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Recovering from the Great Plague... Rare issue of the Oxford Gazette...
Recovering from the Great Plague... Rare issue of the Oxford Gazette...
Item # 694908
December 07, 1665
THE OXFORD GAZETTE, England, Dec. 7, 1665 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 #7 issue.
Because of the Plague and an attempt to avoid the contagion, the Royal Court removed itself from London to Oxford when this newspaper began, so issues #1 thru #23 were published simultaneously in Oxford & London. When the Plague 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 front page has a bit from Dover noting: "The sickness is so much abated this last week that we hope our next will give an account that we are clear from the infection...". The back page has an item: "...Upon the great disorders committed in divers parts of the country of late by Highway-men and Robbers, who have grown to that insolence from their numbers and correspondencies as to defie ordinary justice. There is now that course taken that we doubt not in very little time but to be freed from those mischiefs.".
The bottom of the back page gives a weekly account of the Great Plague, with: "The account of the weekly bill at London runs thus. Total 428. Plague 210. Decreased 116."
Complete as a single sheet issue, 7 1/4 by 11 inches, tiny binding pin holes at the blank spine, this issue is in great condition and was in our private collection for this reason.
Certainly a very scarce newspaper and a cornerstone issue for any early newspaper collection.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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