1656. A. M. The deluge began on the 17th day of the 2d month, answering
to our November 2, on the supposition that the original civil year of
the Hebrews began on the 16th of September, and contained 354 days.
285. B. C. PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS, of Egypt, so memorable as a patron of
learning, commenced his reign upon this Julian day; the year following
that in which Pyrrhus was driven from Macedonia. It is the date of the
_Septuagint_.
1502. COLUMBUS entered the harbor which he named Porto Bello. The
cazique was painted black, but all his subjects red. They all wore small
golden ornaments in their nostrils; and the men a shell, and the women
a fillet of cotton about their loins.
1552. CLAUDE D'ANNEBAUT, a French admiral, died; distinguished for his
bravery and wisdom.
1600. RICHARD HOOKER, an eminent English divine, died. His _Laws of
Ecclesiastical Polity_ in 8 books, procured him great fame and
popularity.
1610. RICHARD BANCROFT died; chaplain to queen Elizabeth, bishop of
London, and archbishop of Canterbury.
1655. A committee appointed by the council of the lord protector of
England to encourage trade and commerce.
1692. ALEXANDER MENZIKOFF, a Russian prince, died in exile. He rose from
the occupation of a pastry cook, and fell back to his original level in
consequence of his pride and ostentation.
1716. ENGELBERT KŒMPFER, an eminent German botanist, died. Besides
his works on botany, he wrote a _History of Japan_.
1726. SOPHIA DOROTHEA, queen of George I of England, died at the castle
of Ahlen in Hanover, in which she had been immured since 1694 on a
charge of an intrigue with count Koningsmarke; a charge which was never
proved and generally disbelieved. She was often solicited to rejoin her
husband. To the English who also made the proposal, she said, "If I am
guilty I am not fit to be your queen; if I am innocent your king is not
fit to be my husband."
1758. The Belliqueux, a French ship of war from Quebec, driven into
Lundy road where she was taken possession of by the English; value
estimated at £150,000.
1759. CHARLES HANBURY WILLIAMS, an English poet and ambassador, died.
1772. Town meeting in Boston, at which committees of correspondence were
appointed by the "Sons of Liberty." Adams and Warren were among the
originators of this plan, which was soon followed by the other states.
These committees were undoubtedly the origin of the congress.
1783. WASHINGTON issued from head quarters, Rocky Hill, near Princeton,
his farewell orders to the American armies.
1783. CHARLES COLLE, a distinguished French comic writer, died.
1788. JOHN HENDERSON, an English scholar, died. He displayed at a very
early period of life, an uncommon thirst after knowledge, which he
gratified with unremitted ardor. "The virtues of his heart were superior
even to the astonishing powers of his understanding;" he died however,
the victim of intemperance.
1794. FRANÇOIS JOACHIM DE PIERRES BERNIS, a French ecclesiastic, and
courtier, died, aged 80. His talents and judgment were of a high order.
1812. Battle of Ghatz; the Cossacks under Platoff defeated a division of
the French, and took 70 wagons, 20 cannons and some thousands of
exhausted and helpless prisoners. Denizoff defeated another French
division the same day, captured 40 loaded wagons and 1000 prisoners.
1818. SAMUEL ROMILLY, a learned English statesman, died by his own hand,
in consequence of the death of his wife.
1825. The city of Albany celebrated the opening of the Erie canal with
great ceremony.
1828. THOMAS PINCKNEY, a general in the United States army, died. It was
under his command that the Indian war in which general Jackson
distinguished himself, was undertaken and brought to a successful issue.
1840. ANTHONY CARLISLE, an eminent English surgeon, died. He was also a
man of high literary and scientific attainments, and president of the
royal college of surgeons.
1850. SAMUEL YOUNG, a New York statesman, died at Ballston, aged 71. His
official career was illustrated by the most remarkable integrity, by
talents of the highest order, and by a character of the most marked
individuality.