Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/129

 *dren entrusted to his care, he only thought how he might take advantage of their youth to obtain the crown himself; so he sent them both to the Tower, but not as prisoners, for it was then used occasionally as a royal residence, especially in times of public disturbances; so Richard told the people the boys would be safe there; but in a little while it was reported that they were dead, and it was thought he had caused them to he murdered, which was most likely the truth, although some people think they were not put to death, but were kept there as prisoners for some years.

23. Richard the Third was not a very bad king, for he made some laws that were very useful to the merchants who traded with foreign countries, and he was the first who thought of having postmen, or couriers, to carry letters, so that, wicked as he was, we cannot say he did no good as a sovereign.

24. The post was, at first, only for government letters, and it was a long time before any arrangements were made for private persons to correspond by the same means; but this was done by degrees, and in the time of Oliver Cromwell, the General Post Office was established, when every body had the benefit of this excellent institution, which adds so much to peo