Lame horses 337 Whitley's care for Members of Parliament 338 Foreign craftsmen brought over in packet boats 339 Salary of post-master of Edinburgh 340 Accidents to post riders 341 Treatment of Dead Letters 341 Whitley's obliging nature 343 His views of the wicked rebellion 344 Presents made to Whitley 345 Whitley's love of oysters 349 Delayed payment for conveying expresses 350 Duke of York a Postmaster-General 351 THE POST IN GRANT AND FARM CHAPTER I In order to understand the circumstances under which the public postal service in England was first established, it is necessary to go back to an earlier period, and look at the patents granted to the Chief Postmasters, whose duties did not then go beyond the forwarding of despatches for the monarch or his government. A patent granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1590 to John Stanhope, as Master of the Posts, was surrendered to James I. in 1607, and (with the view, no doubt, of securing the succession to Stanhope's son) a new patent was granted to Stanhope, now Lord Stanhope of Harrington, and to Charles, his son and heir-apparent. The appointment was as "Master of the Messengers and Runners, commonly called the king's posts, as well within the kingdom as in parts beyond the seas, within the king's dominions." The nominal wages or fee attaching to this office amounted to £66, 13s. 4d. per annum, being the same as was granted to the Postmasters Sir William Paget and John Mason in the year 1545. But there were casualties attaching to the office, yielding a more certain income, which were doubtless the sums paid by the deputies for admittance to their employments. This will be referred to hereafter.