62 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IX DAYS OF YORE 



" Let them re2:)air to the George Inn on Hol- 

 borii Bridge, and they shall he in good Coaches 

 with good Horses at and for reasonable rates, 

 to Salishury, Blandford, Exmaster, Hunnington, 

 Exeter, Ockinton, Plimouth, and Cornwal." 



The extraordinarily misspelt names of some of 

 the j^laces mentioned in these notices show how' 

 ill-known the country then was. Por " Burput " 

 we must read Bridport ; for " Hunnington," Honi- 

 ton; and for "Exmaster," Axminster; "Ockin- 

 ton" is j^robahly Okehampton. 



At this time, and for yery many years yet to 

 come, the stage-coaches Ayere strictly fair-weather 

 seryices. With eyery recurrent spring they were 

 brought out from their retirement, and so early 

 as Michaelmas were taken off the roads and laid 

 up for the winter. HoAy the pioneer coach to 

 Chester fared in its second season is hid from us, 

 but the announcement of its third year, in 1659, 

 is instructiye : — ■ 



" These are to giye notice, that from the 

 George Inn, without Aldersgate, goes eyery 

 Monday and Thursday a coach and four able 

 horses, to carry passengers to Chester in fiye 

 days, likewise to Coyentry, Cosell (Coleshill), 

 Cank, Litchfield, Stone, or to Birmingham, 

 Wolyerhampton, Shrewsbury, Xewport, AVhit- 

 cliurch, and Holywell, at reasonable rates, by us, 

 who haye performed it two years. 



" AViLLIAM DUXSTAX. 



"Henry Earle. 

 "William Eowler." 



