Mary Emma Woolley

[The preceding pages were reprinted from the Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society, January, 1894. Subsequently there was received from the Public Record Office in London, by the kindness of Hubert Hall, Esq., F.S.A., a copy of the patent to Thomas Neale, mentioned on page 8, preceding. The document is of fundamental importance to the history of the colonial post office. It instituted, for the first time, a royal intercolonial post, an American post office; and the American post office was the first of American executive departments, the first continental institution, and contributed, in its way, toward the unification of America. The patent is therefore given in full below. It is believed that it has never before been printed. It is designated, “Patent Roll (Chancery) 4 William and Mary, Part I, No. 3.” Its date proves to be February 17, 1691/2, not February 7.

The patent to Thomas Neale was a piece of court favor. A few facts respecting the man himself may be of interest. Thomas Neale was an amusing person. All that the editor has been able to discover respecting him shows, with the utmost consistency, the confirmed office-holder, the determined and adventurous speculator, quick to seize any opportunity for personal profit. In the first place, as to his marriage. Pepys, January 1, 1663/4, mentions that there was much talk at the coffee-house about a very rich widow, said to be worth £80,000, and young and handsome. Her husband, Sir Nicholas Gold, a merchant, had not been dead a week yet, and already great courtiers were looking after her. She was the daughter of Sir John Garrard (Burke, Extinct and Dormant Baronetage, 214). June 20, 1664, Pepys tells a remarkable story of the bold manner in which Neale had won this prize, Lady Gold and he having been married in spite of her brother’s opposition. By 1684 Neale had become installed in the palace, in the doubtless lucrative office of groom porter (London Gazette, July 28, 1684; Malcolm, “Anecdotes of London down to 1700,” i. 378, iii. 50). The duties of this office are described by Pepys under date of January 1, 1667/8. “They were,” says Macaulay (iv. 391), “to call the odds when the Court played at hazard, to provide cards and dice, and to decide any dispute which might arise on the bowling-green or at the gaming table.” Neale organized lotteries after the Venetian manner, and in 1694 built extensively, for speculative purposes, about the Seven Dials (Evelyn’s Diary, Nov. 14, 1693; Oct. 5, Nov. 22, 1694). In that same year he was employed by the government to conduct the lottery loan for the State, though some, says Macaulay, thought the treasury lowered itself thereby. But, after all, he was more of a personage than would, perhaps, be gathered from Macaulay’s description. If he was not identical with the Thomas Neale who represented Petersfield in the Parliament of 1661-78 (Parl. Hist., iv. 198), he was certainly member for Ludgershall in all the subsequent parliaments of Charles II., in that of James II., and in the second and third parliaments of King William (5 W. & M., c. 7, sec. 69; letter of F. Bonnet to the Elector of Brandenburg, in Ranke, vi. 238; Parl. Hist., iv. 1082, 1157, 1301, 1346, v. 544, 961; Grey’s Debates, viii. 380). Moreover, a list in Harl. Misc. viii. 512, prepared in July, 1698, identifies him with Thomas Neale, the master of the mint, Sir Isaac Newton’s predecessor in that office. No doubt he was the author of a pamphlet on “Mending the Coin,” London: 1695, which Allibone mentions. In fact, Neale was master of the mint from 1679 to 1699 (Ruding, Annals of the Coinage, i. 29, 35, ii. 30, 33, 46, 466). As the office was for life, and Newton succeeded upon a vacancy (Brewster’s Sir Isaac Newton, ii. 193), it is probable that Neale died in 1699. He should have died rich, for a report in the Commons’ Journals in 1697 (xi. 447, 453) gives us the characteristic touch that by his percentages on coinage he made apparently above £14,000 a year, while a deputy, paid £400, did almost all the work in his absence. Yet it seems that he died insolvent, and failed to carry out a large building contract into which he had entered with Sir Walter Clarges (Malcolm, Londin. Rediv., iv. 328). Malcolm also says (Anecdotes of London in the Eighteenth Century, i. 36) that he left money for a charity school. The “Gentleman’s Magazine” (ii. 631), mentions, under date of Feb. 17, 1732, the death of the widow of Thomas Neale, Esq., act. 96, in Old Palace Yard.

By way of corrigendum to Miss Woolley’s paper, it should be mentioned, out of Mr. F. H. Norton’s notes to his edition of the Journal of Hugh Finlay, that the Virginian act of 1661/2, cited on p. 22, above, was preceded by an act of similar tenor in 1657.—Editor.]

