The post in grant and farm

Front matter

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE

SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND

THE GIFT OF

Preface

There has not hitherto been published anydetailed account of the first establishment, in this country, of the Post Office as a public institution ; nor does it appear that anything has been made known of the men who were instrumental in building up this useful fabric, in the years of its infancy, beyond the barren mention of their names. In some cases, moreover, in such bald notices as have been given of the early posts, important names are wholly omitted, and in others the names of men are associated with events in which they had little concern. What is disclosed in the following pages is an attempt not only to give a fairly full and true

VI PREFACE

account of the first forty years' existence of the Inland Posts in Britain, but to tell something of the men to whom the credit is due of contriving and bringing into working shape this great machine of public convenience and utility. The facts here narrated are collected from the Public Records, original documents, and other authentic sources. In the extracts which have been made from original papers, modern orthography, as being more convenient for the reader, has been generally employed ; but in a few cases the tone and flavour of the antique have been retained in the original spelling.

I have to acknowledge with gratitude the very kindly assistance given me by librarians, not only in Edinburgh but elsewhere, and by other gentlemen in public positions, who have assisted me in clearing up points of difficulty.

Edinburgh, 1894.

Chapter I Page

The King's Post — John Stanhope's patent, 1590 . . i Wages of Chief Postmaster — Confusion of terms

" post," " packet," etc. . .... 2

Charles i. in need of money— Offices bought and sold

— Scope of Lord Stanhope's patent ... 4 New office created of Postmaster for Foreign Posts,

out of the king's dominions 5

De Quester and his son appointed Foreign Postmasters 6 Contest between Stanhope and the De Questers —

Who the De Questers were 7

William Frizell and Thomas Witherings succeed the

De Questers 8

Letters for the public carried by the Foreign Postmasters — Delays of the posts . . . .11 Philip Burlamachi, subsequently Acting Postmaster —

Who he was 13

Orders for the Foreign Posts drawn up by Secretary

Coke 14

Witherings visits the Continent 15

Posts by estafette, or fixed stages, established — Dover

packet 16

Vlll CONTENTS

PAGE

Quarrels between Witherings and others — Witherings

suspended from office 17

Witherings and Frizell contend for possession of the

office ... 19

Sir John Coke, Witherings' patron . . . .21

Conflicting opinions of Witherings .... 22

Merchants petition in favour of Witherings ... 23

Attempts to set up rival posts 24

CHAPTER II Witherings recovers his office 27

Settlement of accounts during period of sequestration 28

Post stages in France

Robberies of Channel packets ....

Measures taken to resist attacks — More outrages

People of Calais attack the English packet boat .

Armed packet boat, the Speedy Post, provided

Witherings' family connection ....

Stated to have been a papist, and Gentleman Harbinger

to the Queen -44

Probable interest at Court — Said to have been a mercer of London — His wife — She assists in purchasing his office — Value of money in middle of seven^ teenth century

Corruption and Court favouritism

Inland Posts

Means for sending inland letters— Probable convey ance by postmasters on their own account .

Conveyance by carriers

Postmasters on Western Road set up a chain of posts for letters of the public, 1630 — Foot post from Barnstaple to Exeter to work into the London posts 50

29 30 33 39 42

45 46

48 49

CONTENTS IX

PAGE

Project for Inland Public Posts, 1633— Estimated

number of letters then reaching London . . 52 Troubles with postmasters and hackneymen on Dover

Road as to charges 53

Pressing of horses — Difficulties between postmasters

Stanhope interferes with the public conveyance of

letters by the Western postmasters — He tries to

raise the price of purchase of their offices . . 57 Petition of Foreign Post messengers dismissed by

Witherings 59

Foot post between London and Dover — Carrying gold

out of the realm 60

Speed of posts, 1633 62

Condition of roads and difficulty of travelling . . 63 Quality of English horses and riders .... 68

