FOr the anoyding of sundry inconueniences happening by the ouergreat libertie of late vsed in riding poste, and for the easing of diuers her Maiesties good subiects, greatly complayning to haue bene thereby oppressed, & for sundrie other good considerations, the Lords of her Ma­iesties most honourable priuie Counsel, haue set downe and established these orders following, straightly charging and commaunding in her Maiesties name and behalfe, aswel the Ma­ster of the Postes, as all other Iustices of the peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Consta­bles, Headboroughes, and all other persons whatsoeuer, to see the same duely obserued and kept in al places, as they and euery of them tender her Maiesties seruice, and at their perils wil answere to the contrary.

Inprimis, if any man hauing the place & name of an ordinary Poste, shall not reside and dwell vpon the same charge himselfe in person, but execute the same by a Deputie, the Ma­ster of the poste shall forthwith remoue him, and take order for the placing of a sufficient man in his roome.

Item, that it shall not be lawfull for any man ryding in post by commission, to take his [...] any man, but of the ordinarie and standing postes, or at their appointment: whose commission ought to bee sig­ [...]xt by her Maiestie, three of her highnesse counsel, the Lorde Treasurour of England, the Earle Marshall of Eng­ [...]nde Lord gouernour of Barwicke or his deputie, the Lord president of the North or his deputie, the Wardens of the [...] marches, her Maiesties Secritarie, & the master of the Postes.

Item that euery one so ryding poste by commission for her Maiesties seruice and affaires, shal pay one pennie, halfe [...] the mile, but whoseouer vpon any busines vrgent shal be occasioned to ryde in poste without comission, he shalbe like­ [...] [...]sed by the standing poste of the place or by his appointment. And of euery such, for their reliefe, it shalbe lawfull for [...] to take after the rate of two pence the myle.

Item, to this ende, euery post shall be bounde to keepe a faire paper booke wel bound, to register the names of all men [...]g in post, with the number of their horses, and date of the commission, as well without commission as with commis­ [...].

Item, if in case that currers shall come so thicke or in such number, that the postes owne furniture shall not bee able to [...] then it shall be lawfull for him to take vp, or appoint such as haue horses to hire, to supply his want: And to this end [...] be assisted by the Maiors, Constables, & other officers, taking in those cases for the hire of those horses, as the postes [...] are wont to doe for their owne.

Item, that no man riding in poste, shall ride without a guide which shall blowe his horne, so oft as he meeteth compa­ [...] [...]asseth through any towne, or at the least thrise euery mile.

Item, that all her Maiesties postes may the better attende vpon their charges and offices, and faithfully performe the [...] seruice thereto belonging, her Maiesties pleasure is, that they be exempted from all attendance at assises, sessions, en­ [...] and musters.

Item that no packets or letters shall be sufficient warrant or authoritie to constraine the postes to runne with them [...] except they be directed for her Maiesties affayres, and shal be signed either by her Maiestie, her priuie Counsell, or [...] personages authorised and aboue named.

Item that euery poste doe dayly obserue the orders sometimes set downe by her Maiesties counsell for expedition of let­ [...] [...] her Maiesties affaires, viz. that they ride in sommer, accounting from the Annunciation of our Ladie to the feast [...] Michael the Archangell, seuen miles the houre, and in the winter, which is the rest of the yeere, fiue miles the [...] the way shall fall out, whereby the postes doing their dueties, the packet may be caried in sommer betweene Lon­ [...] [...] Barwicke in fortie two houres, and in winter in threescore.

La [...]tly it is hereby cōmaunded, that from henceforth, if any hackney man, Ostlers, Tapsters or others, shall contrary to [...] directly or indirectly cary packets, or serue any horses with a guid or a horne, without the consent and priuity of [...] [...]ary Post of the place, that then the Officer of Officers of the place, or the next Iustice of the peace shal commit the [...] [...]rson or persons to prison, there to abide vntil they haue put in sufficient bond and surety vnto the sayd Poste, for the [...] and obseriung of these orders in time to come.

A [...] which aforesaid orders, her Maiesty straightly chargeth & commaundeth all Iustices of the peace, Maiors, Shi­ [...]Bay [...]iffes, Constables, Head boroughs, and al other her Officers and Seruantes, to see obserued, as farre as in them [...] and to be ayding and assisting vnto her sayde ordinary Postes for the due execution of the same, as tender her [...]sties seruice, and at their perilles will aunswere to the contrary.

Lastly, because that through the ouer great liberty of riding in poste, many inconueniences fall out, through the hack­ [...] in kent, it shalbe lawull for the L. Warden of y^e cinque portes, and the Mayster of the Postes, to take order with [...] [...]stes betwene London and Douer in that behalfe.