1193. SALADIN the Great died at Damascus.
1530. CHARLES V granted to the knights of St. John, who had recently
been expelled from the island of Rhodes by the Turks, the ownership of
all the castles, fortresses, and isles of Tripoli, Malta and Gozo. Malta
at the time was a shelterless rock, and the inhabitants, 12,000 in
number, in a wretched condition.
1583. BERNARD GILPIN, an eminent English prelate, died. He came near
falling a victim to the fury of Bonner, and was only saved from the
stake by the death of the queen. His life was spent in well doing.
1629. Massachusetts patent confirmed by CHARLES I, by the name of "the
governor and company of Massachusetts bay in New England," Matthew
Cradock first governor.
1674. The governing charter of Dundalk, in the county of South Ireland,
bears this date. This town was the Dundalgan of the Irish _Ossianic_
poems, and is of great antiquity.
1681. The charter of Pennsylvania signed and sealed by Charles II,
constituting William Penn and his heirs true and absolute proprietaries
of the province, saving to the crown their allegiance and the
sovereignty.
1744. JOHN ANSTIS died; an English antiquary, and a very eminent writer
on heraldic subjects.
1765. WILLIAM STUKELEY, an English antiquary, died. He wrote ably as a
divine, physician, historian and antiquary; was profound in British
antiquities; a good botanist; erudite in ancient coins; drew well, and
understood mechanics. The footsteps of the Romans were traced by him,
and the temples of the ancient Britons explored. His antiquarian
researches acquired him the name of Arch Druid.
1776. The Americans took possession of Dorchester heights, which were so
far completed by day light as to excite the astonishment of the British,
and render their position in Boston extremely hazardous.
1776. New Providence taken from the British by the American Commodore
Ezekiel Hopkins. The governor, together with considerable military
stores, fell into the hands of the victors.
1778. American frigate Alfred, 20 guns, taken by the British ships
Ariadne and Ceres.
1782. The house of commons resolved that it would "consider as enemies
to his majesty and the country, all those who should advise or attempt
the further prosecution of offensive war on the American continent."
1789. The first congress of the United States assembled at New York.