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Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
37
In
the
year
1649
the
Common
Council
of
London
deliberately
established
a
post-office
for
inland
letters
in
direct
rivalry
to
that
of
the
Parliament.
But
the
Commons,
although
they
had
loudly
denounced
the
formation
of
a
monopoly
by
the
Crown,
proceeded
to
put
down
this
infringement
of
the
one
which
they
had
but
lately
secured
to
themselves.
The
City
authorities,
backed,
as
they
were
in
those
days,
by
immense
power,
stoutly
denied
that
the
Parliament
had
any
exclusive
privilege
in
the
matter.
They
could
see
no
reason
why
there
should
not
be
"another
weekly
conveyance
of
letters
and
for
other
uses"
(this
latter
clause
most
probably
meaning
conveyance
of
parcels
and
packets).
Though
pressed
to
do
so,
"they
refused
to
seek
the
sanction
of
Parliament,
or
to
have
any
direction
from
them
in
their
measure."[15]
"The
Common
Council,"
it
is
further
stated
by
way
of
complaint,
"have
sent
agents
to
settle
postages
by
their
authority
on
several
roads,
and
have
employed
a
natural
Scott,
who
has
gone
into
Scotland,
and
hath
there
settled
postmasters
(others
than
those
for
the
state)
on
all
that
road."
Prideaux
took
care
to
learn
something
from
the
rival
company.
He
lowered
his
rates
of
postage,
increased
the
number
of
despatches,
and
then
resolutely
applied
himself
to
get
the
City
establishment
suppressed.
Prideaux,
who
had
now
become
Attorney-General,
invoked
the
aid
of
the
Council
of
State.
The
Council
reported
that,
"as
affairs
now
stand,
they
conceive
that
the
office
of
Postmaster
is,
and
ought
to
be,
in
the
sole
power
and
disposal
of
Parliament."
After
this
decision
the
City
posts
were
immediately
and
peremptorily
suppressed,
and
from
this
date
the
carrying
of
letters
has
been
the
exclusive
privilege
of
the
Crown.
Though
the
Government
succeeded
in
establishing
the
monopoly,
public
opinion
was
greatly
against
the
measure.
The
authorities
of
the
city
of
London,
as
may
well
be
imagined,
were
incessant
in
their
exertions
to
defeat
it,
not
only
at
that
time,
but
on
many
subsequent
occasions.
Pamphlets
were
written
on
the
subject,
and
one
book,
especially,
deserves
mention,
inasmuch
as
its
author
bore
a
name
now
memorable
in
the
annals
of
the
British
Post-Office.
In
1659
was
published
a
book,
entitled
John
Hill's
Penny
Post;
or
a
vindication
of
the
liberty
of
every
Englishman
in
carrying
merchants'
or
other
men's
letters
against
any
restraints
of
farmers
of
such
employment.
4to.
1659.
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