William and Mary by the Grace of God &c To all to whome these presents shall come Greeting whereas our Trusty and welbeloved servant Thomas Neale Esquire hath lately humbly represented unto us that there never yet hath bin any post established for the conveying of Letters within or between Virginia Maryland Delaware New Yorke New England East and West Jersey Pensilvania and Northward as far as our Dominions reach in America And that the want thereof hath bin a great hindrance to the Trade of those parts And he the said Thomas Neale haveing humbly desired us to grant to him Letters Patents for the settling of such a post at his owne charge and Wee being fully satisfied that the same may be of service to Trade and correspondence and alsoe willing to encourage such an undertakeing know yee therefore that wee of our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meer mocon and with and under the condicons and agreements herein after mentioned on the part and behalfe of the said Thomas Neale his executors and assignes to be performed have given and granted and by these presents for us our heires and successors doe give and grant unto the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes full power and authority to erect settle and establish and from time to time dureing the Terme herein after mentioned shall and may continue and enjoy within every or any the chiefe Ports of the severall Iselands Plantacons or Colonies belonging or to belong unto us our heires or successors in America an Office or Offices for the receiving and dispatching away of letters and packquetts with full power and authority and free liberty leave and lycence to and for him the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes and to and for such person or persons as he or they shall from time to time in this behalfe nominate to receive at the respective Offices aforesaid of and from any Masters of Ships Passengers or others any letters or Pacquetts whatsoever which shall be brought into the said Colonyes and Iselands or any of them from England or from any other parts whatsoever or which shall be sent from any parts or places of such respective Colony or Iseland to any other parts or places of the same and to dispatch send away carry and deliver the same to the respective persons and places to whome or which they shall be directed or sent within the said Colonys and Iselands or any of them and to take or receive to the onely use and behoofe of him the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes for the postage or conveyance of all such letters and Packquetts as shall be soe dispatcht sent away carried and delivered such rates and sumes of money as shall be proportionable to the rates for the post or carriage of letters sett downe and ascertained in and by an Act of Parliament made in the Twelfth yeare of the reigne of our late Royall Uncle King Charles the Second of Blessed memory entituled (an act for erecting and establishing a Post Office) or such other rates or sumes of money as the Planters and others will freely agree to give for their letters or Pacquetts upon the first settlement of such Office or Offices And further Wee have given and granted and by these presents for us our heires and successors doe give and grant unto the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes and to such person and persons as he or they shall from time to time nominate as aforesaid full power and authority and free liberty leave and lycence at the said Office or offices so to be settled as aforesaid to collect and receive such letters or pacquetts as the Planters or any others will send or bring to the same and to dispatch such of them away for England as shall be directed thither by the first ship that from time to time shall be bound for any Port Towne of England to be there delivered to the Deputy or Deputies of our Postmaster or Postmasters Generall for the time being by him or them appointed or to be appointed for the said Port Towne To the end such Deputy or Deputys may from time to time send the same away to the Generall Post Office in England to be delivered according to the severall and respective direccons of the same as by the said Act of Parliament is prescribed and to dispatch away such of the said letters or Pacquetts as shall be directed or are to be carried from any of the said Islands Colonys or Plantacons from time to time To have hold use exercise and enjoy the said Office and Offices with the powers authorities priviledges leave and lycence herein before mentioned and intended to be hereby granted and to take perceive and receive the rates and sumes aforesaid unto him the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes To the onely use and behoofe of him the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes from the date of these our Letters Patents for and dureing the Terme of twenty one yeares from thence next ensueing and fully to be compleate and ended without any account or other matter or thing to be therefore rendered or paid to us our heires or successors other then the rent covenants and agreements herein after mentioned rendring to us our heires and successors dureing the said Terme the yearly rent of six shillings and eight pence to be paid into our Exchequer in England at the Feast of St. Michaell the Archangell yearly And Wee doe hereby for us our heirs and successors authorize and comand the Postmaster and Postmasters Generall now and for the time being of us our heires and successors from time to time to issue such Deputacons as may better enable the said Thom Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes and such person or persons as he or they shall from time to time nominate to exercise and execute the powers and authorities to him or them hereby given and granted or menconed or intended to be given and granted in and about the premisses dureing the said Terme of Twenty one yeares and Wee doe hereby also for us our heires and successors strictly prohibit and forbid all and every person and persons whatsoever (other then the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes and such person or persons as he or they shall nominate as aforesaid) to sett up exercise or execute the like Office or Offices within the Iselands Colonys and Plantations aforesaid or any of them at any time or times within or during the continuance of the said Terme of one and Twenty yeares hereby granted provided alwaies that nothing in these p’sents contained shall extend or be construed to extend to restreyne any merchants masters or others from sending any letters or pacquetts to or from the said Plantations or Colonys or any of them by any masters of Ships or other vessells or by any other person or persons which such merchants masters or others will specially imploy or intrust for the carriage of the same according to their respective direccons And the said Thomas Neale Doth for himselfe his executors administrators and assignes covenant promise and grant to and with us our heires and successors by these presents that he the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes or such person or persons as he or they shall nominate as aforesaid shall and will from time to time upon his or their receipt or receipts of any letters or Pacquetts which shall be directed into the said Iselands Colonyes and Plantations or any of them from England or any other parts or from any parts or places within the said Iselands Colonyes or Plantations to any other parts or places within the same cause the said letters or Pacquetts to be forthwith dispersed carried and delivered in the severall parts of