Her Majesty's Mails

ARCHBISHOP PARKER to SIR W. CECIL. SIR, According to the Queen's Majesty's pleasure, and your advertisement, you shall receive a form of prayer, which, after you have perused and judged of it, shall be put in print and published immediately, &c. &c. From my house at Croyden, this 22d July, 1566, at four of the clock, afternoon. Your honour's alway, MATTHEW CANT. This letter is thus endorsed by successive postmasters, according to the existing custom. Received at Waltham Cross the 23d of July, at nine at night. Received at Ware the 23d of July at 12 at night. Received at Croxton the 24th of July, between 7 and 8 of the morning. So that his Grace's letter, which would appear to have been so important as that one or more messengers were required to travel night and day in order to deliver it at the earliest possible moment, took 40 hours to travel 63 miles.