gone
to
the
trouble
and
expense
of
providing
proper
auxiliaries,
as
in
France;
ergo,
they
could
not
expect
the
same
regularity
and
despatch.
Master
Tuke
then
defends
the
character
of
his
men.
"As
to
the
postes
betwene
London
and
the
Courte,
there
be
now
but
2;
whereof
the
on
is
a
good
robust
felowe,
and
wont
to
be
diligent,
evil
intreated
meny
times,
he
and
other
postes,
by
the
herbigeours,
for
lack
of
horse
rome
or
horse
mete,
withoute
which
diligence
cannot
be.
The
other
hathe
been
a
most
payneful
felowe
in
nyght
and
daye,
that
I
have
knowen
amongst
the
messengers.
If
he
nowe
slak
he
shalbe
changed
as
reason
is."
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