CHAPTER III Witherings propounds a scheme of Inland Posts for

use of public, 1635 69

Proclamation issued for giving effect to his' proposals . 75

Probable difficulties of working ^^

Deputy postmasters unable to supply fit horses . . 78

Arrears of deputies' pay 80

Stanhope's removal from office, 1637 .... 85

He petitions for arrears of pay 86

Reasons for his removal suggested .... 88

The manner of his removal 90

Patent granted to Witherings for Foreign Letter Office gi Stanhope's place granted to Secretaries Coke and

Windebank 92

Witherings appointed their Deputy— Claim to Stanhope's late office by Endymion Porter ... 93

X CONTENTS

PAGE

Servile language of the period g6

William Lake applies for some benefit in the Post Office loo

Deputy Postmaster of the Court loi

Scale of wages allowed to deputy postmasters . • 104

Direct courses of old roads 107

New regulations for the posts, July 1637 . . . 108

The king's troubles in Scotland 121

The mails run thick 122

Women oppose the introduction of the Service-Book . 122

Plague at Hull, 1637 125

Method of disinfecting letters 126

CHAPTER IV The Secretaries consider as to the removal of Wither

ings — Reasons for proposed removal . . .127

Troubles with public carriers— Carriers contend for their right to convey letters ....

They are supported by the Norwich merchants .

Concessions made to the carriers ....

Jason Grover, carrier, imprisoned ....

Proclamation settling Witherings' office

Complaints made by postmasters .

Demands for horses

Complaints against postmasters made by the public

Traffic in postmasterships

More petitions from postmasters ....

Witherings quarrels

Difficulty with the Earl of Northumberland

Chapter V 129 131 133 135 138 140

Sickness of Witherings and his reported death— Philip

Burlamachi applies for Witherings' office . .161

CONTENTS XI

Divisions in the kingdom 163

Proposed opening of post letters 164

Burlamachi's services to the King's party . . . 165 Fight for the possession of a post letter . . .166 A proposed duel over the seizing of post horses . .169 Packet boat employed between Whitehaven and

Dublin — Witherings' office sequestered . . -173

Attacks upon Witherings 1 75

Nature of charges made against him . . . • I77 The Secretaries of State try to undo Witherings — Witherings imprisoned — Assigns an interest in his place to the Earl of Warwick . . . -179 Committee of the House of Commons to consider question of the Posts — Deliverance in favour of Witherings as regards the Foreign Letter Office . 181 Deliverance respecting the Inland Posts . . .182 Decision against Witherings, Coke, and Windebank,

in regard to imprisonment of carriers . . .183

Rough treatment of Witherings 185

Earl of Warwick urges ejection of Burlamachi . .186

Chapter VI

Inland Letter Office to be delivered to Earl of Warwick 187 Burlamachi required to produce accounts . . .188 Mails to be seized and delivered to the Earl of

Warwick 189

Burlamachi imprisoned— He produces accounts . . 190 Foreign Letter Office remains with Witherings, the

Inland Letter Office with the Earl of Warwick . 191 James Hickes, clerk in the Foreign Letter Office- Goes over to the King at Oxford . . . .192 King Charles sets up an independent system of Posts . 193 Imprisonment of Hickes I9S

Xll CONTENTS

Witherings assessedbyCommitteefor Advance ofMoney 196 Earl of Warwick removed from the Post Office, and

Mr. Prideaux ordered to settle post stages . .197 Orders to search the mails — Witherings to prosecute

Wilkes for seditious speeches .... 198

Witherings prosecuted on a charge of taking part in

an insurrection in Essex 199

He is acquitted — Has a serious illness, and makes his

will 200

Packet boat taken by the Irish — Irish packets in 1650 201 The Council recommend that the Posts be in the sole

power and disposal of Parliament .... 202 Council of State place Mr. Prideaux, Attorney-General,

in charge of the Inland Posts — Witherings still

enjoys the Foreign Letter Office .... 203 Serjeant-at-Arms ordered to search the mails . . 204

