Publick Occurrences: Both Forreign and Domestick is first published.

Published by Benjamin Harris, it is printed by Richard Pierce from the back room of the London Coffee House near today’s 1 Washington Street (then Cornhill). The first newspaper in the British Colonies, its purpose is “that the people may better understand public affairs, that importance occurrences shall not be forgotten.. . . Curing, or at least the Charming of that Spirit of Lying, which prevails among us.” The newspaper, which consists of four pages, one left blank to so readers can add their own news before passing it on to others. It is banned four days later for publishing “sundry doubtful and uncertain Reports,” including rumors of incest in the French royal family and mistreatment by British soldiers of French prisoners. All remaining copies are ordered destroyed, and the only copy known to exist today is in owned by the British Library.