The history of the Post Office in the first half of the seventeenth century is very complicated. Various patents had been granted by Queen Elizabeth and James I and the Foreign and Inland Posts were sometimes united and sometimes administered separately. With the outbreak of hostilities in 1642 further difficulties arose, and the next decade is very confused. In 1651, however, the Council of State considered a proposal to farm the Post Office and reported the matter to Parliament, which in the following year recommitted to the Council the question of the future management of the Office. By an order of the Council dated 29 April, 1653, Colonels Okey and Rich, Major Haynes and Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsey were charged with the task of enquiring into the state of the Inland Post: their report, which is undated, bears the signatures of Nathaniel Rich, Thomas Kelsey and Hezekiah Haynes. The Council by a further order issued on 11 May asked for consideration “of the most advantagious management of the Foraigne Post” and the report on this matter, which is dated 1 June, 1653, bears Okey’s signature, together with those of the three other officers mentioned above. After a long historical review the report continues ”… the best way of management of the forreigne Post Office is :

• 1. By a conjunction of it with the Inland Post:

• 2. Being both soe joyned together, that they be by some persons authorized to that purpose, Comitted to such person or persons as they shall think, to manage upon the same termes which wee have formely writed in our last paper relating to the Inland Post, before this of the Foraigne Post was referred to us. To which, and in pursuance of your last reference, wee humbly offer this addition

• 1. That the rates for which letters are to be carryed respectively be as follows, vizt. for a single letter to Ireland sixe-pence, to Scotland foure pence, to all parts above one hundred miles of London, three pence, within one hundred miles of London two pence and soe proportionally.