Vigilance of the Council 205

Council consider the question of the Foreign Letter

Office 206

Renewed charges of delinquency against Witherings . 207 Witherings alleges malicious prosecution — He is

acquitted 209

Contributes ^1000 "to the going-away of the Lord- Lieutenant for Ireland" 210

Witherings' death— Epitaph to Witherings in church at

Homchurch, Essex 211

His character and work 213

CHAPTER VII Council of State to consider question of the Inland

and Foreign Posts 216

Foreign Letter Office carried on for behoof of Witherings' son and nephew 217

CONTENTS Xlll

PAGE

Rival claimants for possession of the Posts, Inland and

Foreign 218

Suggestions made by the Committee for the Management of the Posts — The Posts to be farmed and

tenders called for 219

Tenders 222

Council of State let the Posts — Inland and Foreign —

on farm to John Manley 223

Rival posts 224

The " first undertakers " for reducing the postage . 225

Prideaux's agents murder a post-boy .... 228 The " first undertakers " drive Prideaux out of the

field 229

Council furnish Manley with warrant to take possession

of the Posts 231

His method of taking possession 232

Chapter VIII

Manley at the head of the Posts — Who he was . . 234 John Thurloe, Secretary of State, to manage the Post

Office 23s

Act passed for Post Office, 1657 235

Postage rates 236

Post Office farmed to Thurloe— Interception of letters 237

Mails violated 238

Mails searched for counterfeit gold — Value of Post

Office to ruling powers 240

Thurloe removed from the Post Office . . . .241

The Farm passes to Dr. Benjamin Worsley . . . 243

His previous employments 244

Worsley turned out of the Post Office . . . -245

Thomas Scott controls the Post Office .... 246

Scott a regicide — His execution ..... 247

XIV

CONTENTS

Chapter IX Page

Colonel Henry Bishop obtains the Farm — Who he was 249

His burial-place — Some conditions of the Farm . . 250

Clement Oxenbridge's influence at the Post Office . 251

Scramble for places at the Restoration .... 252

Some petitions 253

Disaffected staff in the Post Office .... 256

Number of officers 258

Letters first stamped ... ... 260

Charges against Bishop 262

Bishop ceases to be Farmer 264

Colonel Dan. O'Neale succeeds to the office . . . 266

O'Neale's previous career 267

Attempts to put down irregularities .... 269 Independence of the Edinburgh Deputy . . .271

Profits of Post Office settled on Duke of York . . 272

Chapter X

Music at the Post Office The Plague of London .

Petition of James Hickes The Great Fire of London Locations of the Post Office Labels or post-boys' way-bills Stages from London to Berwick Times of transit of Continental Mails News collected through the Post Office Rate of travelling by post-boys in 1666 Notice taken of neglects

Chapter XI

Lord Arlington becomes Postmaster-General His Deputy Postmasters-General .

CONTENTS

XV

Country deputies pay a fine for continuance in office

Reduction of salaries

Early post-office letter-books preserved

Colonel Roger Whitley appointed Arlington's Deputy

Wages further reduced — Exemptions enjoyed by

Deputies

Dilatoriness of the deputies in making payments Delays of mails in Wales .... Advantages of farming the Post Office Conciliatory character of Whitley Whitley pushes business ....

By-letters

Whitley's opinion of attorneys

On Conformity

296 297 300 300

CHAPTER XII Caustic correspondence 3I9

Liverpool's first horse-post 320

Circulation of Irish letters 321

One delivery a day in London 322

The Packet Service 323

An express way-bill 32 S

Ship letters 325

Irregular conduct of masters of packet boats . . 327

Tonnage of packets 329

Proposed transit through England of letters from

Flanders and Holland to Spain and Portugal . 330 Whitley's sympathy for his seamen . . . -331

