THE Practical Method Of Conveyance of LETTERS, Returns of Answers, Replies, etc. the same day within the Weekly Bills of Mortality; Commonly called, The PENNY-POST.  
Published for Plain Direction to all Persons, for the better Maintenance of Mutual Correspondence, being the Life of Trade and Business.  
Mor. 8  
PENNY POST PAID  
L  
A f. 4  
WHereas William Dockwra of London Merchant, and his Partners, have contrived and carried on for above two years past, the Public and Useful Undertaking ; by which means a very frequent, safe, cheap, and mutual Correspondence is maintained, to the great benefit of Trade and Commerce, which is of general Concernment, but of great Expense to the Undertakers to this day.  
Yet have they met with many Oppositions and Discouragements, and have been long vexed with unreasonable and very expensive Lawsuits, and have lately had new Actions of Ten thousand pounds apiece brought against them by way of Penalties said to be forfeited by the Statutes of 12 & 15 Car. II. that erects The General Post-Office, and gives to his Royal Highness that Princely Revenue; alleging that the Penny-Post is a prejudice to his General Post-Office, when all Mankind (that are ingenuous and impartial) are convinced that 'tis as well a great Improvement thereof, as 'tis a manifest good to all the Inhabitants of London and places adjacent: And those Acts of Parliament were intended for the benefit of the Subject, in providing them all possible conveniency in their Trade and Commerce; which Public Good, that this Invention of the Penny-Post does greatly promote, is most evident, by improving Mutual Correspondence, the Soul of Trade and Business, which was the chief Design and true intent of the Lawmakers. And therefore it cannot be imagined so great and generous a Prince as His Royal Highness, should be pleased with the suppressing this great Benefit, to the people; which will also tend to the ruin of the Undertakers, who have already expended some Thousands of pounds more than ever they reecived, besides their great pains and loss of so much time in the Managing this Public Concern.  
Now forasmuch as there is a Trial at Bar appointed this Michaelmass Term to decide this Cause, the Undertakers cannot doubt of being delivered from the hardships they groan under, when the true Merits of the Cause shall be throughly understood on a fair Hearing, by an honest understanding English Jury, and by the learned, upright and honourable Judges. And they hope that God in his providence will so bless the good intentions of the Undertakers with the peaceable Enjoyment of their own Chargeable Invention, that they may find encouragement for their real Service to the Public: Innocency and Integrity being naturally confident of a Reward.  
And therefore the subsequent lines (reducing the Penny-Post to practice) are published for the good of all: Viz.  
1. That the Penny-Post conveys Letters, and Parcels that exceed not a Pound weight, or ten Pounds in value, for a Penny a piece, from any one place to another oftentimes in the same day, in London, Westminster, Southwark, Ratliff, and the contiguous Buildings of the weekly Bills of Mortality; every day except Sundays, Christmass-day and the three days next following, Monday and Tuesday in Easter-week, the like in Whitsun-week, the 30th. of January, and the 2. of September. But beyond the weekly Bills of Mortality, it doth not go, nor never did.  
2. For the conveniency of all, the Undertakers have ●●pointed some hundreds of Shopkeepers and noted Coffeehouses about Town, called Penny-post-houses, for receipt of such Letters as any one would send, where Messengers appointed for that purpose call hourly to fetch away whatsoever is there left. But the Undertakers pretend not to such quick dispatch in their carriage of Letters, as may be made by a special Messenger sent on purpose (as many by mistake have supposed) their Methods of Conveyance not permitting a quicker dispatch from one end of the Town to the other, than three or four hours, and at a shorter distance too or three hours, accounting from the time that the Letter i● first 〈◊〉 into the Penny-post-house. But observe, that a Letter left just before the Messenger calls, will be delivered as directed, an hour sooner than one left just after he has called; for that must lie an hour longer before 'tis fetched away. Letters left at any Penny-post-house, within the contiguous Buildings, before 6 in the Evening, will certainly be conveyed to all places in Town the same Night; and those left before 7 in the Evening, will be conveyed to most places also: but for such as are left betwixt 7 and 8 at Night, although many of them may be conveyed likewise as directed the same Night, yet some of them will lie in the hands of the Penny-Post, as also all that are left after 8, and not be delivered till next Morning: for though they may be fetched away from the Receiving-house, by the Messenger that goes betwixt 9 and 10 on Post-nights to fetch the General-Post Letters; yet will they lie in the hands of the Penny-Post all Night.  
3. A Penny (ready changed) must be left with every Letter or Parcel, when put into the Penny-Post-house, and nothing will be demanded or taken, if offered, by the Messenger that delivers it, Penny-Post paid being stamped on every Letter and Parcel, according to the Triangular Form on the front of this Sheet.  
