IO 



ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



a few miles, and are then unable to travel on horseback, 

 to endure frost, snow, or rain, or to lodge in the fields! 



So tedious indeed, at the beginning of the seven- 

 teenth century, was the communication between one 

 place and another, that a letter from Yorkshire to Oxford 

 could scarcely be answered in less than a month. 1 



A hundred years later, about i 703, the journey from 

 London to Portsmouth occupied about fourteen hours, 

 and whether it could be accomplished even in this time 

 depended on the state of the roads. 



The York stage, a four-day coach, began running on 

 Friday, April 1 2, 1 706. The following notice was issued 

 of its establishment : — 



ALL that are desirous to pass from LONDON 

 to YORK, or any other place on their road, let 

 them repair to the 'BLACK SWAN,' HOLBORN, in 

 LONDON, and the 'BLACK SWAN' in CONEY 

 STREET, YORK, at both which places they may be 

 received in a STAGE COACH every Monday, 

 WEDNESDAY, and Friday, which performs the whole 

 journey in four days (if God permits), and sets forth at 

 five in the morning, and returns from York to Stamford 

 in two days, and Stamford to Huntingdon in two days 

 more, and the other like stages on their return, allowing 

 each passenger 14 pounds weight, and all above 3 pence 

 per pound. 



fB. KINGMAN. 

 Performed by \ H. HAINSFORD. 

 W. BAYNES. 



1 . 



Scrapbook,' by Doctor Robert Chambers. 



