and the Princess on this occasion.

Whether the medal was ever presented is not known, or how it came to be
converted into a Masonic jewel. Perhaps it may have been given away by
Allen, or it may have gone astray, or been stolen. The Masonic Lodge,
No. 409, is said to have been founded by a Mr. John Campbell in 1761,
shortly before the date of Allen's death: Allen may have been a
Freemason.

[Illustration: [_By permission of Mr. Sydenham, of Bath._

TOKENS COMMEMORATIVE OF PALMER'S MAIL COACH SYSTEM.]

It is to Mr. Sydenham, of Bath, that indebtedness is due for the
interesting impressions of tokens struck in commemoration of Palmer's
mail coach system here depicted.

An interesting tribute was the painting by George Robertson, engraved by
James Fittler, and inscribed to him as Comptroller-General in 1803,
eleven years after he had ceased to hold that position. A copy of this
engraving appears in "The Bristol Royal Mail." Palmer also received the
freedom of eighteen towns and cities in recognition of his public
services, was Mayor of Bath in 1796 and 1801, and represented that city
in the four Parliaments of 1801, 1802, 1806, and 1807.

Francis Freeling, who succeeded John Palmer in the Secretaryship and
General Managership of Post Office affairs, was as a youth a disciple of
his predecessor, and assisted him in the development of the Mail Coach
system. He was apprenticed to the Post Office in Bristol, where his
talents, rectitude of conduct, and assiduity in the duties assigned him
gained for him the esteem and respect of all those connected with the
establishment; and, on the introduction by Mr. Palmer of the new system
of Mail Coaches, Mr. Freeling was appointed in 1785 his assistant to
carry the improvements into effect. He was introduced into the General
Post Office in 1787, and successively filled the office of surveyor,
principal surveyor, joint secretary with the late Anthony Todd, Esq.,
and sole secretary for nearly half a century.

In Mr. Dix's "Life of Chatterton," it is stated, on the authority of a
friend of the Chatterton family, that on Chatterton leaving for London,
"he took leave of several friends on the steps of Redcliff Church very
cheerfully. That at parting from them he went over the way to Mr.
Freeling's house." It is further stated that Mr. Freeling was father to
the late Sir F. Freeling.

As regards Freeling's birthplace, information is forthcoming which seems
conclusive. In a collectio