4. Although the Undertakers do warrant the safe Conveyance of any Parcel that exceeds not Ten Pounds in value, yet will they not be obliged to give Satisfaction for any things that are enclosed, unless well wrapped up either in strong Paper, or otherwise securely enclosed, and fast sealed up with hard Wax; under the Impression of some remarkable Seal (not a Thimble, a Piece of Money, etc.) in such sort, that what is enclosed therein may not drop out, no nor so much as be exposed to view, without breaking open either the Seal or Wrapper; and if wrapped up in Paper and tied, the ends be sealed as well as the middle, without which such parcels are seldom secure: because otherwise, either the person that brings it to the Penny-Post-house, or the person to whom the Penny-Post Messenger delivers it in the absence of the Party whom 'tis for, may open the Parcel and take out part of what is enclosed, wrapping it up again, and so deliver it, and yet the Penny-Post be chargeable therewith; and the true Value also endorsed in Words at length, and not in Figures. Nor will they make Satisfaction for the breaking of Glass-bottles, or other brittle things in the Carriage, or for wetting or spoiling any other thing that is subject to Damage in the Conveyance; it being unreasonable, that for a Penny apiece they should convey things so troublesome and hazardous in the Carriage, and yet be liable to pay the Damage of breaking or spoiling into the Bargain: but if such things are sent, they shall be conveyed as free from Damage, as the crowding them in a Bag amongst Letters and other Parcels can well admit. But although the Undertakers have published, that they will carry Parcels not exceeding a Pound Weight; yet 'twas never intended by them to convey Parcels of very great Bulk (though under a Pound Weight) such as great Band-boxes, and other bulky Luggage which is daily imposed upon them; it being impractical for the Penny-Post to convey such Parcels, a few whereof make a Burden.  
5. For the convenience of such as send Letters to the Post-Office-general in Lombardstreet, the Messengers do call at the Penny-Post-houses betwixt 9 and 10 within the contiguous Buildings every Post-night, to fetch away the Post Letters. And whereas miscarriages have many times happened, of such Letters as have been entrusted to Bellmen, and other obscure persons (not imploved by the General-Post) to convey to the Post-office in Lombardstreet, and consequently the persons concerned have met with great disappointments: all Letters conveyed thither by the Penny-Post, are Registered at the chief Office in Lime-street, the Clerks that so registers and conveys them being ready to attest upon Oath, the safe delivery of every Letter. But such as come enclosed in C●vers, and directed to the Post-office-general in Lombardstreet, cannot be Registered, because enclosed, and consequently the Delivery of them cannot be attested on Oath. 
☞ Note, That the Undertakers, to support this useful Design of conveying Letters and Parcels for a Penny a piece, being out of Purse some thousands of Pounds to accommodate the Public; and the Benefit of Town-Letters coming short of a Reimbursement, much more of a Recompense for their Pains, Trouble and Hazard: 'Tis hoped, that all persons who pay for carrying their Letters to Lombardstreet, will send them thither by the Penny-Post, the better to enable the Undertakers to uphold and continue on foot, this chargeable Design of sending Letters to and fro here in Town. And such as do send money to pay for the Postage of Letters into the Country, are desired to endorse how much they send.   

As 'tis the Pravity of Man's Corrupt Nature to find fault, so has the Penny-Post but too too much been made the subject matter thereof; causeless Complaints being frequently made, to the prejudice of the Undertaking.  
Complaints are of Two Kind's.  

1. Delays of Letters, lying long before they come to hand.  
2. Miscarriage of them, never coming to hand at all.   
Delays of Letters happen, 

1. Either before they are put into the hands of the Penny-Post.  
2. Whilst in the hands of the Penny-Post. Or,  
3. After the Penny-Post has delivered them.    
1. By sending them to the Penny-Post-house by the hand of a Servant, Child, or some other heedless person, who carelessly delay the Letters some hours, or it may be days before they are put in. Also, ofttimes Porters, who are sent as special Messengers with Letters, having through drunkenness or other hindrances delayed them so long in ●a●d, that they are ashamed to deliver them themselves; sometimes on purpose to scandalise the Undertaking (to which they have so great a prejudice) do de●●in Letters long in hand, and then put them into the Penny-Post.  
2. Delays are occasioned very often, by means of bad Directions; sometimes directing to a Street, of which there are divers of the same name, without mentioning in what part of the Town the Street lies; and consequently, the Letter tossed up and down from one part of the Town to the other, before the right Street be found out. Sometimes directing to one Sign for another, nay sometimes directing to one Street for another, and very often the Direction so bad, as not possible to be read or understood; sometimes directing to such a person in such a Street, without mentioning Christian-Name, Trade, Sign, or in what part of the Street, and whether Housekeeper, Lodger or Servant; by which means, there being divers of one Name in a Street, and no distinction which of them the Letter is for: 'tis delivered, it may be, into all their hands one after another, and broke open to boot, without which neither of them could tell whether 'twas for them or not. Many Letters having thus been opened, and none of those into whose hands they come, owning them, they are in course returned to the Penny-post-house: and many others through careless and slight sealing, in the very carriage among other Letters in the Bag, have opened of themselves; from whence, the Adversaries of the Penny-Post have taken occasion to spread a Scandal on the management thereof, in that very particular, wherein the Undertakers are most sacredly careful to discharge the Trust reposed in them, as being sensible 'tis highly their interest so to do.  
