36 B. C. OCTAVIUS CÆSAR received the _oration_ for his great naval
victory over Sextus, the younger Pompey, in the Sicilian war.
1002. Massacre of the Danes, throughout England, by order of king
Ethelred, one of those infamous shifts by which coward tyranny secures
its sinister purposes. Neither age nor sex was spared, and among the
victims was Gunilda, sister of Sweyn, king of Denmark. Her husband and
children were butchered before her eyes. In the following year Sweyn
invaded England and swept the country with fire and sword.
1004. ABBON DE FLEURY, a French ecclesiastic of note, who encouraged
learning among the monastics, died of a wound he received in attempting
to allay a brawl.
1499. VINCENT YANES PINZON sailed from Palos, in Spain, for America,
with four caravals, and was the first Spaniard who ventured to cross the
equinoctial line. He explored a part of the coast of South America, and
named the river which is still called Amazon--so named from the
Spaniards observing that the women fought with the same bravery as the
men in the common defence.
1503. FRANCISCO ALMEIDA, the first Portuguese viceroy of India, having
surrendered his office to Albuquerque, sailed from Cochin for Portugal.
1539. The Bible, called _Matthew's Bible_, was permitted to be read in
private houses, "of the royal liberality and goodness."
1549. Pope PAUL III died, and was succeeded by cardinal de Monte, who
took the name of Julius III.
1553. Arraignment of lady JANE GREY at Guildhall.
1558. Cardinal POLE, since the death of bishop Cranmer, bishop of
Canterbury, died.
1620. The Plymouth colonists disembarked on cape Cod, and proceeded to
make discovery of the country, and search for a convenient place of
settlement. In the course of this search they found baskets of corn
concealed under heaps of sand, a quantity of which they brought away in
a great kettle found at the ruins of an Indian house. This gave them
seed for a future harvest, and preserved the infant colony from
starvation.
1624. THOMAS ERPENIUS died at Leyden; a most learned Dutch writer, and
incomparably skilled in the oriental tongues.
1646. A new volcano in the island of Palma, one of the Canaries, near
Teneriffe.
1647. Battle of Knockinoss, in Ireland, during the rebellion, when the
Irish army of 8,500 strong, under lord Taafe and sir Alexander
MacDonnel, were routed by 5,200 under lord Inchiquin. The Irish left
4,000 in the field of battle. The British parliament voted lord
Inchiquin £1,000 for his conduct on the occasion.
1650. THOMAS MAY, an English dramatic poet and historian, died.
1654. WILLIAM HABINGTON, an English poet and historian, died.
1690. LEWIS DE WOLZOGEN died; a divine of Amsterdam, and a zealous
partisan of the Socinians.
1712. JOHN ERNEST GRABE, a Prussian divine, died in England, where he
published an edition of the _Septuagint_, and wrote some valuable works
on divinity.
1712. ARTHUR MAYNWARING, a learned Englishman, died. He was a member of
parliament under queen Anne, and wrote in prose and verse.
1715. Battle of Dumblane between the king's troops under the duke of
Argyle, and those of the pretender under the earl of Mar, not decisive.
1715. Defeat of the pretender's forces at Preston, and many persons
taken, among whom was their leader Mr. Foster.
1726. SOPHIA DOROTHY, only child of the duke of Zell, and wife of George
I, of England, died. The malice of another subjected her to 32 years'
captivity.
1770. GEORGE GRENVILLE, a celebrated English statesman, died. He was
distinguished for his eloquence in the senate.
1771. Eruption of Solway Moss, in England. It is about seven miles in
circumference, and composed of mud and putrid fibres of heath, diluted
by internal springs. It burst its barrier in the night, and laid a large
tract of country in ruin.
1781. JOHN MOODY hanged at Philadelphia as a spy. He intended to have
seized the books and papers of congress.
1798. JEAN FRANCOIS CALLET, a French mathematician, died. It was to
prevent the occurrence of errors in his tables that Didlot attempted the
art of stereotyping.
1805. BONAPARTE entered Vienna; the commencement of a favorite plan of
his to dictate peace to the conquered monarchs of Europe in their own
capitals.
1810. JAMES ALLEN, the Northumbrian piper, died.
1812. BONAPARTE on his retreat from Moscow, quitted Smolensk for
Krasnoy. His army was now reduced to 43,000.
1813. The junta, under the title of national assembly, declared the
independence of Mexico.
1817. JOHN PHILPOT CURRAN, an eminent Irish barrister, died; celebrated
for his eloquence and wit.
1832. A French army of 75,000 men entered Belgium and marched for
Antwerp to assist in establishing the independence of the country.
1833. Remarkable meteoric phenomenon, which extended over a large
portion of North America. The first appearance was that of fireworks of
the most imposing grandeur, covering the entire vault of heaven with
myriads of fire balls resembling sky rockets, and showers of fiery snow
driven with inconceivable velocity to the north-west. Similar phenomena
were witnessed in Arabia on this day the previous year. It was observed
again on this day, 1837, at New York and New Haven.
1835. HENRY FREDERICK STORK died at St. Petersburg. He was an eminent
writer as well on belles lettres as political economy.
1835. CHARLES AUGUSTUS BOTTIGER died; an eminent German scholar and
archæologist, author of various learned works, and aulic counselor to
the king of Saxony.
1836. CHARLES SIMEON, a most able and zealous English prelate, died at
Cambridge. His works were published in 21 large octavo volumes. His
funeral was attended with great solemnity by the whole town; the shops
were closed and 1,300 persons joined the procession in the deepest
mourning.
1839. The town of Kelat, in Beloochistan, taken by the British army.
Mehrab Khan was killed, his principal sirdirs killed or taken, and
hundreds of others captured.
1854. A great tempest raged over the Black sea, which continued several
days; 18 British and 12 French ships were lost near Balaclava, together
with 340 men and a large amount of property.