303. DIOCLETIAN issued the first general edict of persecution against
the Christians, by which all their religious edifices in the empire were
to be leveled to their foundations, and the church property confiscated
and sold to the highest bidder. This abominable decree was instantly
torn from its column by a Christian of rank, who for his audacity was
burnt or rather roasted, by a slow fire.
1383. JOHN WICKLIFFE presented seven articles to parliament containing
his doctrines.
1468. JOHN GUTENBERG, the inventor of printing, died. In connection with
Faust he contributed greatly to the improvement of the art, then in a
very rude state.
1495. JEM, son of Bayazid I the Osman sultan, died. He was defeated by
his brother in a contest for the throne, and took refuge with the
knights of St. John at Rhodes, who sent him to France, where he was kept
in confinement several years, and then delivered up to the pope,
Alexander VI, by whom he was poisoned.
1525. Battle of Pavia in Italy. The imperialists under Bourbon, Pescara
and Lannoy defeated the French and captured their king, Francis I, whom
they sent prisoner to Madrid. The king fought with heroic valor, killing
7 men with his own hand.
1540. CHARLES V of Germany entered Ghent, which had been in a state of
insurrection; 26 of the principal citizens were put to death. He was
born at this place on this day 1500.
1541. PEDRO DE VALDIVIA, having been sent by Pizarro with 200 Spaniards
and a numerous body of Peruvians to Chili for the purpose of settling
such provinces as he should conquer, succeeded in overcoming the
resistance of the natives and founded the city of Santiago.
1563. FRANCIS of Lorraine, duke of Guise, assassinated. He distinguished
himself in the wars with Charles V and the English; and in the reigns of
Henry II and Francis II of France, completely governed the kingdom.
After the death of Francis, he espoused the side of the catholics in the
civil wars.
1587. THOMAS CAVENDISH passed the straits of Magellan.
1645. A treaty of peace, which was begun at Uxbridge on the 30th
January, between the commissioners of Charles I, and those of the
parliament, was broken off.
1665. A Dutch impostor whipped thro' the streets of London; possibly
only a little eccentric.
1665. Deerfield, Mass., purchased of the Indians. The deed, which is
still extant, was given "for the use and behoof of Major Eleazar Lusher,
Ensign Daniel Fisher, and other English at Dedham, their associates and
successors," by Chauk alias Chague, the sachem of Pocomptuck, and his
brother Wassahoale, and witnessed by Wequonnock. It reserves to the
Indians the right of fishing in the rivers, hunting wild animals, and
gathering nuts. It is capable of proof, that the early settlers in New
England, as well as New York, made it a matter of course to purchase the
lands upon which they settled, in nearly all instances, and at prices
which were considered a fair equivalent at the time by the Indians. It
may be mentioned as a matter of curiosity, that the salary of the first
minister settled at this place was £60, to be paid in wheat at 3s. 6d.,
peas at 2s. 6d., corn at 2s. per bushel, and salted pork at 2½d. per
pound.
1667. THOMAS ADAMS died. He was born at Wem in England; went to London,
where he established himself in business as a draper; and in 1645 rose
to the high honor of lord mayor of that city.
1676. Attack on Medfield, Mass., by a party of about 300 Indians. The
loss of Lancaster, a short time previous, had put the neighboring towns
on their guard, and Medfield had obtained a small garrison of soldiers
for greater security, although within 22 miles of Boston. The Indians
during the night had secreted themselves, according to custom, under the
fences and behind trees about the villages, so that the people were shot
down as they came out of their doors and their houses immediately set on
fire. The soldiers being lodged in different parts of the town, could
not get together until about 50 buildings were on fire. Some were killed
as they attempted to pass to their neighbors for shelter, and in some
instances, the husband flying with one child and the wife with another,
one of them fell into the hands of the savages or was killed, while the
other escaped. Two or three discharges of a field piece put the whole
horde to flight, who as they passed the river fired the bridge to
prevent pursuit. Loss 18 killed, and many wounded and carried away for
torture. (Holmes says Feb. 21.)
1684. Birthday of HANDEL, the music composer, at Halle.
1684. Boundary line between New York and Connecticut partially run.
1716. The earls of DERWENTWATER and KENMUIR beheaded on Tower hill, for
treason in favoring the cause of the Pretender.
1721. JOHN SHEFFIELD, duke of Buckingham, died; a celebrated general,
critic and poet.
1724. A great storm attended with an uncommon tide, was experienced in
New England. The tide in some places rose ten feet higher than it was
ever known before, and rendered many of the streets of Boston navigable.
