The Derby Post -Man:

“Up to the year 1719/20 there does not appear to have been any printing done in Derby. Probably the earliest production of the Derby press is the first number of The Derby Postman, a quarto Thursday three-halfpenny paper, which was published on December 1, 1719. It was printed near “St. Warburg’s Church,” by S. Hodgkinson. In 1726 the title of this paper was changed to that of The British Spy. This newspaper was published at irregular periods, and was issued for several years, before it ceased to exist in 1731, by J. Hodgkinson, of Sadler Gate. Saml. Hodgkinson ceased printing about the year 1732.”—(The Bookworm: An Illustrated Treasury of Old-time Literature, Volume 5)

322J.  “Vol. I. Numb. 32. The Derby Post-Man, Or A Collection of the Most Material Occurences, Foreign and Domestick; Together with An Account of Trade. / To Be Continued Weekly. / Thursday, July 6. 1721. / Derby” Printed and Sold by S. Hodgkinson at the Printing-Office near St. Paul’s warburg’s Church; and by Hen. Allestree, Bookseller in Derby, Wm. Hole in Wirksworth; and may be had at Burton, Lichfield, [at Shenston, by Thomas Barfoot] Sutton, Birmingham, by Thomas Hide, and at Ashburn, Uttoxetur, Stafford and Stone by Tho. Hauworth, and will be left for any Gentlemen (by the Men who will come every Week to the abovesaid places) at I s. 6d. The Quarter; at all which places Advertisements are taken in at 2 s. Each. [Price Three-Half-Pence.]”

Derby [England] : printed by S[amuel]. Hodgkinson near St. Warburg’s Church; where advertisements and letters of corespondents are taken in, and all manner of books printed,

Quarto:  9 X 6 1/2  [A]4, B2.  First edition.             $2,250

This copy is disbound and has the original sewing.

On the Title page there is a woodcut of reclining stag in fenced enclosure. This is a wonderfully interesting book!  The telling of miracles, crimes, bills passed,  I will read some of it to you later.

But now about How Rare is Rare.    I have been Unable to find any copy of this volume! A Uniqum!

Many places to search. But I’ll just show two.

Now back to the post-man

As you read above you are reminded how Big London was in 1721. I also wonder what Convulsion is?

”  a sudden, violent, irregular movement of a limb or of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles and associated especially with brain disorders such as epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents in the blood, or fever in children.”

Rising of the lights?

“As any butcher would be able to tell you, lights is an old name for lungs. Many doctors believed that only vulgar people used the term to describe a tightening sensation in the chest, difficulty breathing and a cough….John Hall, a doctor in Stratford-upon-Avon, who also had the distinction of being William Shakespeare’s son-in-law, treated local resident Anne Ward in the 1630s for this problem. Anne was unable to speak or breathe properly and, according to Hall, looked as if she was dead. Hall treated her with cupping (a treatment that was in vogue a few years ago with celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow). The vacuum inside the glasses, once placed on the skin, apparently removed a blockage, which allowed her to speak again straight away. She also took “pectoral rolls” or medicated boiled sweets, and a clyster, or enema, after which the doctor declared her cured.

Imposthume?

” collection of pus or purulent matter in any part of an animal body; an abscess.”

Purples?

“the appearance of red or purple discoloring of the skin, caused by subdermal   bleeding.

Tissik?

” pulmonary tuberculosis; asthma; a dry cough”

Okay, Enough of that.

“Upon a Lady Being offered a Purse by one of the late Directors of the South-Sea Company”

Written by a Lady.

Curse on the Bribs! Shall Female Love be Stain’d /With impious Dross from Ruin’d Britons drain’d?  Shall we be added to the Publick Shame? Beauty be sold to a detested Name? Know, mosterous(sic) Wretch! Ou better Souls distain Thy horrid Spoils, and excreable Gain, Our Hearts are tender, and shall ever scorn To Joy in which made our country mourn. But Oh! If we Patriot Soul could view, That would revenge his Nations Cause on you; With Pride we’d meet the brave, well-meaning Breast Wake all his Joys and lull his Cares to Rest; In Blessing him, we’d waste each precious Hour, And cursing Thee, and thy once fatal Power. A further continuation of the Complaint. No more the Muse must sing in humble Strains, Of Vernal Pleasure, or of Rural Swains; My bleeding Country now demands my Aid. And what my Country claims must be obey’d. When Night and balmy Sleep had clos’d mine Eyes, I saw me Thought, Britannia’s Genius rise; Not as she look’d on Blenheim’s hostile Plain, Where Britain’s Force subdued the Power of Spain: Majestick then! Now languid was her Air, Her Lawrels wither’d, and all torn he Hair. ‘ Ignoble Youth, she cry’d, and canst thou be Thus far regardless of unhappy Me? O glorious Age how bless’d were it return’d. When gallant breasts with generous Ardour burn’d Who boldly dar’d assert their Country’s Cause; Nor hop’d from meaner Thames to gain Applause; Who sav’d their Country from approaching Fate, Nor spar’d the Guilty, tho’ they sin’d in State: For shame! No longer now thy Verse employ On a fictious Nymph or amourous Boy. No, rather of my Sons, my Patriot sing Who trace the Mischief to its hidden Spring; Unveil the Secret Mysteries of Hell; (for sure some Devil first contriv’d to the Spell) Do this; and you your Follies may repair —- She spake, and with an awful Frown disolv’d in Air. I woke, and cry’d, Great Goddess I obey; Be this the future Subject of my Lady.

This is partly published in A Pedlar’s Pack of Ballads and Songs: With Illustrative Notes By W. H. Logan, William Hugh Logan, James Maidment 1869.

The ESTC only has copies of The Derby Post-Man Listed up to issue 25, this issue # 35

NCBEL,; II:1357; Times handlist,; p. 218; Wiles, R.M. Freshest advices,; 36; Cranfield, G.A. Engl. provincial newspapers,; 28;  Microfilms  Early women’s journals, c1700-1832, from the Bodleian Library. (these have other issues but not this one)