Essays of Michael, seigneur de Montaigne in three books, with marginal notes and quotations of the cited authors, and an account of the author's life / new rendered into English by Charles Cotton, Esq.

CHAP. XXII. Of Posts.

I Have been none of the least able in this Ex∣ercise, which is proper for men of my pitch, short and well knit; but I give it over, it shakes us too much to continue long. I was just now reading, that King Cyrus, the better to have News brought him from all parts of the Empire, which was of a vast extent; caus'd it to be try'd how far a Horse could go in a day without baiting, and at that distance appointed Stages and Men, whose business it was to have Horses always in readiness, to mount those who were dispatch'd away to him. And some say, that this swift way of posting, is equal to that of the flight of Cranes. Caesar says, that Lucius Vibulus Rufus, being in great haste to carry Intelligence to Pompey, rid Day and Night, still taking fresh Horses for the greater Diligence and Speed; and himself, as

Suetonius reports, travelled a hundred miles a day in a hir'd Coach; but he was a furious Cour∣rier, from where the Rivers stopt his way, he always past them by swimming, without turning out of his way to look for either Bridg or Ford. Tiberius Nero, going to see his Brother Drusus, who was sick in Germany, travell'd two hundred miles in four and twenty hours, having three Coaches. In the War the Romans had against King Antiochus, T. Sempronius Gracchus, says Livie, Per dispositos equos propè incredibili celeri∣tate ab Amphissa tertio die Pellam pervenit. Vpon Horses purposely laid in, he by an almost incredible speed, rid in three dayes from Amphissa to Pella. And it appears there, that they were establish'd Posts, and not Horses purposely laid in upon this Occasion. Cecinna's Invention to send back News to his Family, was much more quick, for he took Swallows along with him from home, and turn'd them out towards their Nests when he would send back any News; setting a mark of some colour upon them to signifie his mean∣ing, according to what he and his People had before agree'd upon. At the Theater at Rome, Masters of Families carried Pigeons in their Bo∣somes, to which they tyed Letters, when they had a mind to send any Orders to their People at home; and the Pigeons were train'd up to bring back an Answer. D. Brutus made use of the same Device, when besieg'd in Mutina, and others elsewhere have done the same. In Peru, they rid post upon mens shoulders, who took them upon their shoulders in a certain kind of

Litter made for that purpose, and ran with such Agility, that in their full speed, the first Couriers throw their load to the second, without making any stop; and so on. I understand that the Va∣lachians, who are the grand Signiors Couriers, perform wonderful Diligences, by reason they have Liberty to dismount the first they meet up∣on the road, giving him their own tir'd Horses; to preserve themselves from being weary, they gird themselves straight about the middle with a broad Girdle, but I could never find any be∣nefit by it.

Notes

• Post-horses first set up by Cyrus.
• Livius.
• Pigeons taught to carry Let∣ters.