64. The conflagration of Rome, attributed by Nero to the Christians,
which was the ostensible cause of the first persecution. (See 24th
June.)
741. LEO III (_Isaurian_), emperor of Constantinople, died. He was the
son of a cobbler, and disgraced the imperial dignity by acts of
barbarity and tyranny. He was the enemy of learning and learned men, and
set fire to the valuable library of his capital, by which 30,000 volumes
were destroyed, besides many of the choicest paintings and medals.
1053. Battle of Civitella; the forces of the pope, Leo IX, routed by
Robert Guiscard, the Norman.
1314. EDWARD II marched upon Scotland from Berwick, with his vast army.
1429. Battle of Patray, in France; the English under Talbot defeated by
Joan of Arc, with the loss of 1,500 slain, and 1,000 taken. It was in
this conflict that the notable sir John Falstaff, considering discretion
to be the better part of valor, dropped his _thirsty lance_, and ran
away.
1538. Truce for 10 years between Charles V of Germany, and Francis I of
France. Hostilities were renewed three years after.
1580. The colony of Virginia discouraged with their losses and various
misfortunes embarked for England.
1588. ROBERT CROWLEY, a scholar, preacher and printer, died. One of his
principal works was in metre, entitled:
Pleasure and pain, heaven and hell,
Remember these four and all shall be well.
1602. The fort and store house built by Gosnold on Elizabeth island for
a settlement, was abandoned in consequence of discontents arising among
those who were to have remained in the country, and the whole company
returned to England. The ruins of this ephemeral settlement were seen as
late as 1797.
1616. THOMAS BILSON, a celebrated English divine, died. He was
distinguished for his eloquence as a preacher, and his learning as a
theological writer and controversialist. He was one of the two final
correctors of the present translation of the Bible.
1621. The first duel in New England fought by two servants with sword
and dagger, both of whom were wounded. For this outrage they were
sentenced to lie 24 hours with their heads and feet tied together.
1633. CHARLES I, of England, crowned king of Scotland at Holyrood house,
by the archbishop of St. Andrews.
1667. WILLIAM RAWLEY, an English divine, died. He was chaplain to
Charles I and II, and also to Bacon, whose works he edited.
1675. Battle of Fehrbellin; the elector Frederick William, at the head
of 6,000 cavalry, attacked the Swedish invading army under the
celebrated Wrangel, and gained a complete victory.
1684. The English court of chancery gave judgment for the king against
the governor and company of Massachusetts; their charter was declared
forfeited, and their liberties were seized into the king's hands.
1697. RICHARD, earl of Bellomont, was appointed to succeed colonel
Fletcher as governor of New York.
1718. An earthquake extended through several inland provinces of China,
by which the gates and walls of cities were thrown down. The city of
Yong-ning-tchin was entirely swallowed up, and several mountains were
thrown over a plain to the distance of about two leagues.
1741. FRANCIS POURFOUR died; a French physician and skillful herbalist.
1749. AMBROSE PHILIPS, an English poet, died. He wrote also for the
stage with some success, although his performances were ridiculed by
Pope.
1756. Calcutta, in India, taken by Surajah Dowla: of 146 prisoners put
into a dungeon called the "black hole," 123 were suffocated.
1756. Minorca surrendered to the French by the British general Blakeney.
The British had taken it from the Spaniards in 1708.
1757. Battle of Kolin; the Prussians under Frederick II defeated by the
Austrians under count Daun, with the loss of 8,000 killed and wounded.
Frederick lost his battle through the rash bravery of one of his
generals.
1764. Lighthouse at Sandyhook first put in operation.
1772. GERARD VAN SWIETEN, a Dutch physician, died. He settled in Vienna,
where he became a distinguished practitioner, and his memory is still
held in great veneration by the profession there.
1776. Gen. BURGOYNE entered St. Johns, Canada, the Americans having
evacuated it, and burnt the fort and barracks.
1779. British West India island St. Vincent, surrendered to the French
under Romain and d'Estaing.
1783. The volcano of Skaptar Jokul, in Iceland, which had recently
become very active, poured out an immense amount of lava, which, taking
a new direction, dammed up the streams, and caused great destruction of
property and lives. After flowing several days it was precipitated down
the cataract of Stapafoss, where it filled a profound abyss, which that
great waterfall had been excavating for ages, and thence the fiery flood
continued in its course.
1783. WASHINGTON announced to the governors of the several states his
intended resignation of the command of the army.
1793. British frigate La Nymphe, capt. Pellew, captured French frigate
Cleopatra, after an action of 55 minutes. French captain and about 60 of
his men killed or wounded. The British loss 25 killed, 27 wounded. This
was the first capture made after the declaration of war.
1795. Russian manifesto issued by gen. Thimothie Tutomlin, on taking
possession of Russian Poland.
1799. Second day's battle of Trebia; French under Macdonald obliged to
retire across the river by the Russians under Suwarrow.
1805. ARTHUR MURPHY, an English dramatic writer of eminence, died. Many
of his plays still keep the stage. His translation of Tacitus is also in
common use.
1811. RUTH PIERCE, the mother of sir Benjamin Thompson, count Rumford,
died at Baldwin, Maine.
1812. United States declared war against England.
1815. Hostilities ceased between England and the United States
throughout the world.
1815. Battle of Waterloo, in the Netherlands. The forces of the two
armies are differently stated, but are supposed to have been about
75,000 each. The battle began about noon, and continued with great
obstinacy till night, when the French were completely defeated with the
loss of more than 30,000 men, 210 cannon, several military chests, and
all Napoleon's baggage. The loss of the allies was probably upwards of
20,000. This great battle gave peace to Europe.
1823. WILLIAM COOMBE, a British author of considerable merit, died. He
did not attach his name to his works.
1832. The duke of Wellington attacked by a mob in the streets of
London--the anniversary of his victory at Waterloo.
1835. WILLIAM COBBETT, an English poetical and miscellaneous writer,
died. He was a self-taught and self-made man, who for many years made a
conspicuous figure in the politics of England, and was finally elected
to parliament.
1841. The constitution of the newly constituted state of the isthmus of
Panama publicly sworn to, and Dr. Thomas Herrara elected president.
1848. HENRY TOOLEY, a consistent member of the methodist episcopal
church, the first masonic grand master in Mississippi, and a son not
only but the father of temperance in Natchez, died there, aged 75.
1848. The city of Prague, which had revolted on the 12th, was bombarded
and reduced to ruins.
1848. The Austrians defeated by the Piedmontese near Rivoli.
1848. Venice garrisoned by 13,000 Romans.
1848. Carlowitz bombarded.
1854. HENRIETTA SONTAG, one of first lyric artists of the day, died at
Mexico, aged about 50.
1855. The allies made a combined attack upon the Malakoff and Redan
towers, at Sebastopol, without success, and with a loss of 56 officers
killed, 146 wounded and 17 prisoners; and 1,694 men killed or missing,
and 2,690 wounded.