329. Constantinople founded, about the same day that Solomon dedicated
his temple at Jerusalem, 1005 B. C.
1087. WILLIAM II, surnamed Rufus, proclaimed and crowned king of
England.
1415. Harfleur, a town in France, surrendered unconditionally to Henry V
of England, after a siege of five weeks, and their defences had been
demolished.
1417. FRANCIS ZABARELLA, an Italian cardinal, died; noted for his great
learning and virtues.
1534. CLEMENT VII (_Julius de Medicis_), pope, died. It was in
consequence of his refusing to ratify the acts of Henry VIII, and the
issuing of a bull of excommunication against that monarch, that England
was separated from the Roman church.
1635. ADRIAN METIUS died; a learned Dutch mathematician and author.
1722. WILLIAM MASSIEU died; a French writer, much admired, who after
becoming blind met his death by a stroke of apoplexy.
1747. The leaden coffin of the noted Dr. Sacheverel, and Sally
Salisbury, with 150 others, stolen from the church.
1766. The dividends on East India stock advanced in England from 6 to
10 per cent, in consequence of the success of lord Clive.
1776. Congress appointed Benj. Franklin, Silas Dean and Thomas
Jefferson, commissioners to the court of France. They were the first
persons appointed by the United States to act in the capacity of
ministers plenipotentiary, but as the country had not yet been
acknowledged by any power, they were designated by the humble title of
commissioners.
1777. The British army under lord Howe entered Philadelphia.
Washington's army lay at Skippack creek, 18 miles distant from the city.
1780. The advance of Cornwallis' army, consisting of Tarleton's legion,
engaged the Americans at Charlotte court house, under Col. Davis.
1789. EDMUND RANDOLPH commissioned the first attorney-general of the
United States.
1799. Zurich, in Switzerland, taken by the French under Massena, and
Lavater, while occupied in the streets assisting the distressed,
received a shot in the side, of which he ultimately died. (Jan. 2.)
1811. A well 400 feet deep and 5 in diameter, exhibiting a fine specimen
of ancient masonry, was discovered in the keep at Dover castle.
1812. GEORGE FREDERICK COOKE, an eminent English tragedian, died at New
York, aged 57.
1812. The Russian army under Essen, entered Miltau, the French and
Prussians under Macdonald, having previously evacuated it, leaving
behind a vast quantity of provisions, and the whole mass of pelisses,
which were the sum of the requisition upon Courland, and of vast
importance to an army in so cold a region.
1813. Privateer schooner Saratoga, of New York, 10 guns and 116 men,
captured by boarding, British packet ship Morgiana, 18 guns, 50 men, off
Surinam.
1814. American privateer brig, Gen. Armstrong, attacked in Fayal roads,
a neutral port, by the boats of three British ships. They were twice
beaten off and several of the boats sunk. Capt. Reid was obliged to
scuttle his vessel, and the British commander threatened to burn the
town if she was not delivered up. American loss, 2 killed, 7 wounded;
British loss, 120 killed, 130 wounded.
1815. Treaty of peace and alliance signed at Paris between the emperors
of Austria, Russia and Prussia.
1822. JOHN OWEN, an eminent English divine, died. He was one of the
originators of the British Foreign Bible Society, to whose establishment
and extension he devoted his life with the greatest zeal.
1828. A monument erected at Charlestown, Mass., to the memory of John
Harvard, founder of Harvard college, 190 years after his death. It is a
monolith, 15 feet high and 4 feet square at the bottom; the expense of
which was defrayed by a contribution of one dollar from each of the
graduates of the college.
1828. JOHN G. C. BRAINARD, an American poet of considerable note, died,
aged 32.
1842. RICHARD RIKER, for many years recorder of the city of New York,
died, aged 69. He was a gentleman of the old school, and much respected.
1847. The valuable library of the royal society of Icelandic literature
in Copenhagen was destroyed by fire. More than 2,000 unpublished MSS.
were consumed.
1854. The French police organized at Paris on the plan of that of
London; the number to be 2,900, to do duty day and night, under charge
of two commissioners, at an annual cost of about $1,200,000.
1855. The corner stone of the Masonic hall laid in Philadelphia with
ceremony, over 4,000 masons marching in procession.