857. ETHELWULF, son of Egbert, sometimes styled the first king of
England, died. In his reign the tax called Peter's pence was levied.
1399. The Tartars, under Tamerlane, pillaged the imperial city of Delhi,
and two days after wantonly massacred the entire Indian population.
1400. RICHARD II of England murdered. He came to the throne at the age
of 11, and after a turbulent reign of 22 years, was deposed and
imprisoned.
1404. It was enacted at this short parliament of Henry's that no chemist
shall use his craft to multiply gold or silver.
1560. JOHN DE LASCI, a learned Pole, died.
1618. GALILEO discovered the fourth satellite of Jupiter.
1669. JOHN BOCHIUS, a Dutch poet, died. He excelled in Latin, and is
called the Virgil of the Low Countries.
1691. GEORGE FOX, founder of the sect of quakers, died, aged 67. His
father was a poor weaver, and George was apprenticed to a shoemaker; but
he left his employment and wandered about the country in a leather
doublet, and finally set up as a teacher. He visited different
countries, and had the satisfaction to see his tenets taking deep root
in his life time.
1705. A house in London where fireworks were manufactured, blew up, and
destroyed 120 houses, and killed 50 persons.
1711. The last No. of the _Tatler_ appeared (No. 271).
1715. Great fire in Thames street, London; many lives lost.
1716. ELIZABETH PATCH died at Salem; the first female born in the old
colony of Massachusetts.
1717. MARIA SYBILLA MERIAN, the distinguished painter, and writer on
entomology, died at Amsterdam.
1738. The famous convention of Pardo signed.
1759. Execution of the conspirators against the life of the king of
Portugal. The whole family of the Marquis Tavora was executed, and the
name suppressed for ever.
1797. British ships Indefatigable, 44 guns, and Amazon, 42 guns, had a
night action of six hours, in the bay of Audierne, with the French 74
gun ship Les Droits des Hommes, 1600 men; the latter was driven on
shore, and the crew made prisoners; Gen. Renier and 750 men were lost in
the action. The Amazon was also lost in the action.
1798. Lieut. Lord Camelford shot Lieut. Charles Peterson, at English
harbor, Antigua, for disobedience of orders, was afterwards tried and
acquitted.
1798. The Swiss cantons armed against France.
1809. The French under Marshal Victor defeated the Spanish under
Castanos at Cuenca.
1811. The British merchant ship Cumberland, Captain Barrat, beat off 4
French privateers, and took 170 men who had boarded her.
1814. British and Prussians repulsed in an attack on Antwerp; part of
the suburbs were burnt.
1814. The emperor of Russia and king of Prussia crossed the Rhine to
invade France; the emperor of Austria, who had arrived the evening
before at Cassel, went out to meet them, and they entered Basil, in
Switzerland.
1814. General thanksgiving throughout Great Britain for the successes
gained over Bonaparte.
1814. Capt. Barrie of the British ship Dragon, took the fort on Point
Peter and the tower of St. Mary's, in Georgia; they afterwards destroyed
the fort.
1817. The ship Georgianna, of Norfolk, experienced a tremendous shock in
the Gulf stream supposed to be by earthquake; the day was calm.
1822. JOHANN GOTTLIEB SCHNEIDER, a German philologist and naturalist,
died, aged 72; a voluminous author.
1836. KARL CHR. TRAUG. TAUCHNITZ, an eminent German printer, died, aged
75. At the age of 35 he commenced business for himself with a single
press; but his establishment soon became very extensive, including a
letter foundry and book store. He was most indefatigable in improving
and perfecting whatever he undertook, as his publications attest. His
founts of oriental type were unsurpassed in Germany.
1838. Chancellor ELDON died.
1840. Steam boat Lexington burnt, on her passage from New York to
Stonington. Of 145 persons on board, only four escaped with their lives.
Among the sufferers were many highly esteemed and valuable members of
society.
1848. A severe battle took place at Chillianwallah between the British
and Sikh forces without decisive results.
1854 An earthquake at Finana in Spain, crumbling down the Alcazaba, an
ancient Moorish castle, prostrating houses and causing chasms in the
streets, and loss of lives.