1560. A phenomenon observed at London, called the _burning spears_,
being one of the earliest records of that appearance now well known by
the name of aurora borealis.
1601. SCIPIO AMMIRATI, an Italian historian, died. He wrote a history of
Florence, published in 2 vols, folio.
1606. EVERARD DIGBY hanged, drawn and quartered at the west end of St.
Paul's church, London. He was concerned in the gunpowder plot, having
offered £1500 towards defraying the expenses of that dreadful affair. He
also entertained Fawkes, who was to have executed it in his house, and
was taken in open rebellion with other papists after the plot was
detected and had miscarried.
1644. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH died; celebrated for his skill as a
religious controversialist, and a defender of protestantism against
popery.
1647. King CHARLES I delivered up to parliament by the Scots for
£200,000. Some think it unworthy of the nation.
1649. CHARLES I beheaded. He was born in Scotland 1600, and succeeded to
the British throne 1625. His reign was signalized by a struggle with his
parliaments, in procuring supplies, which finally ended in his
execution. He was tried for treason against the people, and condemned
with only three days' grace.
1660. WILLIAM OUGHTRED, an English divine and mathematician, died, it is
said, in consequence of excess of joy at the restoration of Charles II,
whom he called Christ's anointed.
1661. The heads of Oliver Cromwell, John Bradshaw, and Henry Ireton set
on poles at Westminster hall, and their bodies buried under the gallows
at Tyburn, where their disinterred bodies had been hung.
1678. The expense of the equestrian statue of Charles I at Charing
Cross, London, was defrayed with part of £70,000, voted for his funeral
celebration.
1691. Pope ALEXANDER III died, after a reign of only 15 months.
1735. GEORGE GRANVILLE, viscount Lansdowne, an eminent English poet,
died. Having vainly endeavored to get employment in arms for the defence
of James II, to whose cause he was warmly attached, he retired to
private life, enjoying the company of his muse, which he employed in
celebrating the reigning beauties of the age, in imitation of Waller.
1757. Calcutta retaken by Col. Clive.
1766. JAMES BARTHOLOMEW BECCARIA, an Italian physician and professor of
natural philosophy, died. His writings are highly esteemed.
1766. SUSANNA MARIA CIBBER died. She was not only considered the best
actress in England, but supposed by many to excel the celebrated Madame
Clairon, of Paris, her contemporary.
1805. JOHN ROBINSON, a celebrated Edinburgh mathematician, died.
1809. Assault upon Saragossa in Spain by the French under Junot, Lannes
and Mortier. The Spaniards made a most desperate resistance; a corps of
women even being formed for its defence. The houses were taken one by
one; they were compelled to undermine upwards of 600 in order to get
possession of them.
1810. Several meteoric stones fell in Caswell county, North Carolina.
1826. The mails were first carried over the Menai suspension bridge,
which connects the island of Anglesey with the Welch shore.
1833. JOSEPH BLUYDENBURGE died at Smithtown, L. I., aged 101, retaining
the vigor of perfect health to the last week of his life.
1834. Attempt to assassinate the president of the United States, Andrew
Jackson, made by Richard Lawrence.
1834. RUDOLPH ACKERMAN, who so much improved lithography, and the first
to use gas-light in England, died.
1837. Explosion of the magazine of the French garrison at Bona in
Algiers, containing 12,000 pounds of powder and 1 million musket
cartridges. The commandant with 108 men were killed, and 102 wounded.
1837. The town of Jaffa in Palestine destroyed by an earthquake. Of
15,000 inhabitants, only 2,000 escaped burial in the ruins.
1837. ADAM AZELIUS, the last remaining pupil of Linnæus, died;
celebrated for his travels in Asia and Africa.
1841. The town of Mayaguez, Porto Rico, consisting of about 600
buildings, was consumed by fire. Loss estimated at from two to four
millions of dollars.
1852. The king of Naples by decree confiscated the property of
Neapolitan emigrants.
1855. HERMAN KNICKERBACKER died, aged 75; known as the prince of
Schaghticoke, being the third in descent from the original settler
there.