It was enacted that[53] “a Poste Office and officers be henceforth appointed and settled in some Convenient place within the Towne of Portsmouth for Receiveing & dispatching awaye according to direction all letters and packetts that shall be brought thereinto & no Person or Persons whatsoever shall presume to Carry or recarry any letter or letters for hire but only such as belongs to the Poste Office dureing their power and authority from the aforesaid Thos. Nele Except such letters of Merchants and Masters which shall be sent by any Master of any Ship Boat or other vessel of Merchandise or by any other Person employed by them for the carrying of such letters aforesaid According to the Respective Direction And also Except letters to be sent by any private friend or friends in their way of Journey or Travill or by any Messenger or Messengers sent on purpose for or concerning the private affaires of any Person or Persons.” Whoever offended against this Act should “forfeit the sum of ten pounds one halfe to their Majesties Towards the support of the Governor of this province The other halfe to the Postmaster Genrl.” All “Letters & Packetts” were to be delivered by the importer at the post house or to the post officer, receiving in return a half-penny for each, the person to whom directed paying two pence for each letter, and for a “Packett no lesse than 3 letters besides Bills Loading Invoyces Gazette etc four pence. And for each letter brought from Boston in to this Province not exceeding five pence and Doble for a Packett and so proportionately for Letters on this sid Boston shall be paid with the customary allowance in the Government from whense they come.” Neglect of duty in keeping constant post or in delivering letters was punishable by a fine of £5, “The one halfe to their Majesties the other halfe to the party agreved.” All letters concerning their majesties’ service were to be received and dispatched with all possible speed free from charge. It was “further enacted and ordained that the officer of the Post House haveing Licence granted to Retaile Beer Sider & Ale within Doors according to Law shall have his Excise free and no officer of the Excise shall demand anything of him for the same and his Person to be excused from watching and warding.” The foregoing Act was to continue in force for three years from the publication, but in 1694 (May 12th), an additional act for the encouragement of the post office was passed,[54] since “notwithstanding a late act for the Setling a Poste Office within this Province Sundrie Letters are brought by ships and other vessell a longe shore to the Prejudice of those who are at the charge of keeping a poste goeing once a week by land.” It was “Enacted by the Liet. Governor Counsill & Representatives convened in Genl. Assembly” that thereafter all masters of sloops or other vessels arriving within the Province should deliver all letters brought in by them, except such as concerned the loading of