6o STAGE-CO ACB AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



be on the road after dark is evident from the time 

 they got to Staines, the first stojiping-phxce. The 

 sun sets at exactly 5 p.m. on October 19th. 



The reference to a place called " Bawwaw," 

 lietween Bagshot and Alton, is not to be explained 

 by any scrutiny of maj^s. 



Thenceforward until 1657 stage-coaches are not 

 mentioned in the literature of the age, and we set 

 foot upon firm ground only with the advertisement 

 in the Mercurius PoUticus of April 9th in that 

 year :— 



" 1^0 R t/ie co)ivenie7it acconiniodation of Paffoigers 

 from attd betwixt the Cities of London and 

 WeflcheRer, there is provided fevered Stage- Coaches 

 ivhich go from the George Inn without Alderfgate 

 itpon every Moiiday, Wednefday, and Friday to 

 Coventry, /;/ Tivo days for Twe?ity five fhiilings, 

 to Stone in Three days for Thirty f hill i?igs, and to 

 Chefler in Four days for Thirty five fhiilings, and 

 from thence to return upon the fame days ; which is 

 performed with much safety to the Faffengers, having 

 frefh Horfes once a day. In Mondays Intelligence 

 lafl the feverall fims and rates ivere ly the Frititer 

 miflaken." 



The objective of the first stage-coach ever 

 established being Chester naturally provokes in- 

 quiry. There seems to have been no other stage 

 upon any road in that pioneer year. The j^re- 

 ference for Chester argues a large traffic already 

 existing on that road : men riding joost-horses, 

 women riding j^illion behind friends, relatives, or 

 servants, or possibly in some stage-waggon whose 

 historv has not come down to us. The coach can 



