633. EDWIN (_the Great_), king of Britain, killed at Hatfield. He
wielded the sovereignty 17 years, during which the _cumulus_ of
heathenism began to break up in large masses.
1226. FRANCIS, of Assisi, died; founder of the order of Franciscans, or
gray friars.
1253. ROBERT GROSSETESTE, an English prelate, died. He wrote several
voluminous works, possessed great learning, and a clear and vigorous
intellect.
1434. COSMO DE MEDICI reentered Florence from exile, and was received
with the most extravagant demonstrations of public joy, and became, in
fact, the prince of the state, accumulated enormous wealth, and lived in
regal magnificence.
1489. JOHN WESSELIUS, a Dutch ecclesiastic, died. His learning and
abilities were so great, that the pope sent for him to Rome, and offered
him what he should ask for. He merely requested a Greek and Hebrew Bible
in the Vatican.
1535. Was published the first edition of the _Whole Bible_ in the
English language, being the translation of Miles Coverdale.
1590. JAMES CUJACIUS, an eminent French lawyer, died. He rose from
obscurity, and by his indefatigable industry, without the assistance of
a master, perfected himself in Greek and Latin literature, and
particularly in civil law. His works were published at Paris, in 10
vols. folio.
1595. JOHN MAITLAND, lord Thirlstane, an eminent statesman under James
VI of Scotland, died.
1609. HENRY HUDSON, having explored the river to where it divided itself
into several branches, returned to its mouth on this day--put to sea
with all sails set, to report the tidings of his valuable discovery.
1660. FRANCIS ALBANO, an eminent Italian painter, died at Bologna, aged
82. He particularly excelled in expressing the delineations of female
and infantine beauty; his pieces are dispersed in the cabinets of
Europe, and highly esteemed.
1691. LOUIS ABELLY died; a French ecclesiastic, who devoted himself
principally to literature, and left numerous works behind him.
1692. CHARLES FLEETWOOD, lord deputy under Cromwell, died, aged 74. He
married the widow of the gloomy Ireton; hesitating to declare at once
for the king, he was allowed to end his days in obscurity.
1693. Battle near Marseilles, in France, between the French under
Catinat, and the allies under Victor Amadeus and Eugene of Savoy. The
allies were defeated, with the loss of all their artillery, and 8,000
men; the duke of Schomberg was mortally wounded.
1704. ALEXANDER SELKIRK, a Scottish mariner, put ashore on the desert
island of Juan Fernandez, by orders of captain Pradling, with whom he
had a quarrel. He was allowed a fowling piece and ammunition, and a very
few necessaries. In this desolate situation he continued three years,
subsisting on goats, fish and fruits.
1743. JOHN BAPTIST DU HALDE, a learned French Jesuit, died. He is the
author of a description of China and Tartary, a valuable work, compiled
from the curious and interesting observations of the missionaries of his
fraternity.
1744. HENRY CAREY, an English dramatic poet, and music composer, died by
suicide. Besides his poems, he wrote _Chrononhotonthologos_, to ridicule
the style of tragedy then in vogue, and produced the _Dragon of
Wantley_, as a burlesque on Italian opera.
1777. Battle of Germantown, in which the Americans were defeated, with
the loss of 200 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 taken. British loss, killed
and wounded, 600. The disastrous termination of this affair, was owing
to the darkness of the day, which embarrassed the operations of the
Americans.
1780. The ships Resolution and Discovery, the circumnavigating ships
which sailed under Cook and Clerke, returned, but without either of
their original commanders. Both were dead.
1790. ANN LETTS died, at South river, N. J., aged 107.
1794. Battle of Maciejowice, in Poland; the forces under Kosciusko
overthrown.
1795. The Parisians attacked the national convention, on account of the
re-election of two-thirds of the members of that body. They were
repulsed by the troops under Bonaparte, who now first signalized
himself. About 8,000 of the citizens were killed.
1799. Brunnen, in Switzerland, taken from the French by the Russians
under Suwarrow. This affair, however, terminated the progress of the
invaders.
1806. SAMUEL HORSLEY, a learned English prelate, died. He engaged in a
sectarian controversy with Priestley.
1812. Ogdensburgh attacked by the British, who were repulsed.
1812. American entrenched camp of Col. Newman attacked by the Indians,
who were repulsed, with the loss of 30 warriors, among them three
principal chiefs and their young king.
1813. American general HARRISON attacked by the Indians, at Chatham,
whom he repulsed, and pursued four miles. He took on this occasion 2,000
stand of arms, a quantity of clothing, and several cannon; also three
vessels laden with munitions.
1814. SAMUEL JACKSON PRATT, a once popular English novelist and
miscellaneous writer, died.
1815. CHRISTOPHER PHILIP OBERKAMPF died; founder of the manufactory of
printed linens at Jouy, and of the cotton manufacture of Essonne, in
France. He commenced a small business under great disadvantages, and in
a short time collected a population of 1500 in a spot which had been
almost a desert. His manufactures became of so much importance to the
country, that the king granted him letters of nobility, and a statue was
decreed him by the council-general, a mark of generosity which he
declined.
1821. JOHN RENNIE died; a celebrated Scottish civil engineer and
mechanist. The canals, bridges, and other public works in England,
attest his abilities.
1830. YORK, count von Wartenburg, a Prussian field-marshal, died. He was
one of the most distinguished generals in the wars against Napoleon.
1830. The independence of Belgium declared by the central committee at
Brussels: "The provinces of Belgium, violently separated from Holland,
shall constitute an independent state."
1833. RICHARD HEBER died; an Englishman of talents and learning,
distinguished for his zeal in collecting books, a business which he
followed assiduously during the last thirty years of his life. He left
immense collections of rare and valuable works in various languages, in
various cities in Europe.
1835. Third centenary, or three hundredth year from the printing of the
first English Bible, that of Coverdale, generally celebrated in the
different churches and chapels in England. This Bible, as appears from
the colophon, was finished on this day, 1535.
1835. TELESFORO DE TRUEBE Y COSIA, a Spanish dramatist, died at Paris,
aged 30. He resided principally in England, where he produced several
dramas and novels. He wrote dramas in English, Spanish, and French,
which were successfully produced at the several national theatres.
1851. EMANUEL GODOY (_Prince of Peace_), minister of Charles VI and VII
of Spain, died at Paris, in the 87th year of his age.
1853. The Great Republic, a mammoth clipper of 4000 tons, and the
largest merchant vessel in the world, was launched at East Boston, Mass.
1854. The greater part of the town of Memel, a Prussian seaport, was
destroyed by fire, including its churches, custom-house, bank, and
court-houses; loss estimated at $5,000,000.