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Abstract
The history of newspapers is traditionally written from a national perspective. Paradoxically, however, the gathering and distribution of news undertaken by seventeenth century newspapers was transnational. This article shows some of the methodological problems this paradox raises. Through a case study of the weekly London newsbook Mercurius Politicus, it demonstrates the nature and significance of international news in seventeenth century Britain. The history of the early newspaper needs to be rewritten from the perspective of pan-European communication networks.
Notes
1. However, Andrew Pettegree is currently engaged on a single volume history of the news in early-modern Europe.
2. Folger Shakespeare Library, MS V.a.436, p. 423 (2 November 1654). In a modern edition: Booy 332–3.
3. Thurloe's State Papers appear in Bodleian MSS Rawl. A. 66–59, and scattered elsewhere. There is also a selective edition: Birch. On Thurloe and his office see also: Aubrey; Pincus 58 and passim; Peacey ‘Cromwellian’.
4. See ‘Renaissance Cultural Crossroads’ <http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/rcc/>.
5. These are issues explored by the Leverhulme-funded collaborative project News Networks in Early-Modern Europe. See <http://earlymodernnewsnetworks.wordpress.com/>.