The origin of the etymology of "news" from the four compass points?

[Joel S. Berson]

Do we have here the origin of the etymology of "news" from the four
compass points?

A rebus from _The Whimsical Jester: or, Rochester in High Glee_
(Printed for J. Wren, and W. Hodges, 1784; caution -- there is
another 1784 publication with the same title, but a different publisher):

What expresses four points, when rightly connected,
Will exhibit a thing that in war is expected.

[Answer:]  News.

Joel

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