WHereas heretofore sundry wayes haue bene deuised to redresse the dis­orders among the Postes of our Realme in generall, and particularly to preuent the inconueniences both to our owne seruice, and the law­full trade of the honest marchantes, by prohibiting that no persons whatsoeuer, should take vpon them publiquely or priuately to procure, gather vp, receiue, bring in, or cary out, any Packets or letters to or from the Countreys beyond the Seas, except such our ordinarie Posts and Messengers for those parties, as eyther by our Master of the Postes, or the Masters of the Postes generall of those Countreys re­ciproquely, should be found nominated for that kind of seruice, or otherwise be able to shewe sufficient warrant for their voyages and dispatches vnder the hands of our principall Secretaries, any Ambas­sadours, or others sufficiently authorised: which notwithstanding, diuers disauowed persons haue vsed to intrude themselues contrary to all good order. In consideration of which incoueniences past, we doe hereby straightly prohibite and forbid all persons whatsoeuer, directly or indirectly to gather vp, receiue, bring in, or carie out of this Realme, any Letters or Packets, without the allowance or or­dinarie addresse and dispatch of the sayde Masters and Comptrollers of the Posts reciproquely, or their deputies, or shall be sufficiently authorised as is aforesayde. And therefore our will and pleasure is, that you the Lord Treasourer of England, and the Lord warden of the Cinque-Portes, together with our trustie and wel be loued seruant Iohn Stanhop Esquire, Master and Comptroller generall of all our Postes, cause publique knowledge to be giuen hereof vnto all Merchants, both Strangers and o­thers of our Citie of London, and all others whom it may or ought to concerne, that neither they nor any for them doe hereafter take vpon them, openly or vnderhand to employ any disauowed person in the carying of their Letters, but to vse such onely as shall be found lawfully appoynted for that ser­uice. To which effect also we do expressely wil and command by these presents, all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Bailiffes, and all special Commissioners, and more specially all Searchers, Custo­mers and Comptrollers of our Portes, and all other our Officers and Ministers wheresoeuer in their seuerall iurisdictions and offices, to make diligent search of all Males, Bougets, and other Cariages of all such disauowed Curriers, Messengers, or suspected persons comming in or going out of the Realme with Packettes or Letters, and all such so discouered, to apprehend and stay, keeping them in safe custodie, vntill by the viewe of their writings sent vp to our priuie Counsaile, it be seene and ad­uised what shall be further done with them.

Signed at our Mannor of Greenwich the 26, day of Aprill, 1591. in the 33. yeere of our reigne.

God saue the Queene.