Читать книгу The Every Day Book of History and Chronology - Joel Munsell - Страница 63

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303. Diocletian issued the first general edict of persecution against the Christians, by which all their religious edifices in the empire were to be leveled to their foundations, and the church property confiscated and sold to the highest bidder. This abominable decree was instantly torn from its column by a Christian of rank, who for his audacity was burnt or rather roasted, by a slow fire.

1383. John Wickliffe presented seven articles to parliament containing his doctrines.

1468. John Gutenberg, the inventor of printing, died. In connection with Faust he contributed greatly to the improvement of the art, then in a very rude state.

1495. Jem, son of Bayazid I the Osman sultan, died. He was defeated by his brother in a contest for the throne, and took refuge with the knights of St. John at Rhodes, who sent him to France, where he was kept in confinement several years, and then delivered up to the pope, Alexander VI, by whom he was poisoned.

1525. Battle of Pavia in Italy. The imperialists under Bourbon, Pescara and Lannoy defeated the French and captured their king, Francis I, whom they sent prisoner to Madrid. The king fought with heroic valor, killing 7 men with his own hand.

1540. Charles V of Germany entered Ghent, which had been in a state of insurrection; 26 of the principal citizens were put to death. He was born at this place on this day 1500.

1541. Pedro de Valdivia, having been sent by Pizarro with 200 Spaniards and a numerous body of Peruvians to Chili for the purpose of settling such provinces as he should conquer, succeeded in overcoming the resistance of the natives and founded the city of Santiago.

1563. Francis of Lorraine, duke of Guise, assassinated. He distinguished himself in the wars with Charles V and the English; and in the reigns of Henry II and Francis II of France, completely governed the kingdom. After the death of Francis, he espoused the side of the catholics in the civil wars.

1587. Thomas Cavendish passed the straits of Magellan.

1645. A treaty of peace, which was begun at Uxbridge on the 30th January, between the commissioners of Charles I, and those of the parliament, was broken off.

1665. A Dutch impostor whipped thro' the streets of London; possibly only a little eccentric.

1665. Deerfield, Mass., purchased of the Indians. The deed, which is still extant, was given "for the use and behoof of Major Eleazar Lusher, Ensign Daniel Fisher, and other English at Dedham, their associates and successors," by Chauk alias Chague, the sachem of Pocomptuck, and his brother Wassahoale, and witnessed by Wequonnock. It reserves to the Indians the right of fishing in the rivers, hunting wild animals, and gathering nuts. It is capable of proof, that the early settlers in New England, as well as New York, made it a matter of course to purchase the lands upon which they settled, in nearly all instances, and at prices which were considered a fair equivalent at the time by the Indians. It may be mentioned as a matter of curiosity, that the salary of the first minister settled at this place was £60, to be paid in wheat at 3s. 6d., peas at 2s. 6d., corn at 2s. per bushel, and salted pork at 2½d. per pound.

1667. Thomas Adams died. He was born at Wem in England; went to London, where he established himself in business as a draper; and in 1645 rose to the high honor of lord mayor of that city.

1676. Attack on Medfield, Mass., by a party of about 300 Indians. The loss of Lancaster, a short time previous, had put the neighboring towns on their guard, and Medfield had obtained a small garrison of soldiers for greater security, although within 22 miles of Boston. The Indians during the night had secreted themselves, according to custom, under the fences and behind trees about the villages, so that the people were shot down as they came out of their doors and their houses immediately set on fire. The soldiers being lodged in different parts of the town, could not get together until about 50 buildings were on fire. Some were killed as they attempted to pass to their neighbors for shelter, and in some instances, the husband flying with one child and the wife with another, one of them fell into the hands of the savages or was killed, while the other escaped. Two or three discharges of a field piece put the whole horde to flight, who as they passed the river fired the bridge to prevent pursuit. Loss 18 killed, and many wounded and carried away for torture. (Holmes says Feb. 21.)

1684. Birthday of Handel, the music composer, at Halle.

1684. Boundary line between New York and Connecticut partially run.

1716. The earls of Derwentwater and Kenmuir beheaded on Tower hill, for treason in favoring the cause of the Pretender.

1721. John Sheffield, duke of Buckingham, died; a celebrated general, critic and poet.

1724. A great storm attended with an uncommon tide, was experienced in New England. The tide in some places rose ten feet higher than it was ever known before, and rendered many of the streets of Boston navigable.