3. Delays often happen, after the Penny-Post Messengers have made a true delivery: for the person to whom the Letter is directed being not in the way when the Messenger comes with it, 'tis left with some one of the House, who too too often, through careless neglect, lays the Letter by, and so forgets to deliver it till it may be some hours, or sometimes a day or more after 'tis so left; and then to excuse their own neglect, pretend that 'tis but just then come to hand, whereupon the Penny-Post is instantly clamoured against, as the Author of the delay. This being so great and growing a mischief, the Undertakers thought it worth their while to be at the charge of detecting it, the better to distinguish these Neglects, from those of their own Messengers. To which end, the hour of the day at which the Letter is sent out for delivery, is stamped on the backside thereof, Mor. for Morning, Af. for Afternoon in the form of the Stamps on the Title Page of this Paper; whereby may readily be discovered, at or very near what time of the day the Penny-Post Messenger brought it. For if he performs his duty as he ought, the Letter will for the most part be delivered within half an hour or an hour, but never exceeds an hour and a half after 'tis so stamped.  
Moreover, if any Parcels are put into the Penny-Post, and not very fast made up, and sealed with some remarkable Impression for security; they will be left at the Penny-Post-house some days, before fetched away, purposely to oblige all that send such things for the future, to enclose them as they ought to be.  
Miscarriages also happen, either, 

1. before the Letters are put into the hands of the Penny-Post.  
2. Whilst in the hands of the Penny-Post. Or,  
3. after the delivery of them.    
1. By sending the Letter to the Penny-Post-house by some brutish Servant, or else by some silly Child, who for the sake of the Farthings, destroy the Letter.  
2. The miscarriages of Letters sometimes happen whilst in the hands of the Penny-Post; yet never by their neglect, but either by means of such ill-written Superscriptions as are not to be read, or such imperfect Directions by which the person is not to be found, or else the Party dead, or gone not known whither, and no body will take it in; and not seldom the person to whom 'tis directed, knowing (by the hand) that it comes from some one he cares not to hear from, will not receive it from the hands of the Penny-P●st Messenger, but rejects it. In all such cases, the Letters are ever returned to the chief Penny-Post-house in Lime-street, where the Parties concerned may find them. And for the more clear conviction of those that writ such very bad Directions, many Hundreds of such Letters lie at the said chief Penny-Post-house, in Lime-street, as standing Records, testifying that the Writers of those Letters, and not the Penny-Post, are only chargeable with the Miscarriages of them, it being impossible to deliver them.  
3. Miscarriages sometimes happen by means of some careless Servant, or other negligent person, who in the absence of the Party whom the Letter is for, receiving it from the hands of the Penny-Post Messenger, lays it by, and quite forgets the Letter or the place where 'twas laid, and so it is lost; or else, if after it has lain by a day or two, it be recalled to mind, yet this negligent person being ashamed (after so long a delay) to produce it, commits a second evil to prevent a detection of the first, and so destroys it.  
Letters, though really delivered, are yet sometimes said to miscarry, because no Answers are returned. But the reason why Answers come not, are manifold: 

1. It very often happens, that the Party written to will not take the trouble of writing an Answer, though the Party who sent the Letter expects it.  
2. When a Letter imports a Dunn for Money, and the person so indebted either not able or willing to pay, not only returns no Answer, but when afterwards charged therewith, even denies the very receipt of such Letter, as has been often detected for justification of the Penny-Post: Or when a Letter is sent to require any thing to be done, that the person so sent to, cannot or will not perform, and yet in prudence not absolutely deny the doing of it, either pretends the Letter came too late, or else confidently disowns the receipt of any such at all, though in truth he had it in due time.   And thus disingenuously do too too many traduce the Penny-Post with pretended Delays and Miscarriages, only to cloak their own ill Principles and Practices.  
Notwithstanding Delays and Miscarriages are thus occasioned, yet is the Penny-Post presently censured, as the Author of them, to the great detriment of the Undertaking: which to prevent, 'tis desired that all who find themselves so disappointed in their Correspondencies, would aswell out of justice to the Undertakers, as for their own satisfaction, first examine well whether their Letters were not false dated, or the Superscriptions not to be read, or else the Directions faulty. Moreover, whether there was no neglect in the person that carried them to the Penny-Post-house, or in the person to whom the Penny-Post-messenger delivered them; or whether the Party to whom directed, might not out of design disown the receipt: and if after all it appear, that none of them are in the fault, then, and not before, ought the Penny-Post to be 〈…〉.  
