WHereas to this time there hath beene no certaine or conſtant entercourſe betweene the Kingdomes of England and Scotland, His Maieſty hath beene graciouſly pleaſed, to command His ſeruant Thomas Witherings Eſquire, His Maieſties Poſt-maſter of England for forraigne parts, to ſetle a running Poſt, or two, to run night and day betweene Edenburgh in Scotland, and the City of London; to goe thither, and come backe againe in ſixe dayes, and to take with them all ſuch Letters as ſhall be directed to any Poſt-towne, or any place neere any Poſt-towne in the ſaid Roade, which Letters to be left at the Poſt-houſe, or ſome other houſe, as the ſaid Thomas Witherings ſhall thinke conuenient: And By-Poſts to be placed at ſeuerall places out of the ſaid Roade, to run and bring in, and carry out of the ſaid Roades the Letters from Lincolne, Hall, and other places, as there ſhall be occaſion, and anſweres to be brought againe accordingly; And to pay Port for the carrying and recarrying of the ſaid Letters, Two pence the ſingle Letter, if vnder foureſcore Miles; And betweene foureſcore, and one hundred and fourty Miles, foure pence; If aboue a hundred and fourty Miles, then ſixe pence; and vpon the borders of Scotland, and in Scotland, Eight pence: If there be two, three, foure, or fiue Letters in one Packet, or more, Then to pay according to the bigneſſe of the ſaid Packet, after the rate as before; which money for Port as before, is to be paid vpon the receiuing and deliuery of the ſaid Letters here in London.

The like rule His Maieſty is pleaſed to order the ſaid Thomas W • therings to obſerue to Weſtcheſter, Holyhead, and from thence to Ireland, according to a prouiſion made by the Lord Deputie and Councill there; and to take Port betwixt the City of London and Holyhead, as before to the Northward; and to goe thither, and bring anſweres backe to the City of London, from all the places in that Roade in ſixe dayes, which is conſtantly hereafter to be obſerued; and to ſetle By-poſts in the ſaid Roade, as there ſhall be occaſion, for the benefit of all His Maieſties louing Subiects.

His Maieſty is pleaſed further to command the ſaid Thomas Witherings, to obſerue the like rule from the City of London to Plymouth; and to prouide ſufficient meſſengers to run night and day to Plymouth, and to returne within ſixe dayes to the City of London, and for carriage of the ſaid Letters to Plymouth, Exeter, and other places in that Roade, His Maieſtie doth Order the ſaid Thomas Witherings to take the like Port that now is paid as neere as poſſibly he can.

And further, His Maieſtie doth Command and Order the ſaid Thomas Witherings, ſo ſoone as poſſibly may be, to ſettle the like conueyance for Letters from Oxon, Briſtoll, and other places on that Roade, for the benefit of all His Subiects, And the like the ſaid Thomas Witherings is to obſerue with all conuenient ſpeed to Colcheſter, and ſo to Norwich, and diuers other places in that Roade.

The three firſt conueyances from London to Edenburgh, from London to Weſtcheſter and Holyhead in Wales, and from London to Plymouth and Exeter, are to begin the firſt weeke after Michaelmas next.

Now for the better enabling the ſaid Thomas Witherings to goe forward with this ſeruice, and for the aduancement of all His Maieſties Subiects in their Trade and correſpondence; His Maieſtie doth hereby Command and Order all His Poſt-Maſters vpon all the Roades of England, To haue ready in their Stables one or two Horſes, according as the ſaid Thomas Wi • herings ſhall haue occaſion to vſe them, to carry ſuch Meſſengers with their Portmantles, as ſhall be imployed in the ſaid ſeruice, to ſuch Stage or Place as his preſent occaſions ſhall direct him to: If the ſaid Meſſenger ſhall haue occaſion but for one Horſe, then to leaue him at the place where he ſhall take freſh Horſe, paying for him Two pence halfe-peny for euery Mile; if two Horſes, then to take a Guide and pay Fiue pence a Mile.

And that the ſaid Poſt-Maſters may be prouided for this ſeruice, His Maieſtie doth hereby Order and Command, that ſuch Horſes as ſhall be prouided for the ſaid ſeruice, ſhall not vpon that day the Meſſenger ſhall be expected, let, or ſend forth the ſaid Horſes ſo prouided, vpon any other occaſion whatſoeuer.

And His Maieſties further Will and Pleaſure is, that from the beginning of this ſeruice or imployment, no other Meſſenger or Meſſengers, Foot-Poſt or Foot-Poſts, ſhall take vp, carry, receiue, or deliuer any Letter or Letters whatſoeuer, other then the Meſſengers appointed by the ſaid Thomas Witherings to any ſuch place or places as the ſaid Thomas Witherings ſhall ſettle the conueyances, as aforeſaid. Except common known Carryers, or a particular Meſſenger, to be ſent of purpoſe with a Letter by any man for his owne occaſions, or a Letter by a friend. And if any Poſt, Meſſenger, or Letter-Carryer whatſoeuer, ſhall offend contrary to this His Maieſties Proclamation; His Maieſtie vpon complaint thereof made, will cauſe a ſeuere exemplary puniſhment to be inflicted vpon ſuch delinquents.

And His Maieſtie doth hereby ſtrictly require and Command all His louing Subiects whatſoeuer, duly to obſerue and performe His Royall Pleaſure herein declared, as they will anſwere the contrary at their perils.

And laſtly, His Maieſtie doth hereby charge and command all Iuſtices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Conſtables, Headboroughs, and all other His Officers and Miniſters whatſoeuer, to be aiding and aſſiſting to the ſaid Thomas Witherings, in the due accompliſhment of this His Maieſties will and pleaſure.