Reported in the News Letter this week 280 years ago

From the first surviving News Letter, October 3 1738 (Oct 14 modern calendar):
By Ben Lowry
Published 15th Oct 2018, 20:07 BST
Updated 15th Oct 2018, 21:07 BST
The Belfast News Letter of October 3 1738 (which is October 14 in the modern calendar). The paper was founded a year earlier, in September 1737, and is the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world. But this is the oldest surviving edition, so it is therefore the earliest existing copy of the oldest language English dailyThe Belfast News Letter of October 3 1738 (which is October 14 in the modern calendar). The paper was founded a year earlier, in September 1737, and is the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world. But this is the oldest surviving edition, so it is therefore the earliest existing copy of the oldest language English daily
The Belfast News Letter of October 3 1738 (which is October 14 in the modern calendar). The paper was founded a year earlier, in September 1737, and is the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world. But this is the oldest surviving edition, so it is therefore the earliest existing copy of the oldest language English daily

OPENING PARAGRAPH:

Since my last arrived two British Packets, which brought the following Advices, viz.

RUSSIA Petersbourg, September 16 THE Czarina has ordered Te Deum to be sung following the Victory obtained by the Russians, the 10th Instant over the Infidels, under a triple Discharge of the Cannon and the Ships in the Harbour.

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AMERICAS: By the last Ship, Capt. Wass, from Virginia, we have a further Account that four more Families have been murdered by the Indians in Orange County, and that the whole County are under Apprehensions of great Danger from them, they having assembled together in great Numbers. It is said that Several Companies will be sent from hence in order to suppress them.

HORSE THEFT: A few Days since the Father of the noted Turpin was committed to Chelmsford Goal [sic], for having in his Possession a Horse supposed to be stolen out of Lincolnshire, which, he pleads, was left with him by his Son to pay for Diet and Lodging. [Dick Turpin was later hanged for this theft]

ROYALS: We are informed that their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales have determined to set out on the 16th of next month, with a handsome retinue for the Bath.

ITALY: We have advice from Rome, that a young woman of Staffano, who had resisted a certain man’s addresses for the space of 18 months, was surprized him as she went to bring water from a Draw-well, and that seeing herself on the point of being ravished by him, she drew a knife out of her pocket and killed him.

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The Governor of Palambora caused her to be taken up, and condemned her to five Years Imprisonment; from which Sentence she has appealed to the Pope, and it is not doubted but that his Holiness will grant her a free Pardon. The Governor was certainly some loose fornicating Rascal, or he would never have pronounced such a Sentence: The Pope no doubt will do well if her pardons the Girl? but in our humble Opinion he will do much better if he hangs her Judge.

THAMES: The Machine that is fixed in the River, at Westminster, for driving the Piles for the New Bridge, requiring a greater Power than two Horses to raise the Weight to its proper Height, another Horse was brought to the Float-Side Yesterday, and in putting him on board the Float, he fell into the River, which endanger’d several persons being downed. They got him clear from the Tackle, and he swam ashore at New Palace Yard-Stairs. [This was the first crossing of the Thames in the eight miles between the ancient London Bridge and Putney in centuries. It was the bridge on which Wordsworth would stand in 1802]

DEATH: Last Night the Wife of Mr. Summers, in Walnut-Tree-Yard without Bishopsgate, was found hanging on a Beam in the Callar [sic], She had been for some time disordered in her Senses.

WAR: There is a Report that the Right Hon. the Earl of Crawford, one of the 16 Peers for North Britain, who lately went to serve as a Voluntier in Count Munich’s Army, was killed by a Cannon-Ball in the fourth Action with the Turks, near the Banks of the Dniester.

CHILDLESS QUEEN: Letter from the Hague, Sept 23, N.S.

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AN Express is every Moment expected here from Stockholm, giving an Account of the Death of the King of Sweden. The bodily Indisposition of that Prince was the chief Reason, tho. others have been assigned, for his remitting the Regency into the Hands of the Queen. This Event will have no consequences, forasmuch as Queen Ulrica is 50 Years of Age and upwards, and never has had a Child ...

Related topics:LincolnshirePope