Page 43 - Fenning_Scoland

1668 - 'Give the poast drinkmoney ffor I have ingaged to satysfie him for 5 s ster. 1

1 Bth July 1668. Edinburgh to Selkirk letter addressed:

For William Mitchel/hill, baillie of Selkirk
or in his absence to Wm Scot baillie there
These
Give the poast drinkmoney ffor
I have ingaged to satiysfie him tor 5 s ster.

There is no record of a public post on this road in 1668 so 'the poast' must have been a
private or Burgh messenger, hired to carry this letter. Five shillings sterling was a very high
price, so was, perhaps, intended to cover other expenses such as food, accommodation or
horse hire. 'Drinkmoney' was a term for a gratuity provided in addition to an agreed fee.

The addressee, William Mitchellhill, was a Baillie who represented Selkirk at numerous
Conventions of Burghs from 1655 to 1690. In 1668, the year of this letter, he was charged
with others, with riot, for driving John Riddell of Haining's cattle from Selkirk Common.