1274. THOMAS AQUINAS died. He was descended from the counts of Aquino,
in Italy. There was a great contest for him between his family and the
monks when he was a youth; but he eluded the vigilance of his keepers,
became a theologian, and was called the evangelical doctor. His works
have been often reprinted in 17 vols, folio.
1575. The general assembly of Scotland enacted that no comedies, nor
tragedies, or such plays, shall be made on any history of canonical
scriptures, nor on the Sabbath day.
1589. WALTHER RALEIGH, having expended £40,000 in attempting the
colonization of Virginia, without realizing the expected gain, made an
assignment of his patent to Thomas Smith and others, with a donation of
£100 for the benefit of the colony.
1661. Goffe and Whalley, the regicides, arrived at New Haven, where by
the connivance of the deputy governor and clergyman, they effectually
eluded discovery during the remainder of their lives.
1755. THOMAS WILSON died; bishop of Sodor and Man, an excellent prelate
and an eminent writer on theology.
1769. SAMUEL DERRICK died; originally a linen draper in Dublin;
subsequently a writer of pamphlets in London, and finally master of
ceremonies at Bath and Tunbridge.
1771. THOMAS MARTIN, an English antiquarian, died. He wrote a history of
his own native town, and made a valuable collection of antiquities, &c.
1777. JAMES AITKEN, alias John the painter, was hanged on a gallows 60
feet in height for setting fire to the rope yard at Portsmouth. He
confessed his having set fire to the vessels at Bristol quay and that he
was stimulated to these acts by Silas Dean of the American congress.
1778. American frigate Randolph, Capt. Nicholas Biddle, 36 guns and 305
men, blown up about 9 at night, in an action of fifteen minutes with the
British ship Yarmouth, 64 guns. Capt. Biddle perished, at the age of 27;
only 4 of the crew were saved.
1781. A British soldier jumped over the pallisades at Gibraltar, and
notwithstanding 1143 musket balls were fired at him, succeeded in
reaching the Spanish lines, waving his hat.
1788. Clinton county, in New York, erected.
1794. Revolution at Warsaw. The Russians with Gen. Inglestrom and their
ambassador, driven out of the city by the Poles.
1794. The mulatto Gen. Bellegarde and his second, Pelocque, with 300
followers, surrendered to the British at St. Domingo. The chiefs were
sent to the United States.
1795. The British squadron, Sir Edward Pellew, captured near the
Penmarks, 8 French vessels, burnt 2 ships, 3 brigs and 2 sloops.
1801. The British expedition under Lord Keith, consisting of nearly 200
sail and an army of 15,330 men, arrived in Aboukir bay, Egypt.
1803, FRANCIS EDGERTON, duke of Bridgewater, died. He was the projector
of the Medway canal in England.
1804. British and Foreign Bible society founded in London. A clergyman
of Wales, whom the want of a Welsh Bible led to London, occasioned its
establishment.
1808. The Portuguese royal family arrived in Brazil, fleeing before the
arms of Napoleon to the colonies.
1809. Schenectady county, New York, taken from Albany.
1810. CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD, the English admiral, died in his ship off
Minorca. He entered the British navy at an early age, and by his talents
rose to the highest rank. His most distinguished service was the part he
bore at the battle of Trafalgar. On the fall of Nelson in that conflict,
the command devolved on him. The victory on that occasion was
attributable to the nautical skill, prudence and courage of Collingwood;
and his ship was the first to break through the French line.
1814. Battle of Craonne in France, in which the French under Victor and
Ney defeated the allies, took 6 generals and about 6,000 prisoners.
1828. RICHARD STOCKTON, a son of the signer of the Declaration of
American Independence of that name, died at Princeton, New Jersey. He
was one of the foremost supporters of Washington's administration.
1844. Florida admitted into the Union.
(Query 3d.)