168 B. C. Battle of Pydna; Perseus, the last king of Macedon, defeated
by the Romans under Paulus Æmylius, who brought to Rome a great number
of books and manuscripts. The date is settled by an eclipse which
happened the preceding night. This battle terminated the independence of
a country which had seen a succession of thirty legitimate monarchs and
eight usurpers, since its foundation by Caranus 814 B. C., six years
after the fall of Assyria.
431. Third Œcumenical council assembled at Ephesus, to execute the
decree of pope Celestine as to the heresy of Nestorius. He was deposed
from his see and banished to an oasis.
1191. A remarkable eclipse of the sun, when the crusaders were at Acre,
at 8 o'clock in the morning. In that year a parhelion appeared
undistinguishable by the naked eye from the real sun.
1298. Battle of Falkirk; Edward I with 80,000 English defeated the
Scottish army under Wallace, with great slaughter.
1415. JOHN HUSS, a Bohemian clergyman who had adopted the opinions of
Wickliff, was burnt at the stake.
1476. Battle of Morat, in Switzerland, and defeat of Charles the Bold,
duke of Burgundy. Philip de Comines, speaking of this celebrated
conflict for liberty, mentions arquebusiers as troops.
1483. Accession of the usurper Richard III.
1527. NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI, a Florentine writer, died. His works are
numerous, but that called _The Prince_ is the most famous, and has
generally given him a bad character, though defended by Bacon and
Clarendon.
1535. JOHN FISHER, an English prelate, beheaded at the age of 77. He
pertinaciously opposed the measures of the king, in relation to his
wives. He was the opponent of Erasmus, who, however, gives him a
superior character.
1596. The combined English and Dutch fleets under lord Effingham and
admiral Van Duvenwoord, attacked the Spanish fleet in Cadiz bay, burnt 3
galleons, captured two, and drove a great number on shore. To save the
latter the Spaniards agreed to pay 2,500,000 ducats.
1602. "Lent unto Benjamy Johnsone, at the apoyntment of E. Allen and
William Birde, in earnest of a booke [play] called _Richard Crook-back_,
and for new adycions of _Jeronimo_, the sum of x_lb._"--_Henslowe
Manuscripts._
1632. GALILEO and his books condemned by the inquisition.
1664. CATHARINE PHILIPS, an English poetess, died.
1679. Battle of Bothwell bridge; the Scottish covenanters defeated by
the English under the duke of Monmouth.
1691. MAHOMET IV, of Turkey, assassinated in prison. In the beginning of
his reign he was eminently successful in war; but the resistless valor
of John Sobieski drove the Turks within their own dominions. These
calamities were attributed to the sultan, and the janizaries deposed
him.
1691. SOLYMAN III, of Turkey, brother of the preceding, died. He was
taken from prison and placed on the throne, on the deposition of his
brother, Mahomet, 1687. He was indolent and superstitious.
1714. MATTHEW HENRY, an eminent English dissenting divine, died. His
writings are highly valued, particularly the _Expositions of the Bible_,
5 vols. folio.
1734. EDMUND POURCHAT died; a French professor of philosophy, and a man
of extensive learning.
1741. This day is memorable for the impressment of seamen into the
British service. Nothing could protect the unhappy individuals; in 36
hours the names of 2370 were enrolled.
1763. JOHN PETER DE BOUGAINVILLE died; a French author, of great
acquirements, whose application hastened his death, at the age of 41.
1770. PHILIP CARTERET WEBB died; a distinguished English lawyer and
antiquary.
1772. Chief-justice MANSFIELD, of England, gave judgment that the master
of a negro slave which had been brought to England had no right to send
him back to the plantations.
1775. Congress resolved to emit $2,000,000 in bills of credit.
1777. British evacuated New Brunswick and retired to Amboy; they
suffered severely from Morgan's riflemen and Wayne's brigade.
1780. The forts on Licking river attacked by 600 Indians and Canadians
under colonel Bird, with 6 field pieces; they took all the inhabitants
captives, and loaded them with heavy baggage; such as failed on the
journey were tomahawked and scalped.
1803. WILLIAM HEINSE, a German author, died. His works are in 10 vols.,
and manifest great ability.
1807. British ship Leopard, 50 guns, attacked American frigate
Chesapeake, 36 guns, captain Barron. The Chesapeake struck in 30
minutes; 3 men killed, 18 wounded. Four men were taken out of the
Chesapeake, when she was permitted to proceed. One of these was hanged.
Barron was suspended for five years.
1813. Battle of Craney island, in Chesapeake bay. British under sir
Sidney Beckwith and admiral Warren defeated by 480 Virginia militia and
150 sailors. British loss 1200 killed, wounded or drowned. None of the
Americans were injured.
1815. BONAPARTE'S second abdication. He announced that his political
life had terminated, and proclaimed his son, Napoleon II, emperor of the
French.
1835. CHARLES BUTLER, the reminiscent, died.
1834. FERDINAND WILHELM BECKER died; a distinguished German physician.
1835. FRANCISCO TACON Y ROSISQUE died; a Spanish statesman, and minister
from Spain to the United States. He had filled many distinguished
offices, and was greatly respected and esteemed for his talents and
amiable qualities.
1839. DEBORAH KNIGHT died at Sumner, Me., aged 105.
1848. The difficulties and disturbances occasioned by the disbanding of
the operatives in the national workshops at Paris began.
1848. Civil war in Paris; barricades erected, and a terrible slaughter
of the people; general Cavaignac declared dictator.
1848. MARTIN VAN BUREN nominated for president of the United States at a
convention at Utica.
1849. ELIZABETH GRINDELL died in Goshen, N. H., aged 104¼ years,
leaving a descendant of the _fifth_ generation.
1852. CHARLES C. BERRY, commander of the steamship United States, died
at Brooklyn, N. Y., aged 39. He had been connected with the mercantile
marine of New York from an early age.
1854. JEREMIAH M. SCARRITT, a United States military engineer, died at
Key West. He was a native of New Hampshire, graduated at the military
academy of West Point in 1838, served with distinction in the war with
Mexico, and was brevetted for gallant and meritorious conduct.
1855. SAMUEL SUMNER WILDE died, aged 84. He was one of the delegates to
the Hartford convention, and the last survivor of that assemblage; he
also held the office of a justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts
35 years. His judicial career was distinguished by great legal learning
and stern integrity.
1855. WILLIAM HENRY STONE, the correspondent of the _London Times_ from
the seat of war, died at Balaclava, aged 30. He was employed by the
British government in administering the fund for the relief of the sick
and wounded, and was a young man of brilliant promise.