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Post Office Act 1748
(22 Geo 2 c.25, 25th March? 1748)

An Act to explain and amend so much of an Act made in the ninth Year of the Reign of Queen ANNE, intituled, An Act for establishing a General Post Office for all her Majesty's Dominions; and for settling a Weekly Sum out of the Revenues thereof for the Service of the War, and other her Majesty's Occasions; as relates to Horses or Furniture to be let to Persons riding Post.

'WHEREAS by an Act made in the ninth Year of the Reign of her late Majesty Queen ANNE, intituled, An Act for establishing a General Post Office for all her Majesty's Dominions; and for settling a Weekly Sum out of the Revenues thereof for the Service of the War, and other her Majesty's Occasions; It is (amongst other things) enacted, That no Person or Persons shall presume to keep, provide or maintain Horses or Furniture for the Horsing of any Person or Persons riding Post (that is to say), Riding several Stages upon a Post Road, and changing Horses, or shall let to Hire, or furnish any Person or Persons whatsoever with Horses or Furniture for riding Post as aforesaid, on any of the Roads or Stages now or hereafter to be appointed, with or without a Guide or Horn, for Hire or Reward, or any Agreement or Promise of Reward, whereby he or they may have any Profit or Advantage, on Pain of forfeiting the Sum of five Pounds for every several Offence against the Tenor of the said Act : And whereas the said Restriction hath been construed to extend to Chaises and Calashes let out for Hire, and which change Horses at certain Stages upon the Post Roads, in like Manner as Horses let out by the Post Office are changed;' Be it therefore enacted and declared by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That nothing in the said Act contained doth or shall extend, or be construed to extend, to restrain or prohibit the letting out for Hire, Chaises or Calashes, with Horses to draw the same, or the furnishing Horses for drawing Chaises or Calashes at any Stage or Stages upon any Post Road to any Person whatsoever ; and that it shall it shall and may be lawful for all Persons to let out for Hire, as well upon the Post Roads as elsewhere, Chaises duly licensed, with Horses to draw the same, and to furnish or exchange Horses for drawing any such Chaises or Calashes, any Thing in the said Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

II. Provided also, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall be lawful for all Persons who let out Chaises or Calashes with Horses for Hire, to let out Horses and Furniture for Horsing any Person or Persons accompanying or attending any Person or Persons who shall travel in Chaises or Calashes, and to change such Horses and Furniture in Manner as is before-mentioned.

III. Provided always, and it is hereby declared and enacted, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to extend to stay, annul, or defeat any Judgment or Verdict obtained by virtue of the said above-recited Act of the ninth Year of her late Majesty Queen ANNE, on or before the twenty-fifth Day of March one thousand seven hundred and forty-nine, or the Proceedings thereon; any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.