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| XVth century scribe at work (modern reconstruction) Source: wikimedia commons |
Not surprisingly the reason of sending letters in those times wasn't much different than today. People sending the letter in every topic starting from business related to love affairs. However, there were many challenges in process of getting a letter from sender to recipients. First one was to find the right person suitable to write the letter as not everyone was capable to do this.
Second is to find the right messenger however that's also mean that delivery was often uncertain. Often it's difficult to find the right person to travel at right time - so letters often sat unposted for days. As an example was given citation comes from the letter (1448) of one of the servants of the knight Sir John Fastolf :
Second is to find the right messenger however that's also mean that delivery was often uncertain. Often it's difficult to find the right person to travel at right time - so letters often sat unposted for days. As an example was given citation comes from the letter (1448) of one of the servants of the knight Sir John Fastolf :
''If messengers to London could have been found before Christmas, the letters were ready to go.'' Source: How to send a letter ... by Deborah Thorpe, BBC History Magazine 9/2013
Following was to find recipients especially when he is the owner of several land properties spread around the country - that's really can make delivery time unpredictable and very frustrated to the messenger. Even more dangerous for messenger was the delivery of bad news - in case of hot-tempered recipient messenger can eve lost his life being killed by furious addressee.
Another aspect was the security of correspondence especially in case of delicate matters like political or love affairs. In this case, the letter sometimes has a statement that need to be burned after reading. Other approach was to place sensitive information by the end of the letter with instruction that after reading should be torn out and burned, keeping remaining insensitivity part of the letter.
Another aspect was the security of correspondence especially in case of delicate matters like political or love affairs. In this case, the letter sometimes has a statement that need to be burned after reading. Other approach was to place sensitive information by the end of the letter with instruction that after reading should be torn out and burned, keeping remaining insensitivity part of the letter.
More details in Deborah article in BBC History Magazine and also in audio podcast - really worth to read and listen.
BTW when you have last time wrote the letter and send using post office? :-)
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