was frequently served at
Montezuma's table in twenty-four hours from the time it had been taken
in the Gulf of Mexico, two hundred miles from the capital. In this way
intelligence of the movements of the royal armies was rapidly brought to
Court; and the dress of the courier, denoting by its colour the nature
of his tidings, spread joy or consternation in the towns through which
he passed."--W. H. Prescott, _History of the Conquest of Mexico_,
London, 1903, pp. 20, 21.

A similar system existed in Peru (W. H. Prescott, _History of the
Conquest of Peru_, Philadelphia, 1874, vol. i. p. 69).

_China._

"From the city of Kanbulu[758] there are many roads leading to the
different provinces, and upon each of these, that is to say, upon every
great highroad, at the distance of twenty-five or thirty miles,
accordingly as the towns happen to be situated, there are stations, with
houses of accommodation for travellers, called _yamb_ or post-houses.
These are large and handsome buildings, having several well-furnished
apartments hung with silk, and provided with everything suitable to
persons of rank. Even kings may be lodged at these stations in a
becoming manner, as every article required may be obtained from the
towns and strong places in the vicinity; and for some of them the Court
makes regular provision. At each station four hundred good horses are
kept in constant readiness, in order that all messengers going and
coming upon the business of the grand khan, and all ambassadors, may
have relays, and, leaving their jaded horses, be supplied with fresh
ones.... When it is necessary that messengers should proceed with
extraordinary despatch, as in the cases of giving information of
disturbance in any part of the country, the rebellion of a chief or
other important matter, they ride two hundred, or sometimes two hundred
and fifty miles in the course of a day."--_Travels of Marco Polo the
Venetian_, London, 1904, pp. 190 et seq.

(ii) _NUNCII_ AND _CURSORES_.

"The Royal _Nuncii et Cursores_ constituted a very important branch of
the Royal Establishment, and the payments to them form a very large and
important item in the Household and Wardrobe Accounts from the earliest
period when those accounts exist.

"These Messengers were employed both in England and in foreign parts,
and as well on affairs of State as what may be considered as the private
and confidential business of the Crown and Royal Family and the
individua