together with severall other great conveniencys of publique importance, consonant to the commands laid upon us by his sacred majestie, who strictly enjoins all his American subjects to enter into a close correspondency with each other ... this person that has undertaken the employment I conceaved most proper, being voted active, stout and indefatigable.... I have affixt an annuall sallery on him, which, together with the advantage of his letters and other small portable packes, may afford him a handsome livelyhood.... The maile has divers baggs, according to the towns the letters are designed to, which are all sealed up ’till their arrivement, with the seal of the secretarie’s office, whose care it is on Saturday night to seale them up. Only by-letters are in an open bag, to dispense by the wayes.... I shall only beg of you your furtherance to so universall a good work; that is, to afford him directions where, and to whom to make his application to upon his arrival at Boston; as likewise to afford him what letters you can to establish him in that employment there. It would be much advantageous to our designe, if in the intervall you discoursed with some of the most able woodmen, to make out the best and most facile way for a post, which in processe of tyme would be the king’s best highway; as likewise passages and accommodation at rivers, fords, or other necessary places.” [7] Brodhead, _History of the State of New York_, Vol. II., pp. 196-98. The first post messenger started from New York, January 22, 1672/3, with sworn instructions to behave civilly, to inquire of Winthrop how to form the best post road, and to mark the trees for the direction of passengers. To quote from the _Memorial History of New York_:[8] “It is recorded as creating great excitement in the little village of Harlem, when that first postman drew up at the tavern door to refresh himself, as he undoubtedly did, with some good home-brewed Harlem beer--his ‘port mantles’ (port manteaux) crammed with ‘letters and small portable goods,’ the ‘locked box’ in the office of the colonial secretary accumulating the next month’s mail, and what he had brought, being carried to the ‘coffee house’ to be ‘well thumbed’ until called for.” Notwithstanding this auspicious beginning, the project fell through, probably because of the Dutch and other wars of the time, and was not revived by this colony until 1684, when Thomas Dongan, governor of New York, and Thomas Treat, governor of Connecticut, conferred concerning a post between New York and the British colonies as far as Boston.[9] [8] _Memorial History of N. Y._, Vol. I., pp. 355-56. [9] Brodhead, _History of N. Y._, Vol. II., p. 413. In the meantime Massachusetts had taken up the question again,[10] the general court on January 6, 1673/4, ordering that post messengers, who had previously received no stated allowance, should thereafter receive 3d. a mile in money and full satisfaction for the expenses of man and beast.[11]