Читать книгу The Every Day Book of History and Chronology - Joel Munsell - Страница 57

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3102. BC According to the tables of Trivalore, the great Hindostan epoch, Callyhougham, began at sunrise this day; that is, A. M. 902, and before the death of Adam!

1478. George, duke of Clarence, executed by drowning in a butt of Malmsey wine. He was the brother of Edward IV, against whom he had been induced to take up arms. He had the privilege of choosing the mode of his death.

1519. Cortez sailed from cape St. Antonio where he had stopped to complete his preparations. When all were brought together the vessels were found to be 11 in number; one of them of 100 tons burden, and three others from 70 to 80 tons; the remainder were caravels and open brigantines. His forces now amounted to 110 mariners, 553 soldiers, including 32 crossbowmen, and 13 arquebusiers, besides 200 Indians of the island, and a few Indian women for menial offices. He was provided with 10 heavy guns, 4 lighter pieces, called falconets, and a good supply of ammunition. He had besides 16 horses.

1546. Martin Luther, the reformer, died at Wittemberg. He was born at Eisleben in Saxony, 1483. His father was a miner, and Martin, to support himself at school, sung songs at the doors of the citizens. Yet this humble individual was destined to shake the papal throne to its foundations. His translation of the Bible, completed in 1534, was a labor of 13 years, amidst dangers and difficulties of every kind.

1639. Thomas Carew died; one of the wits of the court of Charles II. In the midst of a life of affluence and gaiety he found time to cultivate his taste for polite literature; and finally became a repentant devotee. He has been coupled with Waller as an improver of English versification, and was esteemed by Jonson and Davenant.

1645. Richard Baker, an English historian, died. Having become security for the debts of some of his wife's relatives, he was thereby reduced to poverty, and thrown into the Fleet prison. During this imprisonment, and as a means of subsistence, he wrote his Chronicle of the Kings of England, and various other works, mostly devotional. He died in prison, where he had spent the last twenty years of his life, at the age of 77.

1652. Gregorio Allegri, an eminent musical composer, died at Rome. His compositions, the chief of which is the Miserere, are still performed in the pontifical chapel.

1653. Naval action off Portland, England, between the British, under Blake, Dean and Monk, and the Dutch under Van Tromp and De Ruyter. The latter was defeated, with the loss of 2000 killed, 1500 prisoners, and 11 ships of war, besides a number of other vessels, principally merchantmen.

1654. John Lewis Guez de Balzac, historiographer of France, died. He acquired great celebrity by his publications.

1662. An unprecedented storm in severity passed over England, chiefly felt at London.

1672. John Labadie died at Altona; a celebrated French enthusiast.

1694. Several ships of war, &c., lost in a storm east of Gibraltar. The Sussex on board of which was Sir Francis Wheeler, the admiral, foundered with the whole of her crew.

1695. William Phipps died at London, aged 45. He was born at Pemaquid, Maine; was apprenticed to a ship carpenter, and afterwards went to sea. Hearing of a Spanish wreck near Bahama, he gave such an account of it in England that he was fitted out in 1683 to search for it, but was unsuccessful. The duke of Albemarle fitted him out a second time, and he returned with a treasure of £300,000, of which his share was 16,000. He was subsequently sent over as governor of Massachusetts, but his administration was short and unpopular.

1702. Thomas Hyde, an eminent English divine and orientalist, died. He published a work on the religion of the ancient Persians, which threw many new lights on the most curious and interesting subjects.

1709. Sir Edward Seymour died. He had been a member of every parliament since 1661.

1710. Philip Verheyen, a medical author, died at Louvain, in Belgium, where he was professor of anatomy.

1712. Louis, duke of Burgundy, died, aged 30. He was educated under Fenelon, and as heir to the throne and counsellor of state, France expected to enjoy a long rest from her troubles, under this administration. He died suddenly of a disease which had taken away his wife and eldest son only a few days before.

1719. George Henry Goertz, a Swedish statesman, beheaded. He joined Charles XII on his return from Turkey, and was placed at the head of affairs. The desperate state of Sweden gave full employment to his extraordinary talents; but on the fall of the king he was sacrificed to the hatred of the nobility and condemned without a trial.

1724. George Wheeler, an English traveler and antiquary died. He visited Greece and Asia, for the purpose of copying inscriptions and to describe antiquities, in company with Dr. Spon, an account of which was published in 6 vols. folio. The work is highly valued for its authenticity and antiquities.

1730. Charles Beckingham, an English dramatic writer, died. His pieces were received with much applause.

1750. George Bernard Bilfinger, professor of philosophy at Petersburg, and afterwards at Tubingen, died at Stutgard. He was eminent as an author.

1758. Joseph Isaac Berruyer, a French Jesuit, died; author of some theological works.

1772. John Hartwig Ernst, count Bernstorff, died at Hamburg. He settled in Denmark, where he became prime minister, and in this office devoted the whole energies of his powerful mind to the improvement of his adopted country. He set the example of manumitting the peasantry, who were in a state of bondage and gave the fourth part of his income to the poor. He is represented as a model of intelligence, wisdom and benevolence.

1777. Col. Nielson of New Jersey, with a party of American militia, defeated the British Major Stockton, killed 4 and took him and 59 of his men prisoners.

1778. Joseph Marie Terray, minister of state of France, died. He was a man of great integrity and patriotism; and on retiring from office, carried with him the gratitude of his country.

1791. Vermont admitted into the Union. (see March 4).

1793. Action between British ship Juno, Capt. Hood, and the French privateer schooner, L'Entreprenant, Capt. Vaniere. The latter was taken, together with a prize which she had captured. Vaniere shot himself.

1795. British squadron under Warren captured near the isle of Aix, 8 French vessels, and destroyed 10 brigs and a lugger, laden with provisions and clothing for the French fleet and army.

1797. Trinidad, another of the West India isles, surrendered to the English under Sir R. Abercromby.

1800. Action off Malta, between the British squadron under Nelson, and Le Genereux, a French 74, and a frigate which resulted in the capture of the two latter.

1800. Louis Le Frotte, the Vendean chief, with 7 of his officers, shot by order of the French convention. They all refused to have their eyes covered.

1808. Austrian declaration of non-intercourse with England.

1811. French port of Tametivi, in Madagascar, surrendered to a British force.

1812. The prince regent of England, afterwards George IV, invested with full legal powers.

1814. Battle of Montereau, in France; Chateau, who commanded the French, was repulsed and mortally wounded; but Gen. Gerard, the second in command, sustained the combat until 2 P. M., when being reinforced by Bonaparte, the Russians were in turn discomfited.

1815. The king of Candy, in Ceylon, surrendered to the British under Gen. Brownrigg.

1815. Treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain ratified by President Madison.

1834. William Wirt died, aged 62. He early became acquainted with Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, and filled several important offices under them with distinguished reputation. As a public and professional man, he was ranked among the first of his time.

1843. The Ameers of the punjaf in India wholly defeated by the British troops under Sir Charles Napier.

1851. Victor Falck, a distinguished French ornithologist, died at Stockholm.

1852. Christopher Anderson died, aged 73; known by his Annals of the English Bible.

1853. An attempt made to assassinate the emperor of Austria by a Hungarian named Lebenyi, who was executed.

1856. Heinrich Heine, the celebrated German poet, died at Paris.