The objective of the first stage-coach ever established being Chester naturally provokes inquiry. There seems to have been no other stage upon any road in that pioneer year. The preference for Chester argues a large traffic already existing on that road: men riding post-horses, women riding pillion behind friends, relatives, or servants, or possibly in some stage-waggon whose history has not come down to us. The coach can only have been established to satisfy a pre-existent demand. The question why there should have been more travellers on this route than any other is answered in this being the road to Ireland then generally followed, and Chester itself the port of embarkation for that country. Coventry and Stone were only served incidentally. The following spring witnessed an amazing burst of coaching activity, for the _Mercurius Politicus_ in April contained an advertisement announcing stage-coaches on the Exeter and Great North roads, to begin on the 26th of that month. They ran from the “George” Inn, Aldersgate Street Without:-- “On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Salisbury in two days for XX^s, Blandford and Dorchester in two days and a half for XXX^s, Burput in three days for XXX^s, and Exmaster, Hunnington, and Exeter in four days for XL^s. “Stamford in two days for XX^s, Newark in two days and a half for XXX^s, Doncaster and Ferribridge for XXXV^s, and York in four days for XL^s.” Every Monday and Wednesday others were to set forth for, “Ockinton and Plimouth for L^s. “Edinburgh, once a fortnight for £4 apeece. “Darneton and Ferryhill for L^s, Durham for LV^s, and Newark for £111.” Every Friday, “To Wakefield in four days for XL^s.” This advertisement then concluded by inviting passengers to another “George” Inn:-- “Let them repair to the George Inn on Holborn Bridge, and they shall be in good Coaches with good Horses at and for reasonable rates, to Salisbury, Blandford, Exmaster, Hunnington, Exeter, Ockinton, Plimouth, and Cornwal.” The extraordinarily misspelt names of some of the places mentioned in these notices show how ill-known the country then was. For “Burput” we must read Bridport; for “Hunnington,” Honiton; and for “Exmaster,” Axminster; “Ockinton” is probably Okehampton. At this time, and for very many years yet to come, the stage-coaches were strictly fair-weather services. With every recurrent spring they were brought out from their retirement, and so early as Michaelmas were taken off the roads and laid up for the winter. How the pioneer coach to Chester fared in its second season is hid from us, but the announcement of its third year, in 1659, is instructive:--