1740. Providential delivery from death of a society of monks at Palermo.

1752. Isaac Wood, an English painter, died. His principal pieces are in oil and black lead upon vellum.

1758. Battle of Hoya in Westphalia, between the allies and French.

1762. Tremendous hurricane and fall of snow in England. Nearly 50 persons perished in the fields, and several whales were driven on the Essex and Kentish coasts.

1766. Stanislaus, the last duke of Lorrain and Bar, as an independent Duchy, died in consequence of burns from his robes de chambre having accidentally caught fire.

1777. William Dodd, an English divine, convicted of forgery, and sentenced to be hanged.

1777. Joseph, king of Portugal, died. He was of the house of Braganza, ascended the throne in 1750; his reign was turbulent and unfortunate.

1781. Edward Capell died; known as the editor of an edition of Shakspeare in 10 vols., and 4 large quarto vols. of "Notes and various readings of Shakspeare."

1785. Charles Bonaparte, father of Napoleon, died, leaving his family in straightened circumstances.

1797. Resumption of hostilities in Italy between the French and Austrians.

1799. George Christopher Lichtenberg, a famous German writer, died. His commentary on Hogarth is said of itself to immortalize his fame.

1809. Drury-lane theatre burnt. It had been previously burnt, and rebuilt 1671 by Sir Christopher Wren at a cost of £200,000.

1810. Henry Cavendish, an English philosopher, died. He made the important discovery of the composition of water. Of diffident and retiring manners, he devoted his days to experiments and improvements in the arts and sciences. It has been said that he was the richest among the learned, and the most learned among the rich men of his time. He left a fortune of £5,000,000.

1813. Action between United States sloop Hornet, Capt. Lawrence, and British man-of-war brig Peacock, Capt. Peake, off Demarara. The action commenced at half past 5 P. M. and continued 15 minutes, when the Peacock showed signals of distress. Exertions were made to keep the vessel afloat till the prisoners could be got off, but she sunk carrying down 13 of her crew and 3 Americans. The loss of the crew of the Peacock could not be ascertained; but the captain was killed in the latter part of the engagement, and the vessel was literally cut to pieces. The Hornet lost 1 killed and 4 wounded; and the vessel received trifling damage, except in her rigging.

1815. Robert Fulton died, aged 50. He was born at Little Britain, Pa., and early discovered a genius for painting and mechanics; and he subsequently studied painting in London, under Benjamin West. He also resided several years in Paris; after which he returned to America, and presented to the world the phenomenon of the steam boat.

1821. John Keats, an English poet, died, aged 25. He was of humble origin, but was possessed of a fine genius. His productions were made the subject of severe and unmerited criticism by Gifford, who had leaped from a cobbler's bench into an editor's stool, and presided over the pages of the Quarterly Review. These gross attacks preyed upon his mind and hastened his death.

1821. Iturbide issued his proclamation, called the plan of Iguala, for the pacification of the state of Mexico. It contemplated the independence of Mexico, and still to preserve its union with Spain.

1826. Richard Dale, an American naval officer, died. He was born in Virginia, 1756, and at the age of 12 went to sea. During the war of the revolution he was captured, and imprisoned, but found means to escape, and joined the celebrated Paul Jones. Under Jones he distinguished himself in the sanguinary and desperate engagement between the Bon Homme Richard and the British frigate Serapis, and was the first who reached the deck of the latter when she was boarded and taken. In 1802 he settled in Philadelphia, where he passed the remainder of his days.

1828. Jacob Brown, who acted so prominent a part in the war of 1812 between England and the United States, and for some time commander-in-chief of the United States army, died at Washington.

1838. Carl Heinrich Ludwig Politz, died at Leipsic. He was professor in the university, and an eminent writer on statistics, history and politics.

1843. John Owens, a soldier of the old French war and also of the American revolution, died, aged 107.

1848. Revolution at Paris.

1852. David Kennison, the last of the Boston tea party, died at Chicago, aged 117.

1854. Robert Armstrong died, aged 64; proprietor of the Washington Union newspaper.

1854. At Niagara falls two men fell from the suspension bridge, a distance of 240 feet and were dashed to pieces.