It could not have been
worth much as a newspaper, inasmuch as the defeat off Cape St. Vincent
did not appear in its columns until four weeks after it had taken place.
There must have been some sort of news sheets in existence in England
about the same time as the Venetian _Gazetta_, for in the thirty-sixth
year of King Henry VIII, the following proclamation appeared:
'The King's most excellent Majestie, understanding that certain
light persones, not regarding what they reported, wrote, or sett
forth, had caused to be ymprinted and divulged certaine newes of
the prosperous successes of the King's Majestie's army in Scotland,
wherein, although the effect of the victory was indeed true, yet
the circumstances in divers points were, in some parte
over-slenderly, in some parte untruly and amisse reported; his
Highness, therefore, not content to have anie such matters of so
greate importance sett forthe to the slaunder of his captaines and
ministers, nor to be otherwise reported than the truthe was,
straightlie chargeth and commandeth all manner of persones into
whose hands anie of the said printed bookes should come,
ymmediately after they should hear of this proclamation, to bring
the said bookes to the Lord Maior of London, or to the recorder or
some of the aldermen of the same, to the intent they might suppress
and burn them, upon pain that every person keeping anie of the said
bookes twenty-four hours after the making of this proclamation,
should suffer ymprisonment of his bodye, and be further punished at
the King's Majestie's will and pleasure.
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