1332. Found in the library of St. Mary, at Florence, the whole of the
New Testament in silk; at the end of it is this inscription in Greek:
"By the hand of the Sinner, and most unworthy, Mark, in the year of the
world 7840."
1483. WILLIAM D'ESTOUTEVILLE, a Norman cardinal, died; who reformed the
university of Paris.
1530. The famous protestant league of defence, against a decree of the
imperial diet, was concluded this day.
1558. The great seal of England delivered to sir Nicholas Bacon, with
the style of _lord keeper_, then first adopted.
1585. VIRGINIA ACCORAMBONI, celebrated for her beauty and poetical
talents, was assassinated at Padua.
1592. ALEXANDER FARNESE, duke of Parma, and governor of the Low
Countries, died of a wound given by Henry IV, of France, at the siege of
Rouen.
1620. Landing of the first settlers at Plymouth. The total number of
them was 101; of which 50 died during the winter.
1662. GEORGE PHILLIPS, with three others, styled fanatics, executed for
conspiring the death of Charles II.
1681. RICHARD ALLEIN died; a puritan of great learning, whose writings
are mostly on theology.
1694. FRANCIS NICHOLSON made governor of Maryland.
1699. The protestants of Germany here introduced the Gregorian or _new
style_ of supputation, by the omission of ten days, concluding this
year.
1715. The Pretender (_Chevalier de St. George_), son of James II of
Scotland, the deposed king of England, arrived at Peterhead, and was
proclaimed king of England.
1719. ANDREW BRADFORD issued the first number of the _American Weekly
Mercury_, the first paper printed in Pennsylvania, and the second in the
United States.
1722. PIERRE VARIGNON, a distinguished French architect and
mathematician, died. He was professor of mathematics, and an able writer
on that science.
1723. JAMES BASNAGE, a French protestant minister, died. He was a man of
talent and erudition. His works are numerous and valuable, particularly
his _History of the Jews_, 15 vols.
1729. MICHAEL BARON, the Roscius of the French theatre, died.
1753. A Mr. BRAITHWAITE died at Carlisle, England, at the age of 110. In
1652 he commenced singing in the cathedral, and at the time of his death
had continued singing one hundred years.
1768. CHARLES LITTLETON, bishop of Carlisle, died; an eminent English
antiquary.
1788. PERCIVAL POTT, a very eminent English surgeon, died.
1789. A number of ice islands, of great magnitude, discovered, which had
been wafted from the southern polar regions. The ship Guardian struck
them near the cape of Good Hope, on her passage to Botany bay. These
islands were wrapt in darkness; they were 150 fathoms long, and more
than 50 fathoms above the surface of the waves. A fragment from the
summit of one of them broke off, and plunging into the sea, caused a
tremendous commotion in the water, and dense smoke all around it.
1796. Kehl, a fortress on the Rhine, surrendered by the French, under
Dessaix, to the Austrians, under the archduke Charles, after a siege of
51 days, and a blockade of 115. The garrison were permitted to withdraw,
with their artillery and baggage, with drums beating and colors flying.
1798. BONAPARTE arrived at Suez, with several officers and men of
science, and, having forded the Red sea, visited the fountains of Moses.
Whilst here he received a deputation from the monks of mount Sinai, and
countersigned the charter they had received from Mahomet.
1803. Louisiana taken possession of by the Americans.
1807. Embargo; the ports of the United States closed against British
commerce.
1812. JAMES CLINTON, an American general, died. He was a firm and
undeviating patriot of the revolution.
1812. PETER HENRY LARCHER, a French writer, died. He translated some of
the principal Greek classics.
1813. The Indians attacked and defeated at Ecchanachaca, by the
Americans under general Claiburn, who destroyed the town, 200 houses,
with a large quantity of provisions.
1818. PHILIP FRANCIS, an English statesman, died. He was an active
promoter of the impeachment of the famous Warren Hastings, and was
considered by some as the author of _Junius's Letters_.
1822. WILLIAM LOWNDES, a distinguished orator and patriot, of South
Carolina, died at sea.
1828. WILLIAM HYDE WOLLASTON died, aged 62; one of the ablest and most
renowned of English chemists and natural philosophers. Very little of
his personal history is known, his biography not having been written
(1846).
1832. FRANCIS HUBER, a Swiss naturalist, died, aged 82. He lost his
sight at the age of 17. Notwithstanding this difficulty in the way of
scientific pursuits, with the assistance of his wife, he wrote and
published a very accurate work on the habits of bees, and some other
works.
1835. EDMUND FRY died in London, at a very advanced age. He was a member
of the society of Friends, originally bred to the medical profession,
but was more generally known as an eminent and learned type founder.
1835. DAVID HOSACK, an eminent physician, died at New York, where he was
professor of the theory and practice of physic, and was held in high
estimation as a man of talent, learning and worth.
1838. HUGH JAMES ROSE, a talented and eloquent English divine, died.
Besides numerous works of which he was the author, he projected the
_British Magazine_, and edited the _Theological Library_.
1842. 250 troops from Texas invading Mexico, were defeated and taken
prisoners.
1854. MARTIN JOSEPH ROUTH, president of Magdalen college, died at
Oxford, England, aged 99; a man of great learning, talent and virtues.
1854. The British parliament passed a law permitting the enlistment of
foreigners, as officers and soldiers, in her majesty's service.
1855. VALERIAN KRASINSKI, one of the most distinguished members of the
Polish emigration, and an eminent author, died at Edinburgh, Scotland.