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Plague reference... Portsmouth has been spared...



Item # 671763

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November 30, 1665

THE OXFORD GAZETTE, England, Nov. 30, 1665

* Earliest & Rarest of newspapers to be had

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. Plus this is the #5 issue, only the fifth to be published.
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 simultaneously in Oxford & London 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.
The content is entirely taken up with reports from various parts of Europe, most with a military theme. The back page has an item from Portsmouth noting: "This Town (God be thanked) notwithstanding the general concourse of people occasioned by so great a part of the fleet being here, remains yet without the least taint of infection...".
The bottom of the back page gives an account of the Great Plague with: "The account of this weeks bill of Mortality at London runs thus. The total 544. Plague 333. Decreased 361."
Complete as a single sheet newspaper measuring 6 3/4 by 11 1/4 inches, irregular at the right margin causes loss to several letters of most lines on both pages, otherwise good condition. A great opportunity for a very rare title at a low price.

Category: The 1600's and 1700's