Want of accommodation for letters at the post-houses 332

Careless treatment of the mails 334

Young post-boys 33°

Lame horses 337

Whitley's care for Members of Parliament . . . 338

XVI

CONTENTS

PAGE

Foreign craftsmen brought over in packet boats . . 339

Salary of postmaster 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

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 employnients. This will be referred to hereafter. In studying the post-ofifice history of this early period, the inquirer is apt to be misled by some of the terms used ; for the words "post," "postmaster," "pacquett," and the like, were not always applied in the modern sense, the word " post " sometimes serving to designate common carriers, and "postmaster" being used indifferently to indicate the Master of the Posts and the postmasters on the roads. The word pacquett was also applied to common carriers. An instance of the last mentioned is given in M'Dowall's Chronicles of Lincluden. A letter was written from the abbey on the 24th August 1625, to the " richte noble and verrie guid Lord the Earl of Nithisdaill," in which the following words appear : — They " intreat the richt guid lord to help them suddenly — at once ; and more especially that he would procure an order from the King's Treasurer to stay the legal proceedings directed against them, until His Majesty's pleasure in the matter shall have been made known. Because of the urgency of their case, the noble lord is requested to favour them with an answer by a bearer of his own in the event of the ordinary 'pakett' being unavailable." Now the word " pakett " here does not refer to the post, but to the packman — the carrier — with his pack of goods. In what follows we shall endeavour, as far as possible, to use terms that will prevent any confusion of the kind indicated.

The reign of Charles i. was one full of abuses. The king required money to maintain the excesses of his Court ; his ministers were called upon to find the money ; they themselves had to wring it out of the pockets of the people ; and its passage through their hands produced such attenuation that but a small portion reached the royal coffers. Clarendon says that of ;^200,ooo drawn from the subject in a year by various oppressions, scarcely ^1500 came to the king's use or account. Monopolies in trade were granted for lump sums paid down, offices were bought and sold, no man seemed secure without support of a patron, and patronage was a marketable commodity.

It will be remembered that Lord Stanhope's patent covered not only the control of the inland posts, but the posts in foreign parts, within the kings dominions. Although Stanhope was not by patent specifically empowered to send or work posts in foreign parts, out of the kings dominions, it appears to have been his practice to do So, undertaking, as may be supposed, all the various duties of conveying the king's letters, and packets to whatever parts they might be directed.

A somewhat similar condition of want of funds as that existing in the reign of Charles distinguished the reign of his father, James i.

Now it is quite probable that, for the sole purpose of raising money by the sale of a new office, advantage was taken by James of an opening in Stanhope's patent, to make a new appointment of Master of the Posts in Foreign Parts, out of the kings dominions.

By the recital of a patent bearing date the 30th April of the seventeenth year of James I., we learn that the king " appointed that there should be an office or place called Postmaster of England for Foreign Parts, being out of the king's dominions ; that the office should be a sole office by itself, and not member or part of any other office or place of Postmaster whatsoever ; and that there should be one sufficient person or persons, to be by the king from time to time nominated and appointed, who should be called the Postmaster or Postmasters of England for Foreign Parts, etc.; and, for the considerations therein mentioned, the king appointed Mathew de Quester, and Mathew de Quester, his son, to the said office ; to hold to them the said Mathew de Quester, the father, and Mathew de Quester, the son, as well by themselves, or either of them, as by their or either of their sufficient deputy or deputies, during the natural lives of

Mathew de Quester, the father, and Mathew de Quester, the son, the said office of Postmaster of England for Foreign Parts, for their natural lives and the life of the survivor," etc.

On the setting up of the De Questers, Stanhope was naturally unwilling to surrender part of the service which he had hitherto undertaken, and a long contest took place between Stanhope and these men, resulting, as it would appear, in confirming the latter in their new office, and in the discomfiture of Stanhope.

Thus from the seventeenth year of the reign of James i. down to the period upon which we are about to enter, commencing in 1632, and for some years thereafter, there were in England two distinct Masters of the Posts — one for places within the kingdom itself and in foreign parts, within the king's dominions ; the other for foreign parts, out of the king's dominions. Stanhope filled the one office, the De Questers the other.

It is interesting to know who the people were that are now passing in review before us at this distant date. A return made to the Council by the Lord Mayor in 1635, of strangers inhabiting London, tells us something of the de Questers. It is this : — " In ward of Billingsgate, St. Andrew's parish. Mathew de Quester, late Postmaster, born in Bruges, of 64 years' continuance in London ; naturalised by Act of Parliament. All his family English born." He was probably one of the many foreign merchants who at that period were gathered together in the neighbourhood of Lower Thames Street.

