Page 52 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

1690-1699

* 9 8 0 3 NEWS [March 31-April 4, 1698)
These are to give Notice, That a Post will go to and from Newmarket every Night during His Majesty's stay there,
beginning this present Monday.

* 9 8 0 4 NEWS [June 16-20, 1698]

Whereas the Post-Boy bringing the Grand Mail from Bristol to London, was upon Thursday last the 16th instant,
about 11 at night, set upon at Maidenhead Thicket by 4 Highwaymen, who blindfolded him, and broke open the Mail,
wherein were the several Bags of Letters from Bristol, Bath, Chipenham, Marlborough, Caln, Newberry, Hungerford,
Amesbury, Reading, Devizes, Warminster, Troubridge, Bradford, Frome, and other Places upon that Road, and took away
the greatest part of the Letters; All Persons who sent any Bills of Exchange, Exchequer Bills, or other Papers of value by
that Post, are desired to give Notice thereof to their Correspondents that they may not be imposed upon; And whoever
shall discover any of the said Highwaymen, so as he or they be Convicted of this Crime, shall receive £40 Reward to be paid
by the Receiver-General of the Post-Office.

* 9 8 0 5 NEWS [June 23-27, 1698]

These are to give Notice, That the Post will go and return every day (Sundays excepted) betwixt London and
Tunbridge during the Season for Drinking the Waters, beginning so to do this present Monday.

* 9 8 0 6 NEWS [July 14-18, 1698]

Whereas Information has been this day given to the Board, that notwithstanding His Majesties Order in Council of the
13th Instant, the Mischievous Practice of Robbing the Mails is still continued, and that the Post with the Northern Mail,
containing all the Letters from the North, was set upon near Wades-mill, two miles beyond Ware, about Four of the Clock
in the morning, on the 15th day of this month, by Two Robbers or Highwaymen, who opened all the Bags, and broke open
the Letters and Pacquets, and carried away what they thought fit of them. And whereas by such Evil Practices the General
Correspondency by the Post may be much Discouraged, and the Trade of the Kingdom very much prejudiced thereby. His
Majesty in consideration thereof, by and with the Advice of His Privy Council, bath thought fit strictly to Charge and
Require all His Living Subjects to Discover, by all the Ways and Means that may be, and upon such Discovery to Take and
Apprehend the Persons concerned in the said Robbery, or any of them, wheresoever they may be found, and to carry them
before the next Justice of the Peace or Chief Magistrate who are hereby Commanded and Required to Commit them to the
next Gaol, there to remain until they shall be thence delivered by due Course of Law, and thereof to give notice to the Privy
Council, or to One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. And His Majesty is hereby pleased to Publish and
Declare, that whosoever shall be found to Conceal any of the said Persons shall be proceeded against, for such their
Offence, with the utmost Severity according to Law; And that whoever shall Discover and Apprehend the Persons so
concerned in the said Robbery, or any of them, and bring them before any of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, or other
Chief Magistrate as aforesaid, shall receive as a Reward the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, which said Sum of Two hundred
Pounds His Majesty is pleased to Order to be paid to them accordingly by the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners
of the Treasury. And His Majesty is further pleased to Declare, That if any Person concerned in the said Robbery shall
Discover and Apprehend any the Persons concerned therein, and Carry them before such Justice of the Peace or other
Chief Magistrate as aforesaid, such Person shall not only Have and Receive the said Reward of Two hundred Pounds, but
shall have His Majesty's most Gracious Pardon for his said Offence.
JOHN POVEY.

* 9 8 0 7 NEWS [July 18-21, 1698]

The Posts between England and France being now settled, the Mails for France will set out by the way of Dover, on
Mondays and Thursdays at 12 a Clock at night as formerly, and will go for the first time this present Thursday.

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