1567 (April) Treasury Warrant dated "The month of April in the present ninth year of our Lady Queen Elizabeth", signed "Winchester" (William Paulet, first Marquess of Winchester, Lord Treasurer of England) authorising payment of £4 to Phillippe Conway, ordinary messenger of the Queens Majesteys Chamber, for a 30 day journey carrying letters to the West Country. Letters were carried to Sir Henry Ashley (MP and Sheriff for Dorset) at Wimborne St. Giles, Sir Maurice Berkley (MP and Sheriff for Somerset) at Bruton, Sir John Chichester (MP and Sheriff for Devon) at Great Torrington, and Richard Chamond (MP and Sheriff for Cornwall) at Launcelles. Minor staining, an early and unusually fine messenger warrant. Photo on Page 18. (Image1)

1569 Entire letter from William Paulet, first Marquess of Winchester, Lord Treasurer of England, addressed "To Mr Richard Bunny" and endorsed "My L. Treasurer" and "Eliz. 12. 1509" (written in the 12th year of her reign), the letter signed "Winchester". A fine Elizabethan letter that would have been carried by court messenger. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

1619 (Jan.) Entire letter from Capt. John Duffield addressed "To the Kinges moste Excelent Matie". Duffield has been imprisoned for publishing a pamphlet; he apologises and seeks his release. A fine well written letter to King Charles I. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

1644 (Oct 5) Civil War Period entire letter from Sir Patrick Curwen at Workington Hall, Cumberland, addressed "For His Matys special affairs. To his much honored friends Sr Henry Fletcher Bart, Sr George Dalston and Sr Thomas Dacro, Kgs Commissioners of army at Hutton or elsewhere, Hast hast post hast, Pa. Curwen". The letter discusses attempts to find arms for royalist forces. The internal letter with a little restoration to left edge (clear of the handwriting), otherwise fine, with an excellent address panel. The letter was written at 6 o'clock in the morning, and acknowledges receipt of a letter written at 9 o'clock the previous day (together with a letter from Sir Philip Musgrave written at 9 o'clock at night on Oct. 2nd), illustrating the speed and efficiency of the "Haste Post Haste" system for urgent official letters. A rare Haste Post Haste letter from the Civil War, carried across the Lake District. Photo on Inside Front Cover. (Image1)

1653 (Oct 31) Entire letter addressed "For the right Honble the Lord President of the Counsell of State" stating that four guns from a little prize ship are to be released by the Prize Officer and delivered to the Master of the "Industry" which is to carry the Lord Ambassadors goods to Sweden. The letter is signed by Hugh Peters, Robert Stapylton, John Walker, George Cokayn and Nathaniel Ingelo (who sailed with Ambassador Whitelocke to Sweden in 1653). Also an engraving of Hugh Peters, who was executed in 1660. A fine and rare Commonwealth period letter. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

Oliver Cromwell. 1658 (Mar 31) Letter from Whitehall to "The Commander in Chief of our fleet now residing in the Downs", asking for a ship to accompany two ketch's bound for Florida, to provide protection as far as 150 leagues from the Lands End, signed above "Oliver P", the shaky signature written just a few months before Cromwell died. The letter restored, laid down on paper, nevertheless a scarce Cromwell signed letter.

1660 (Aug 16) Entire letter from Earl Clare, written from Drury Lane in London, addressed "for Henry Shipton at Hamstall Ridware near Yoxall in Staffordshire, leave this with the post off. of Litchfield to be sent Litchfield", the address panel signed "Clare", a "3" charge crossed out when the Earl's signature was noticed. A rare early restoration period free frank; franking for MPs continued after the restoration in April 1660 until omitted from the December 1660 Post Office Act. Ex Jay. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

1661 (Jan 24) Entire letter from Earl Clare, written from Drury Lane in London, addressed "for Henry Shipton at Hamstall Ridware near Yoxall in Staffordshire, leave this with the post off. of Litchfield to be sent Litchfield" and endorsed "post paid 3d". Franking for MPs was suspended between 12th Dec. 1660 and 14th May 1661. Very scarce and a fine companion to the previous lot. Ex Jay. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

