Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/268

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12*. m. APRIL 14, 1917.

the fact that on April 2, 1698, it noted a sitting of the House of Lords " this after- noon," at which the royal assent was given by William III. to certain Bills ; and that statement is corroborated by the ' Lords' Journals,' vol. xvi. p. 256. As far as can yet be traced, therefore, Dawks was the earliest begetter of an evening journal giving the news of the day of issue ; but, even before that, I think an example can be found (and concerning a very striking historical event) of a journal's issue later than the morning, when something sudden and highly important had to be announced.

The London Gazette of July 6-9, 1685 published, as the double date indicates, on the latter day contained a detailed dispatch describing the Battle of Sedgmoor, which had been fought on the 5th. This was headed :

" Whitehal, July 8. Yesterday Morning His Majesty received the News of the entire defeat of the Rebels ; of which we have the following account : "

and it said towards the end :

" His lordship [the Earl of Feversham] hearing that the late Duke of Monmouth was fled with about 50 Horse, the greatest number of the Rebels that were left together, he sent out several Parties in pursuit of him.'.'

The " copy " evidently was forwarded to the printers in good time, with an addition bringing the narrative up to the 8th, by a few lines announcing that the King had received that morning the news of Lord Grey's capture ; and it is plain to the ini- tiated that the issue of the 9th had been "fmade up " when there was run in, at the last moment, the following piece of momen- tous information :

" Whitehal, July 8, at 12 a Clock at Night.

" His Majesty has just now received an account, That the late Duke of Monmouth was taken this Morning in Dorsetshire, being hid in a Ditch, and that He is in the Hands of my Lord Lumley."

Those who know, by study of the con- ditions, the easygoing habits of the journalists and printers of that period, will not believe that the presses were waiting in the earliest hours of the morning of July 9, Tine London Gazette's publishing day to issue what was virtually the first of all traceable " stop-preso 1 editions " ; and to me it seems very doubtful whether on July 9, 1685, the oldest of our regular journals appeared on sale until an hour" which, to the evening paper of to-day, would seem extremely late.

ALFRED F. ROBBINS.

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF RICHARD EDWARDS, 1669-79.

(See ante, pp. 1, 44, 81, 122, 161, 205, 244.)

LETTER XXXI.

Richard Edwards to John Vickers (rough draft).

(O.C. 3434.)

Cassumbuzar June the 15th 1670 Writt to Mr Vickers of the receipt of his of the 3d Instant and the enclosed bill for 400 rs. and desired him to buy me an escritore, of price from 5 rs. to 15 or 20.

June the 20th To Ditto

Yours of the 13th Instant received yesterday night (the Cossid just complying with his word) together with the encloseds for Mr Marshall* and a bill for the procury of another payable in Pattana, which I have gott, and is Charged on Gocaldass, Merchant, for 600 rs. payable four days after Sight to Mr John Marshall in Shaw Jehaun rupees. f Not hearing of any Merchants Cossid ready shortly to goe for Pattana, nor likely to Send any of our owne till letters come from Hu[gly] for that place, I have Sent one on purpose who promises to reach thither in 8 daysj whose hyre being 3 rs. 8 a. pray give me Creditt for ; and although I have therein gone beyond your o[r]ders, yet I hope I shall not have contraryed your desires, when you consider the raines now coming in would much retard their Speedy arrival!, and the uncertainty also when to have met with an opportunity of Sending by any other conveighance.

Your bill of 400 rs. will be due to morrow, it being by the roguery of them that drew it made payable 10 days after Sight, a thing unusuall. When I receive it, I shall (as I advised in my last of the 15th Instant, which hope you have received) take care speedy ly to dispose it out, and give you advice thereof, and assure your Selfe I shall endeavour to gett it in as [the letter breaks off here]

[Endorsed]

To Mr Vickers 15th & 20th June 70


 * See Letter XXX.

t Shahjahanl rupees, i.e., rupees coined in the time of the Emperor Shah Jahan, who reigned 1628-58.

J The distance between Kasimbazar and Patna by road is about 250 miles.