1404 Portugese Letter. 15th Oct., 1404. Letter from Antonius II of Portuguare in Lombardy written in Latin and addressed to the Count Articus of Portia Carinthia.
1405 Letter – Antonius II. 27th February 1405. Letter from Antonius II, written from Udine to the Count Articus and others.
1430 Merchant’s Letter. 1430 – Very early example of a Merchants Letter, with Merchant Mark Seal.
1458 letter. Pre-paid letter from London, in Latin. “Da Londra 1458” to Venice.
1458 Merchant’s Letter impressed with embossed oval handstamp. The earliest type of Postage Stamp known!
1469 letter. An original letter of 1469 carried by the Monastary Post to Venice. The monasteries established their own system of communication as early as 1200 A.D.
1492 letter. A letter sent in the year when Columbus was voyaging to America.
1500 printing. Printing was invented in Germany in 1450 and introduced into England by William Caxton in 1476. This marked the rise of the middle classes and the gradual end of the Mediaeval Age.
1549 Bible.
Intro to Tudor Posts.
The Tudor Period marks the end of the Middle Ages, and the beginning of an era of intellectual and artistic growth – the evolution of modern civilization.
The need for better postal Facilities began to express itself as trade and commerce increased. The Royal Posts continued to operate for the state, but civilian letters were mostly carried by private messengers, carriers and packmen, or merchant adventurers.
Henry VII. The first Tudor 1485 – 1509
The Posts of Henry VIII 1509 – 1547
1515 – Original Letter signed “Henry R” by “Henry Tudor the Eight, in the 6th yere of our reign”.
1532 The Merchant’s Post