1231. ELIZABETH OF THURINGIA, a saint of the church, died. She was
distinguished by the mild virtues of her sex, and when the country was
oppressed with famine and pestilence, she caused hospitals to be
erected, and fed and clothed a multitude of the poor, wandering about in
a humble dress relieving the sorrows of the wretched. She was regarded
as a saint during her life, and four years after her death was
canonized. Her monument is one of the most splendid remains of Gothic
architecture in Germany.
1530. The diet at Augsburg issued a severe decree against the
protestants, which was sanctioned by the emperor Charles V.
1590. JEROME ZANCHIUS, a German protestant theologian, died. His
commentaries on St. Paul's epistles were published after his death. He
was a professor of theology at Heidelburg, and sustained the character
of a learned, pious and benevolent man.
1628. JOHN FELTON, the assassin who killed the duke of Buckingham,
favorite of Charles I of England, executed at Tyburn. The king proposed
the rack previous to execution, that his accomplices might be
discovered. But the judges unanimously declared that the English law did
not allow of torture. This was the first adjudication on this subject.
1649. CASPAR SCIOPPIUS, a learned German, died, aged 73. He acquired the
name of the grammatical cur, from his indiscreet attacks upon every
person of eminence. His talents and acquirements were extraordinary, and
his works more numerous than his years.
1665. NICHOLAS POUSSIN, an eminent French painter, died. He was long
unable to maintain himself by his pencil, till his genius finally burst
through the clouds of prejudice, and established his character as a
great and sublime artist.
1672. JOHN WILKINS, bishop of Chester, died; a most ingenious and
learned English theologian, critic and mathematician.
1674. SAMUEL DANFORTH, the colleague of John Elliot, the Indian
missionary, died at Roxbury, Mass. When he was contracted in marriage
the celebrated John Cotton preached the sermon, customary in New England
on such occasions, before the nuptial ceremony. He published several
almanacs, and an astronomical account of the comet which appeared in
1764.
1677. FRANCIS JUNIUS, a German linguist, died in England. He was highly
distinguished for his skill and researches in the Anglo Saxon and Gothic
languages, which he pursued at Oxford, England.
1703. THE IRON MASK (_Masque de Fer_), died at the Bastile in Paris,
after an imprisonment of forty-two years. This mysterious personage is
supposed to have been the twin brother of the king, and various authors
have attempted to prove his identity with other characters of that day.
It was at first believed that the mask which he was compelled to wear
constantly on pain of instant death, was made of iron. But it was
composed of black velvet, strengthened with whalebone, and fastened
behind the head with a padlock. He was confined for imperious reasons of
state, but was treated with the utmost deference and respect.
1731. WILLIAM EDIE, bellman of Canongate, in Edinburgh, died, aged 120.
He had buried the inhabitants of Canongate thrice. He was 90 years a
freeman, and married his second wife, a young woman, after he was 100
years old.
1741. ANTHONY BANIER, a celebrated French mythologist, died. His
_Mythology and Fables of the Antients_ has been translated into English.
1744. A single battalion of Prussians under Wedel disputed the passage
of the Elbe at Solnitz for five hours, against the whole Austrian army;
and, under the fire of fifty cannons, thrice repulsed the Austrian
grenadiers. Wedel lost two officers and 100 men killed, and acquired the
title of Leonidas.
1761. NOEL ANTHONY PLUCHE, a French writer on natural history, died. His
_Spectacle de la Nature_ is known to all the world.
1789. Junction of the Thames and Severn rivers by canal; an important
event in English inland commerce. This canal ascends the vale of Calford
to the height of 343 feet by 40 locks; there entering a tunnel through
the hill of Saperton, for the length of two miles and three furlongs,
and descends to the Thames by 22 locks.
1790. JAMES HAY BEATTIE died; a Scotchman of eminent talents, who was
made assistant professor of moral philosophy and logic at Aberdeen at
the age of 19.
1793. A number of persons met in Edinburgh and held a _convention_
similar to that in France, but were arrested and sent to prison.
1794. The treaty signed at London between England and America, called
Jay's treaty.
1801. JOSEPH DE BEAUCHAMP, a French theologian and astronomer, died.
During a residence in the Levant, he made many astronomical
observations, constructed a map of the Tigris and Euphrates, and
surveyed the Black sea.
1806. RICHARD WESTON died; an English thread hosier, who became eminent
as a horticulturist, and published some useful tracts on that subject.
1806. Hameln, on the Weser, captured by the French, who took Von
Schoeler and five other generals, 9,000 Prussians, some other troops,
and great quantities of ammunition and stores.
1806. MORTIER entered Hamburg and confiscated all British property found
there.
1806. NICHOLAS CLAUDE LEDOUX, a fortunate though vain French architect,
died.
1809. Battle of Ocana; the French under Soult defeated 50,000 Spaniards.
Joseph Bonaparte commanded in person in this battle under Soult.
1812. Battle of Koutovo; the French under Ney attacked in the defiles
near Krasnoy, on the very spot where Davoust had been defeated two days
before. Although the French fought with the greatest courage and most
desperate intrepidity, they were defeated with terrible slaughter, and
the loss of all their cannon, baggage and colors. Scarcely had this
second victory been obtained, when the last columns of the rear guard
appeared in sight, and were compelled to surrender, 100 officers and
11,000 men.
1812. Americans under colonel Pike made an incursion into Canada,
assaulted and carried a British post, burnt their blockhouse, and
returned with only five wounded.
1813. American Com. PORTER took possession of an island in the South
sea, called by the natives Nooaheevah, which he called _Madison's
island_, in honor of the president.
1816. Eclipse of the sun observed at Paris. It was total at Copenhagen.
1818. ABDULLAH IBN SAUD, the last emir of the Wahhabis, was beheaded at
Constantinople, which put an end to the temporal power of that sect.
1835. CHARLES COOTE, an English author, died. He was for some years
editor of the _Critical Review_, and wrote various historical and other
works of merit.
1850. RICHARD M. JOHNSON, a Kentucky soldier and statesman, died at
Frankfort, aged 70.
1853. SAMUEL H. CRAFTS died at Craftsbury, Vt., aged 84. On the
organization of the town, which was settled by and named in honor of his
father, in 1792, he was chosen town clerk, and held the office 37 years;
and he filled every public office in the gift of Vermont during some
part of his lifetime.
1855. THOMAS COPELAND, an eminent English surgeon and medical writer,
died at Brighton, aged 74.
1855. THEODRIC ROMEYN BECK, an eminent medical writer, died at Albany,
N. Y., aged 64. He was one of the originators and most ardent supporters
of the geological survey of the state; but is best known by his _Medical
Jurisprudence_. He was a member of many scientific societies at home and
abroad, and his whole life was one of uninterrupted and efficient labor.