By letters patent, dated 15th March 1632, the office of Master of the Posts for Foreign Parts, out of the king's dominions, was made to devolve upon William Frizell and Thomas Witherings. Mathew de Quester the younger had died, and the elder de Quester being stricken in age, " the king . . . declares his will and pleasure, that the office shall have perpetual continuance, and grants unto William Frizell and Thomas Witherings, gentlemen, the office of place of Postmaster of England for Foreign Parts, out of the king's dominions ; to do all things to the said office belonging and appertaining ; to hold, exercise, and enjoy the said office of Postmaster of England for Foreign Parts, out of the king's dominions, together with all powers, etc., by themselves or either of them, or their or either of their sufficient deputies, during their natural lives and the life of the survivor, from and after and so soon as the said office shall become void by the death, surrender, forfeiture, or other determination of the estate of Mathew de Quester, the father. The king prohibits all persons other than the said William Frizell and Thomas Witherings from intruding themselves in the said office after the determination of the estate of Mathew de Quester ; and the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Warden of the lO THE POST IN GRANT AND FARM

Cinque Ports, the Secretaries of State, etc., in their several jurisdictions and places, are not only to be aiding and assisting the said Frizell and Witherings, but to the utmost of their power to repress all intruders."

The patent, it will be observed, onlyvested the patentees in the office as from the death of de Quester; and de Quester the elder was still living. Accordingly, with a view to Frizell and Witherings being at once admitted to the active management of the place, a proclamation was issued, on the 19th July 1632, to the following effect : —

" The late king appointed Mathew de Quester, the father, and Mathew de Quester, the son. Postmaster for Foreign Parts for their lives. Mathew de Quester, the son, being dead, and the father aged and infirm, he (that is, de Quester) has appointed William Frizell and Thomas Witherings his deputies. The king approves this substitution, and

THE POST IN GRANT AND FARM I I

charges all his subjects that none of them, other than the said Frizell and Witherings, presume to take up or transmit foreign packets or letters."

Thus Frizell and Witherings entered upon their ofifice as Foreign Postmasters on the 19th of July 1632.

It must be understood that, though there was no authority for carrying letters of the public at this time by the inland posts, it was the practice of the foreign posts to carry the letters of merchants and others to and from the Continent, — and the posts who actually conveyed the packets would seem to have been men engaged in mercantile traffic. The following letter, dated Westminster, 1 6th October 1632, from Humphrey Fulwood to Sir John Coke, Principal Secretary to His Majesty at Court, throws a good deal of light upon the subject : —

" Upon inquiry of Mr. Burlamachi, what should be the cause why letters have not of late come from Germany, the Hague, and Brussels, as usually, he entered into a large relation of the present disorder of the posts. He imputed the fault merely to the posts who have heretofore bought their places. They more minding their own peddling traffic than the service of the State or merchants, omitting many passages, sometimes staying for the vending of their own commodities, many times through neglect by lying in tippling-houses. The opinions of Mr. Burlamachi and Mr. Peter Rycaut favourable to Mr. Witherings and Frizell in their places of Postmasters. For reformation they both agree in one, and that with the proposition wherewith Mr. Witherings hath formerly acquainted your honour. The displacing of these posts, and laying of certain and sure stages whereby His Majesty will save, as Mr. Burlamachi will make appear, above ^looo or ;^i5oo yearly, now expended for expresses," etc.

Mr. Burlamachi, whose Christian name was Philip, and Peter Rycaut were merchants in London, and would no doubt be well informed as to the way in which the mail service was conducted. In the Lord Mayor's return of foreigners residing in London in 1635, Burlamachi is described as follows : — "In the ward of Langbourne, in St. Gabriel, Fenchurch. Mr. Philip Burlamachi, merchant, naturalised by Act of Parliament. He was born in Sedan in France, and has been in England this thirty years and more. He hath certain rooms at Mr. Gould's house in Fenchurch Street, for his necessary occasions of writing there some two or three days in the week ; but his dwelling-house, with his wife and children and family, is at Putney." Burlamachi, besides being a merchant, was a great financier, and, as will be seen hereafter, he had intimate relations in money matters with the Court.