the said Iselands Colonies and Plantations as they shall be directed and from time to time as he they or any of them shall collect or receive any letters or Pacquetts to be sent from the said Plantations Islands or Colonyes or any of them for England shall dispatch and send away the same by the first Ship that shall be bound for any Port of England to be there delivered to the next Deputy Postmaster as aforesaid and where any letters or Pacquetts shall be directed from any of the said Colonies Islands or Plantations to some other of them that he or they shall dispatch and send away the same according to the respective direccons by the first conveniency of carriage or conveyance thereof and that these services shall be performed with care and without any neglect or delay at the rates before mentioned And the said Thomas Neale doth further for himselfe his executors administrators and assignes covenant promise and grant to and with us our heires and successors by these presents That he the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes shall and will at his and their own costs and charges keep accounts in bookes fairely written of all the sumes of money and profitts whatsoever ariseing in every yeare by the Office imployment or businesse aforesaid and of all charges thereupon and shall suffer the said Bookes to be inspected from time to time and coppies thereof or notes out of the same to be taken by such person or persons as the Comissioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England for the time being shall appoint and shall and will within the Twentieth yeare of the said Terme of twenty one yeares hereby granted produce the said Bookes themselves or soe many of them as shall be then made to the Comissioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England then being To the end he or they may have certaine knowledge of the yearly value of the said Office or Offices for the future benefitt of us our heires and successors And further that such publique orders as the Governors of the said respective Plantacons Islands or Colonies from time to time shall issue out for the Imediate service of us our heires and successors shall be dispatcht and distributed by the said respective Offices without any charge Provided that noe person or persons whatsoever shall be capable of exerciseing the said Office or Offices or any of them or any Deputacon relateing thereunto untill he or they doe first take the oathes appointed by the Act of Parliament made in the first yeare of our reigne Entituled (An Act for the abrogateing the Oathes of Supremacy and allegiance and appointing other oathes) Provided alsoe that if it shall at any time hereafter be made appeare to us our heires or successors that this our grant is inconvenient to our subjects in generall or that the powers hereby granted or mentioned to be granted or mentioned to be granted or any of them is or are abused That then it shall and may be lawfull to and for us our heires and successors by any order of or made in our or their Privy Councill to revoake determine and make void these our Letters Patents and every clause power and thing therein contained any thing to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding Provided further that if the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes shall not within the space of two yeares next after the date of these our Letters Patents establish the Post or Office thereby intended within the Colonys Islands and Plantations aforesaid according to the true intent and meaning of these Presents Then this our grant and every power matter and thing therein contained shall cease and be void any thing to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And the said Thomas Neale doth for himselfe his executors administrators and assignes covenant promise and grant to and with us our heires and successors that all letters or Pacquetts collected or received in any of the Plantations Iselands or Colonys aforesaid to be sent for England shall from time to time be carefully put up and dispatched away by the first Ship bound for any Port of England to be delivered by the next Deputy Postmaster in England without any charge to the Post Office here excepting and reserveing unto us our heires and successors the English Inland Postage of all such letters and Pacquetts last mentioned to be sent for England It being hereby intended and declared that the same shall not be accounted for to the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes but that he and they shall and is and are hereby obliged to satisfie and pay the masters of such vessells for such conveyance and delivery of such letters and pacquetts as shall be sent for England as aforesaid and alsoe that he the said Thomas Neale his executors administrator or assignes shall and will at his and their owne proper costs and charges nominate and appoint a sufficient Officer in our City of London to receive and collect from time to time all letters and Pacquetts for any of our Colonys or Plantations aforesaid and to take care to send them duely away from time to time by the first vessell bound for any of those Parts And further that all letters comonly called State letters which are usually carried Postage free here in England shall pass free thorow all our Plantations and Iselands aforesaid And further alsoe that he the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators or assignes shall and will at the end of the first three yeares next ensueing after the date of these Presents transmitt or cause to be transmitted to the Comissioners of the Treasury or High Treasurer of England for the time being a true and faithfull account in writeing upon oath of the whole profitts and advantage ariseing or accrewing by and the charge of settling and mannageing the said Office or Offices herein before granted or mentioned to be granted and established and shall and will alsoe keep true and faithful accounts in writeing of all the receipts and charges aforesaid relating to the said Office or Imployment and that from and after the expiracon of the said Three yeares next ensueing after the date of this our Grant the like account shall be yearly transmitted as aforesaid if thereunto required And for the better excution of the powers and direccons herein contained Wee have given and granted and by these Presents for us our heires and successors doe give and grant unto the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes full power and authority from time to time dureing the said Terme of twenty one yeares to sett up make use and have Ferrys over any River or Lake in our said Colonies Iselands or Plantations where noe Ferrys are yet made nor any grant thereof made or given to any other person or persons by us or any of our Predecessors for the better conveyance of Postage and Passengers as need shall require and to receive and take the Profitts and advantage comeing or ariseing by such Ferrys to the use and benefitt of him the said Thomas Neale his executors administrators and assignes provided always and our will and pleasure is and Wee do here for us our heires and successors Declare that in all cases where such Ferry or Ferrys are to be sett up and made over other Persons land or water the Proprietor or Proprietors thereof shall be first agreed with and his and their consent gained therein according to Law and Justice In Witnesse &c Witnesse ourselves at Westm the seaventeenth day of February

By Writt of Privy Seale.

I certify that the foregoing is a true and authentic copy:—

R. Douglas Trimmer
Assistant Keeper of the Public Records
1 February 1894