1740. Providential delivery from death of a society of monks at Palermo.
1752. ISAAC WOOD, an English painter, died. His principal pieces are in
oil and black lead upon vellum.
1758. Battle of Hoya in Westphalia, between the allies and French.
1762. Tremendous hurricane and fall of snow in England. Nearly 50
persons perished in the fields, and several whales were driven on the
Essex and Kentish coasts.
1766. STANISLAUS, the last duke of Lorrain and Bar, as an independent
Duchy, died in consequence of burns from his robes de chambre having
accidentally caught fire.
1777. WILLIAM DODD, an English divine, convicted of forgery, and
sentenced to be hanged.
1777. JOSEPH, king of Portugal, died. He was of the house of Braganza,
ascended the throne in 1750; his reign was turbulent and unfortunate.
1781. EDWARD CAPELL died; known as the editor of an edition of
Shakspeare in 10 vols., and 4 large quarto vols. of "Notes and various
readings of Shakspeare."
1785. CHARLES BONAPARTE, father of Napoleon, died, leaving his family in
straightened circumstances.
1797. Resumption of hostilities in Italy between the French and
Austrians.
1799. GEORGE CHRISTOPHER LICHTENBERG, a famous German writer, died. His
commentary on Hogarth is said of itself to immortalize his fame.
1809. Drury-lane theatre burnt. It had been previously burnt, and
rebuilt 1671 by Sir Christopher Wren at a cost of £200,000.
1810. HENRY CAVENDISH, an English philosopher, died. He made the
important discovery of the composition of water. Of diffident and
retiring manners, he devoted his days to experiments and improvements in
the arts and sciences. It has been said that he was the richest among
the learned, and the most learned among the rich men of his time. He
left a fortune of £5,000,000.
1813. Action between United States sloop Hornet, Capt. Lawrence, and
British man-of-war brig Peacock, Capt. Peake, off Demarara. The action
commenced at half past 5 P. M. and continued 15 minutes, when the
Peacock showed signals of distress. Exertions were made to keep the
vessel afloat till the prisoners could be got off, but she sunk carrying
down 13 of her crew and 3 Americans. The loss of the crew of the Peacock
could not be ascertained; but the captain was killed in the latter part
of the engagement, and the vessel was literally cut to pieces. The
Hornet lost 1 killed and 4 wounded; and the vessel received trifling
damage, except in her rigging.
1815. ROBERT FULTON died, aged 50. He was born at Little Britain, Pa.,
and early discovered a genius for painting and mechanics; and he
subsequently studied painting in London, under Benjamin West. He also
resided several years in Paris; after which he returned to America, and
presented to the world the phenomenon of the steam boat.
1821. JOHN KEATS, an English poet, died, aged 25. He was of humble
origin, but was possessed of a fine genius. His productions were made
the subject of severe and unmerited criticism by Gifford, who had leaped
from a cobbler's bench into an editor's stool, and presided over the
pages of the _Quarterly Review_. These gross attacks preyed upon his
mind and hastened his death.
1821. ITURBIDE issued his proclamation, called the plan of Iguala, for
the pacification of the state of Mexico. It contemplated the
independence of Mexico, and still to preserve its union with Spain.
1826. RICHARD DALE, an American naval officer, died. He was born in
Virginia, 1756, and at the age of 12 went to sea. During the war of the
revolution he was captured, and imprisoned, but found means to escape,
and joined the celebrated Paul Jones. Under Jones he distinguished
himself in the sanguinary and desperate engagement between the Bon Homme
Richard and the British frigate Serapis, and was the first who reached
the deck of the latter when she was boarded and taken. In 1802 he
settled in Philadelphia, where he passed the remainder of his days.
1828. JACOB BROWN, who acted so prominent a part in the war of 1812
between England and the United States, and for some time
commander-in-chief of the United States army, died at Washington.
1838. CARL HEINRICH LUDWIG POLITZ, died at Leipsic. He was professor in
the university, and an eminent writer on statistics, history and
politics.
1843. JOHN OWENS, a soldier of the old French war and also of the
American revolution, died, aged 107.
1848. Revolution at Paris.
1852. DAVID KENNISON, the last of the Boston tea party, died at Chicago,
aged 117.
1854. ROBERT ARMSTRONG died, aged 64; proprietor of the _Washington
Union_ newspaper.
1854. At Niagara falls two men fell from the suspension bridge, a
distance of 240 feet and were dashed to pieces.