Not very long after the date of the letter above quoted, namely, on the 28th January 1633, the following orders for the Foreign Postmasters and packet posts were drawn up by Secretary Coke : —

"In consequence of complaints, both of Ministers of State and merchants, it is thought fit to send no more letters by carriers who come and go at pleasure, but, in conformity with other nations, to erect ' staffetti ' or packet posts at fit stages, to run day and night without ceasing, and to be governed by the orders in this paper. Among these it is provided that the Foreign Postmasters shall take the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, shall have an office in London, and shall give notice at what time the public are to bring their letters. A register is to be kept of the writers or bringers of all letters, and of the parties to whom they are sent. The letters are to be put into a packet or budget, which is to be locked up and sealed with the Postmasters'

known seal, and to be sent off so that it may reach Dover while there is sufficient daylight for passage over sea the same day. Various other minute regulations are laid down, both for the carriage of the packet to Dover, the sending of the passage-barks to Calais, and the transmission from stage to stage. The course to be adopted with letters received from beyond seas is laid down with equal minuteness. Letters for the Government and foreign ministers residing here were to be immediately delivered to them, after which a roll or table of all other letters was to be set up in the office for every man to view and demand his letters."

In pursuance of the scheme here sketched out, Witherings appears to have been sent to the Continent shortly thereafter ; for on the 8th April 1633, he writes from Calais (to Sir John Coke probably) describing the steps then taken in the business : —

" Right honourable and my good patron,

I found here the Countess Taxis' secretary with the postmaster of Ghent, they having settled stages betwixt Antwerp and Calais for the speedy conveyance of letters ; they have placed a postmaster at Dunkirk, having dismissed all their couriers, and seven days hence they intend to begin by the way of 'staphetto' {estafette) from Antwerp to London ; their request is we shall do the like, which accordingly I have ordered my man to do, having taken order at Dover for the passage. The governor of this place promiseth me all favour.

" The boatmen of this place who take their turns for Dover I find unwilling to be obliged to depart upon the coming of the portmantell. But upon the advice of Mr. Skinner and other merchants of our nation in this place, I have found out a very sufficient man, who will oblige himself, with security, that for forty shillings he will wait upon the coming of the packet, upon sight

THE POST IN GRANT AND FARM \J

whereof he will depart, engaging himself to carry nothing but the said packet. Asks directions, and will stay till the first packet shall come by 'staphetto' from Antwerp."

This then was the commencement of the forwarding of the continental mails by fixed and regular stages, instead of by carriers proceeding through the whole way, and engaged in other kinds of business.

Witherings had not long entered upon his office, jointly with Frizell, when troubles began. In the year 1633, a curious complication came to light, in which riot only Witherings and Frizell, but two or three other persons were involved, and which resulted in the temporary suspension of the Foreign Postmasters from their functions. The matter is referred to in a memorandum from the king to Secretary Windebank, dated August 1633. It runs thus: "The king having granted the place of Foreign Postmaster to his servant William Frizell, l8 THE POST IN GRANT AND FARM

he has given the king to understand that, whilst he was beyond seas, Thomas Witherings endeavoured to defraud him of that place, the examination whereof the king has referred to Secretary Windebank. The king understands, moreover, that the place has been mortgaged for money, both by Frizell and Witherings, which he condemns in them both ; and has therefore thought good, for the present, that the place shall be sequestered into the hands of Mathew de Quester, the king's ancient servant in that place. Windebank is therefore to send for John Hatt, an attorney, in whom the legal interest of that place, for the present, is vested, and to will him to make an assignment thereof to de Quester."

Although the question of this sequestration was not finally disposed of till the year 1634, the period during which Witherings was removed from the active management and possession of the place was from the 4th

September to the 28th December 1633. The details of the arrangement of this business are not easily understood, but it would seem that the first step was to get rid of the attorney ; and with this in view the Earl of Arundel (the Earl Marshal) advanced about ;^iooo to pay off Hatt, the earl retaining possession of Witherings' patent. Another claim was put forward by one Robert Kirkham for ^200, due 25th May 1633, for a reversion of the Postmaster's office surrendered to Witherings and Frizell. This indebtedness was not denied by Witherings ; but how there came to be a reversion in favour of Kirkham does not appear.