Reported 280 years ago (March 20 1739): Pleas over lost locket sleeve button set in gold

From the Belfast News Letter of March 9 1738. This is in fact equivalent to March 20 1739 in the modern calendar, because there was an 11-day time lag between the two calendars, and because the new year then did not begin until late March. That meant that December, January, February and early March were all considered part of the same year.

LOST between Belfast and Lisburn, on Saturday the 3d Instant, a large Locket Sleeve Button set in Gold, whoever has or may find it, upon their delivering it to the Printer hereof, shall receive half a Guinea Reward (that being very near the real Value) and if it should be offered to be sold, it is hoped all Goldsmiths, etc. will be so kind as to stop it, and they shall have the same Reward. [Half a guinea is about £100 in today’s money]

LONDON, Feb. 27

We have advice from Madrid, that the Points relating to Trade and Navigation, which are to be settled between the King of Spain and the States general of the United Provinces, will be referred to the Examination of Commissaries or Plenipotentiaries appointed by both Powers.

We hear that a certain Person having plung’d himself into great Difficulties, has call’d an extraordinary CONVENTION of his Friends, to beg their Assistance, on a remarkable Occasion.

We hear the King of Spain expects Satisfaction to be made him for beating and destroying the Spanish Armada in the GLORIOUS Reign of Queen Elizabeth, as well as for beating and destroying his Fleet in 1718, in the Mediterranean.

[It is unclear whether this is a moment of satire in a serious report. There were tensions between Britain and Spain at this time. It is perhaps plausible that Madrid demanded satisfaction for a war with Britain 21 years earlier, in 1718, but it is hard to believe it sought it over the 1588 failed armada, 150 years before]