or other necessary places.”

The first post messenger started from New York, January 22, 1672/3, with sworn instructions to behave civilly, to inquire of 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:[8] “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 manteaux) 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.” Notwithstanding 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 concerning a post between New York and the British colonies as far as Boston.[9]

In the meantime Massachusetts had taken up the question again,[10] the general court on January 6, 1673/4, ordering that post messengers, who had previously received no stated allowance, should thereafter receive 3d. a mile in money and full satisfaction for the expenses of man and beast.[11]

In 1677 (June 1), further action was taken, the general court, in response to a petition of sundry merchants of Boston,[12] 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 Richard May suggested John Hayward selected.” The same year (October 8, 1674), the general court of Connecticut, meeting at Hartford,[13] gave specific instructions regarding the allowance for post riders; from Rye to Hartford, 12s. for the expenses of the horse, and 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 proposition of 1684,[14] 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 office[15] 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, 1684/5), Dongan writes[16] him that he had sent permission to set up a post house but no power to do it, although the neighboring colonies much desired it and in some places had established foot and horse messengers. He adds, “I am going to Connecticut 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, 1684/5), the governor ordained in the New York council,[17] “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[18] 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 summer, as Allyn suggests in his answer. A letter from Samuel Sewall[19] to Samuel Mather, at Windsor, Connecticut, as early as March 6, 1685/6[20], mentions John Perry as bearer and a postage of 3d. That this project was carried out is evident from the complaint brought before the council of New York[21] 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 being to destroy commerce and trade.

June 11th, 1689, the Massachusetts general court[22] appointed Richard Wilkins, postmaster, to receive all letters and deliver them out at 1d. each.

In 1691/2, a new era opened for the colonial post office. On February 7th, of that year, William and Mary, by letters patent, granted[23] to “Thomas Neale, Esq., his