An amusing account of a wedding journey in Sussex shows the extent of the Mercury’s news-gathering. Note the use of the long ‘s’.
“Last week a very extraordinary Wedding was celebrated at Maerfield in Sussex, where the Ages of the Bride, Bridegroom, and the Horse they rode upon to be married; amounted to 214 Years, the Man was 96, the Woman 94, and the Horse 24. As they did not care to be married where they were known, they set out, secretly for a Church at some Distance from their Habitation, and in their way thither, the Bridegroom fell off his Horse, but by the help of a friendly Gate, made shift to mount again. As they were coming back, the Bride had the Misfortune to slip off the Pilion behind, and the Bridegroom’s Senses not being very perfect, he never miss’d her till he had jogg’d on some Miles, and was at last forced to return, with Assistance, to bring her home.”
Stamford Mercury 2 September, 1736.