1471. Battle of Tewkesbury, between the York partisans and the
Lancastrians, in which the latter were defeated, and queen Margaret and
her son Edward taken prisoners. The young prince was basely murdered on
the spot, by the dukes of Gloucester and Clarence.
1605. ULYSSES ALDROVAND, a Bolognese philosopher, died. He was the most
celebrated naturalist of the 16th century, and spent his life and
exhausted his resources in the pursuit of science. He lost his sight,
and ended his days in a hospital at the age of 80.
1643. LOUIS XIII (_the just_), king of France, died. He was guided in
his conduct by the celebrated cardinal Richelieu, who, from motives of
ambition, kept him at war during most of his reign.
1655. GIOVANNI FRANCESCA ABELA, a historian and ecclesiastic of Malta,
died.
1668. A riot in London under pretence of destroying brothels. Four of
the leaders taken and executed for treason. In the reign of some of the
English kings the demolition of such houses would not have been adjudged
treason.
1673. RICHARD BRATHWAITE, an English poet and miscellaneous writer,
died. His works are numerous.
1677. ISAAC BARROW, an eminent English mathematician and divine, died.
His writings are numerous and valuable, and chiefly on mathematical
subjects; his sermons are highly esteemed, and have been frequently
edited.
1702. War declared against France and Spain, by England, Germany and
Holland.
1729. LEWIS ANTHONY DE NOAILLES, a French cardinal, died. Though by
birth duke of St. Cloud, he preferred the ecclesiastical state to
political distinction.
1734. JAMES THORNHILL died; an English historical painter.
1737. EUSTACE BUDGELL, the friend of Addison, drowned in the Thames. He
turned his attention to polite literature, contributed to the
_Spectator_, _Tatler_, _Guardian_ and _Craftsman_, and published two
volumes of biography.
1768. CHARLES STEPHEN LOUIS CAMUS died, a learned French mathematician.
1786. GEORGE GORDON, an English nobleman, who it is said submitted to
circumcision, avowed Judaism, and was excommunicated from the church of
Mary le Bone.
1791. The pope burnt in effigy at Paris.
1799. Seringapatam, a city of Hindostan, taken by storm by the British,
under Gen. Harris. Tippoo Saib was slain, with 8,000 of his men. The
treasure found in the city amounted to £3,000,000; 2,200 cannon, and an
immense booty, fell into the hands of the conquerors, and the once
powerful kingdom of Mysore was extinguished.
1804. The conservative senate sent a deputation to Bonaparte, expressing
their desire that he would accept the title of emperor.
1813. Heavy rain retarded the firing on fort Meigs; 220 cannon shot were
fired; 2 killed, several wounded. The rifle was more used this day than
on any other.
1831. MEHEMET ALI, pasha of Egypt, employed upwards of 70,000 men in
excavating, cleansing and lining canals in his territories.
1842. Great fire at Hamburg, in Germany, destroyed 2,000 houses.
1843. JAMES P. PRESTON, formerly governor of Virginia, died at
Smithfield, aged 69. He commanded a regiment in the war of 1812, and was
maimed for life in the battle of Chrystler's fields.
1854. ALEXANDER WITHERSPOON, a New York physician, died at Washington,
aged 37; a medical writer remarkable for the exactness of his
observations and the clearness of his statements.
1854. JOHN MATTHEWS died, aged 70. He served with distinction as a
general officer in the war of 1812-15; and for a period of fifteen years
was a representative in the state legislature of Maryland.
1856. JOHN COLLINS WARREN, a distinguished Boston physician, died, aged
77. He was the first successful competitor for the Franklin medal. He
had a long and brilliant career as a physician, and during the latter
years of his life devoted much time to the study of the natural
sciences, and collected a valuable museum, among which was the most
perfect skeleton of the mastodon known to exist.