And thus, upon a strict enquiry, will the Clamours that are daily made of the Delays and Miscarriages of the Penny-Post, be found to be without any just ground. Nor indeed is it the interest of any one that finds himself accommodated by the Penny-Post, to permit a Complaint of Delay or Miscarriage to reach the ear of any other than the Parties concerned, or the Undertakers, in order to detect and redress it. For, since the Undertaking must either stand or fall, by the good or ill Opinion the World has of it, how imprudent then is it for any one that finds a Benefit thereby, by open Clamours to bereave it of that Reputation, that can only support it for his own Advantage; every Complaint that reaches ●he Ears of the Vulgar, being as a Dagger to stab its Reputation to the very heart. Besides, open Clamours can never repair such Parties damage (if any he has sustained) but on the contrary, may prove hurtful to himself, by discouraging others from sending by this Conveyance, and consequently by depriving it of a Support, even ruin the Undertaking, which otherwise would dail● more and more improve, to the unspeakable benefit and advantage of himself, as well as of the Public. 
☞ Note, All Persons, in their Superscriptions of Letters, are desired to write the Christian Names, Sign, Trade or Profession (if any) and in what part of the Street, or near what noted Lane, Court, Alley, Church, Tavern; etc. Also with heed and care to write the Name of the Person and Street very legible, and the Street to be written by itself at the bottom; and if the Party be a Lodger, to say, Lodging at such a House; if a Servant, to say, at his or her Master's House, to denote whether Lodger or Servant. All which is so essentially necessary for the more ready Delivery of Letters, that the doing thereof can never sufficiently be inculcated. 'Tis therefore expe●●ed, that all Persons, as well for their own, as the Undertakers conveniency, would write the Directions so plain and intelligible, as easily to be read, and readily delivered.   

There shall now be hinted some of the Conveniencies of this Useful Undertaking of the PENNY-POST.  
All Gentlemen, Countrey-Chapmen, etc. can presently give Notice of their Arrival to Town.  
Shopkeepers and Tradesmen send for what they want to their Workmen.  
Much time saved in solicitation for Money.  
Appointments made among Men of Business.  
Bills dispersed for Publication of any Coneern.  
Summons or Tickets conveyed to all Parts.  
Brewer's Entries safely sent to the Excise-Office.  
Lawyers and Clients mutually correspond.  
Patients send to Doctors, Apothecaries, etc. for what they want.  
And the poor Prisoners can now address to their Creditors or Benefactors for One Penny, and save five Pence (out of the former Charge to a Porter) which will pay for a good Dinner.   
Many other Conveniencies are to be had by this Conveyance, which (though for brevity's sake are omitted) the Ingenious will find out; whereby may be undeniably demonstrated, the universal Utility of this Invention, and the unreasonableness and invalidity of all the Objections hitherto alleged against it.  
It is become a general wonder among the most Intelligent and Men of Business, That Mr. Dockwra (or any other) should be thus sued for Carrying and Recarrying Letters about London and other Neighbouring Places, when to this day the General Post has not settled any thing of that nature for the conveniency of the Inhabitants in any one place round this City nearer than a Stage of 9 or 10 mile; and yet the Informant is for Penalties of 5 l. a Letter and 100 l. a Week for doing that good to the Public which the General Post Office never did. And by this Invention has so added to the Income of the Post Office, that it was never before so high as since the Penny-Post was set up; that Revenue being now risen from 21500 l. to above 50000 l. per A●num, though the poor Undertakers of the Penny-Post have lost above 1000 l. per Annum out of purse to serve the Public. But they hope they shall be at quiet in the possession of their own Invention, and that they may be countenanced to carry on the Practice of the Penny-Post whereby they may be enabled to reap the Fruits of their Labour (and great Charge) as a Reward for setting up an Undertaking Manifested to be so useful to all Men, by full Experience,  
The True Touchstone of all Designs. 
☞ Note, Upon any Delay or Miscarriage of a Letter, if after such strict inquiry made as aforesaid, there be just ground to charge it on the Penny-Post; 'tis desired that the Party concerned would (by a Line or two) give the Undertakers an account how the Letter was directed, who sent it, at what Penny-post-house it was left, also what day and hour if possible, and the Undertakers, after a strict inquiry into the matter of fact, will return a satisfactory Answer to the said Complaint. And whosoever has occasion, either on this or any other account, to write to the Undertakers; if left at any Penny-Post-House, it will go free and come safe to hand if thus directed,   
To Mr. William Dockwra and the rest of the Undertakers, at the Penny-Post-House in Lime-street, 〈◊〉 (a prejudice) do de●●in Letters long in hand, and then put them in●● 〈…〉