The petition of James Hickes, residence unknown, June 1660
To the Kings most Excellent Majestie.
The humble peticon of James Hickes Clerke in ye L[ette]rs Office.
Sheweth
That the pet[itione]r sent the first L[ette]rs by the post from Namptwich vnto London in 1637 and hath beene the principall instrum[e]nt in the mannagement of that Road, which brings in att present att least 4000 li. p[er] annu[m] cleere, and in 1640 was sent for thence by Mr Burlimachie to be clerke in the office att London for that Roade.
That in 1642 by order of the right hono[ura]ble Secretarie Nicholas to the said Burlimachie the petic[i]oner settled postages betwixt Bristoll, and Yorke for your late Fathers service (of blessed memorie) in the beginning of his troubles, & likewise carried, and Conveyed all Pacquetts from beyond the Seas unto his said Ma[jes]tie to Kennelmeworth Castle before Edgehill fight, and untill Aprill following to Oxeford.
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r in Aprill 1643 for writeing to the right hono[ura]ble Secretarie Nicholas certaine passages of parliam[en]t against his late Ma[jes]tie (the l[ette]re interrupted) was by Miles Corbitt committed to prison, and about Mich[aelm]as following being released, repaired to Oxeford where he was for divers yeares imployed by the right hono[ura]ble the then Secretaries of State in divers buisinesses, and particularly att Weymouth for the dispatch of his Ma[jes]ties L[ette]res to & from forreigne parts (as by their Commissions under hand and seale were att large). And was alsoe confirmed therein under the Royall Signett Manuall, & there remained untill the Earle of Essex possessed the same
That the peticoner is the onely Clerke that was ever turned out of his imployment in the said office, cast into prison, and went to Oxeford to serve his Ma[jes]tie wherein he hazarded life and spent his whole Estate to the ruyne of himselfe, wife, and Childeren, & in his Ma[jes]ties service alsoe was slaine his aged Father att 74 yeares, under the Com[m]and of the right hono[ura]ble the Earle of Northampton att Edgehill to the great greife, losse, and dammage of yo[u]r petic[i]oner
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r after 8 yeares expence in his Ma[jes]ties Service & losse of his imploym[en]t by meanes of freindes gott into the said office againe wherein w[i]th great paines & difficultie he hath continued for ye space of 9 yeares, and contracted many infirmities of body, and much impared his health, being now alltogeather vncapeable of any other imploym[en]t.
The pr[e]misses Considered
Hee most humblie praies yo[u]r most Sacred Ma[jes]tie to graunt the Continuance of yo[u]r pet[itione]rs imploym[en]t in the said office dureing his life under the accustomed Sallaries, proffitts, & priviledges & paied unto him for seuerall yeares past by the Farm[e]rs & govern[o]rs of the said office for the preservac[i]on of himselfe, & familie from utter ruyne
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r (as in duty bound) shall ever pray &c