65. PETER, the apostle, crucified at Rome, in the reign of Nero. On the
evening of this day, St. Peter's church at Rome is splendidly
illuminated.
455. The sack of Rome under Genseric, the Vandal, terminated. It had
continued 14 days. The spoils of Jerusalem were removed to Carthage.
794. OFFA, a powerful English king, died. He corresponded on flattering
terms with Charlemagne, and fixed a seal to his charters.
1033. A great eclipse of the sun was observed. In France it caused
almost midnight darkness at noon.
1215. King JOHN signed magna charta, or the great charter of liberties,
which is esteemed the basis and palladium of British freedom, on this
day, at Runemede, a meadow on the banks of the Thames, between Staines
and Windsor, now occupied as a race course. Of 26 barons who subscribed
this document, only 3 could write their own names. (This event is
attributed to various days.)
1450. WILLIAM ASCOUGH, bishop of Sarum, murdered at the altar by Jack
Cade and his followers.
1502. COLUMBUS arrived at Hispaniola on his fourth voyage.
1509. MARGARET OF LANCASTER, mother of Henry VII, died. She was a
munificent patron of learning, and the founder of St. John's and
Christ's colleges at Cambridge. She sustained an excellent character.
1519. CHARLES V declared emperor by the electoral voices.
1559. HENRY II of France wounded in the eye with a spear, at a famous
tournament, by the English count de Montgomery, of which he died. (See
July 10.)
1573. GASPARD SANLY DE TAVANNES, a distinguished French general, died.
He was an honor to the military profession, and by his exertions the
king of Navarre and the prince of Conde escaped the massacre of St.
Bartholomews.
1586. PRIMUS TRUBER, a Lutheran minister, who gave the first edition of
the Vandalie scriptures, died.
1612. A lottery drawn in London for the benefit of the Virginia
plantations, the profits of which amounted to nearly £30,000.
1644. Battle of Cropredy bridge; the parliament forces under Waller,
defeated by the royalists.
1667. The French, Dutch and Danes concluded a peace with England at
Breda.
1674. CHARLES II granted to his brother, the duke of York, the territory
of the state of Delaware, then a part of New Netherland.
1678. Grenadiers introduced into England.
1716. ERNESTUS AUGUSTUS, duke of Brunswick, Lunenburg, and bishop of
Osnabruck, brother to George I, created duke of York and Albany, in
Great Britain, and earl of Ulster in Ireland.
1734. Battle of Parma, in Italy; the imperialists defeated by the
French, and their general and 5,000 men killed.
1754. Lieutenant-governor DELANCEY opened at Albany a treaty with the
Indians, who had been tardy in assembling at the convention of the
provinces. A preconcerted speech was delivered, and the presents were
distributed in the name of all the colonies.
1779. ANTHONY RAPHAEL MENGS, an eminent Bohemian painter and author,
died at Rome.
1793. FRANCIS CHARLES VIVOT DE SOMBREUIL, a French general, guillotined
at Paris, together with his eldest son, for their attachment to the
king.
1794. MOREAU entered Bruges--British quitted Ostend--French defeated at
Guadaloupe.
1810. British ships Amphion, Cerberus and Active, burnt 26 vessels in
the harbor of Grao, Spain, and brought off 26 with their cargos.
1811. French took fort Olivo by stratagem, and captured 900 Spaniards
without firing a gun.
1813. British sloop of war Persian, wrecked on the Silver keys, in
chasing the American privateer Saucy Jack.
1813. VALENTINE GREEN, an English mezzotinto engraver, died. Besides his
great merit as an artist, he is also known as the author of a valuable
work on antiquities.
1816. Pope PIUS VII issued his bull against Bible societies, and
prohibited the circulation of Bibles published by heretics, as eminently
dangerous to souls.
1816. DAVID WILLIAMS, an English miscellaneous writer, died. He founded
the literary fund.
1836. EDWARD SMEDLEY, prebendary of Lincoln, died; author of several
poems, a history of the reformed religion in France, and editor of the
_Encyclopedia Metropolitana_.
1837. HOFRATH ALOYSIUS HIRT died at Berlin, Prussia, aged 78; an eminent
archæologist, distinguished for his attainments in literature and the
fine arts, one of whose chief works was on the architecture of the
ancients.
1840. THOMAS SIMPSON, companion of Mr. Dean in the discovery of the
north-west passage, died by his own hand at Turtle river, aged 32. He
was a native of Scotland, and for four years had been actively engaged
in the prosecution of the discoveries which will immortalize his name,
and for which he is represented to have possessed uncommon
qualifications.
1848. Croton aqueduct bridge over the Harlem completed; 1,400 feet long,
resting on 15 arches, 8 of them 80 feet span; a work of surpassing skill
and magnitude.
1850. Part of the Table rock at Niagara falls gave way.
1852. HENRY CLAY, an eminent American statesman, died, aged 75. Having
received a common school education, he commenced the study of the law at
the age of 19, and became one of the most distinguished orators of his
day. He was an earnest supporter of the colonization society, and twice
an unsuccessful candidate for the office of president of the United
States.