Great Britain Postal History Express Mail 1653 'New Post' 1653 (23

(x) Great Britain Postal History Express Mail 1653 'New Post' 1653 (23 May) entire letter from Francis Willoughby, Commissioner of the Navy at Portsmouth (later Deputy-Governor of Massachusetts) with integral address panel endorsed "Ffor the Service of ye State" and addressed "To my honoured ffriedns and Commissioners of the Navy on Tower Hill, Present". Contents include "Mr. Child removing to London to passe his accompt, desired mee to pray you to give him dispatch by joyning with mee in signing his bill she has paid for necessaries brought there ... I shall for ye future observe your order of sending up an accompt upon every two thousands pounds disbursed for commodities there: and touching your paying our freight there so much diminished, I shall also bee as favourable in ye signing them as possible can bee, but wholly to refuse the payment of all freight as Master Child doth (as you say) by especiall order from the Lord Protector especially when I know them to bee sent out of one ship into another, besides not only a mighty discontent among them, but it is a great prejudice to your service, many have runaway yet would have staid, by which means wee have wanted men to worke upon your ships...". Signed "Fr Willoughby". Very fine and important, illustrating the slow adaptation of the newly established requirements of the New Post. Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate:£1,000

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