Rare title with Judaica content...

Item # 615043

January 25, 1666

THE OXFORD GAZETTE, England, January 25, 1665 (1666 by today's calendar) - issue #21 This is an extremely famous--and rare--title, being the predecessor of the famous "London Gazette", the oldest continually published English language newspaper in the world. Because of the Plague at this time, the Royal Court had removed itself from London to Oxford when this newspaper began, so issues #1 thru #23 were published in Oxford (actually published simultaneously in London & Oxford), and when the contagion had subsided & the Court returned to London this newspaper went with it and renamed itself "The London Gazette" with issue #24, and the rest is history. This is issue number 21.
The front page has a brief mention of "...a ship arrived yesterday at Falmouth from New-England laden with masts upon his Majesties account..." and another front page item notes: "...there was a brisk report among them that the Jews and Arabs had destroyed the tomb of Mahomet at Mecca and taken several places in exchange of which the Turkish court offered Tunis, Alexandria & other places, but that they refuse all with a resolution to gain the Holy Land...". The bottom of the back page gives the weekly total of those who died from the Plague noting: "The Account of the Weekly Bill at London runs this: Total 272. Plague 79. Decreased 103."
A single sheet newspaper measuring 7 by 11 1/4 inches in uncommonly very nice, clean condition with margins throughout. There are a few very tiny worm holes near the bottom, causing no loss.
An exceedingly scarce newspaper and a cornerstone issue for any early newspaper collection, being among the first few issues of the world's oldest continually published newspaper--and from the very brief period when it published in Oxford.