Charles II. 1666 (July 3) Entire letter from Lord Arlington addressed "To our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Cousin Horatio Lord Townshend Our Lieutnt of Our City & County of Norwich, July 3·66", giving instructions to raise three regiments of horse due to a fear of a landing by our enemies in some part of the Kingdom, the top of the letter signed "Charles R" by King Charles II, with a fine paper covered royal seal. A fine and scarce letter sent during the Anglo-Dutch War of 1665-67, signed by the King. Photo on Page 22. (Image1)

c.1670 Four page document "The Covenant between his R.H & the Lds Arlington & Berkeley" (Joint Postmasters, 1667-77), which attempts to clarify the franking system, listed officials who can send or receive letters or packets free (the King, Lord High Admiral, Lord High Treasurer, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Lord Chancellor, Secretaries of State); MPs may send or receive single inland letters free during the session of Parliament. The document lists various letters carried, and the costs incurred. A little damage to the document at right with a few words lost, an interesting and unique document, presumably drawn up by a member of the Postmasters staff.

1674 (May 12) Entire letter from Whitehall, signed by the Duke of Monmouth, addressed "For the honourable Sr Phillip Musgrave Knight, Governor of Carlisle" and endorsed "For his Majesties speciall service, Matthew Lock". Monmouth asks for one or two officers from the garrison of Carlisle to come to London to learn the new system of training and exercising in the use of their arms, so they can then train the other officers and soldiers of the garrison. Backstamped with a reasonable strike of scarce circular "2/off" and "MA/12" Bishop Mark. The Duke of Monmouth was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II; when his father died in 1685 he led a rebellion in an attempt to depose James II but was captured at Sedgemoor and executed. A rare and historical letter. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

Hull. 1681 (Oct 22) Entire letter from James Sterling in Hull, "To the Honorable The Commissioners of His Maties Ordinance and the principle officers of the land. To be left with Capt Thorburn in the Tower of London", charged 3d with "OC/24" Bishop Mark on reverse. The letter concerns the defences of Hull. Photo on Page 20. (Image1)

Cornwall. 1685 (May 21) Entire letter from Lostwithiel, addressed "To the right Worple Sir Robert Southwell Knight, A member of the Honoble House of Commons, London", the 3d charge crossed out, with MY/25" Bishop Mark on reverse. Signed by the town Mayor Walter Renoad and three councillors, William Taprett, Nevill Peeters and John John, who are sending their greetings to their new M.P. A fine early letter from Cornwall. Photo on Page 22. (Image1)

1686 (Nov 8) Entire letter from Carlisle to "The Honble Sr Christ. Musgrave in Newport Street in London", the 6d charge crossed out and signed "Charlton", confirmed by a black crown Inspectors handstamp, "NO/12" Bishop Mark on reverse. A fine example of the first London Inspectors handstamp.

1687 (June 6) Entire letter from Shute (near Axminster) written by Courtenay Pole, MP for Honiton and High Sheriff of Devon, addressed "To the Right honoble George Barron Wembe and L. High Chancellor of Englande", charged 3d. The addressee was Judge Jeffreys, the hanging judge sent to the West Country in 1685 to conduct trials of captured rebels following the Monmouth Rebellion. A fine letter, unusually charged 3d instead of being franked, with "JU/3" Bishop Mark on reverse.

Wiltshire/Ireland. 1693 (Mar 17) Entire letter from Wilton "To the honable Sr Cyrill Wish at Dublin Castle in Ireland, by London", the postage rate crossed out, endorsed "frank Q". Cyril Wyche was Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. An unusual franked letter to Ireland. Photo on Page 22. (Image1)

1694 (Oct 10) Entire letter from the Navy Office, sent during the co-regency of William and Mary (1689-94), therefore headed "For their Maj. Service" above the address "For Anth. Bowyer Esq. at Camberwell", reverse with "PENY / POST / PAYD / B / SAT" Borough Office Government Dockwra handstamp. The letter is a tender for supplying elm timber to Deptford, and is signed by eight members of the Navy Board including Sir Richard Haddock (Admiral, Comptroller of the Navy) and Edmund Dummer (Surveyor-General of the Navy), also signed by Bowyer, who has agreed to the proposed terms. Dummer also operated a line of Packets from Falmouth to Spain and Portugal, and started the first Packet service to the West Indies in 1702 (until 1711, the famous Dummer Packets). A little soiled and pressed file folds but scarce. Photo on Page 22. (Image1)