Читать книгу The Every Day Book of History and Chronology - Joel Munsell - Страница 76

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13 BC Augustus Cæsar assumed the office of high priest, in which capacity he destroyed 2,000 books of prophecy, for want of authority!

1393. John Hawkwood, an Englishman, died at Florence. He was bred a tailor, but signalized himself so greatly in the wars in Italy, that he was promoted to the highest posts; and after his death the Florentines erected a block marble statue as an acknowledgment for the services he had done them.

1521. Magellan, in the service of the king of Spain, on his voyage round the world, discovered the Ladrone, or Marian islands, and may be considered as the first discoverer of that portion of the world called Australia. This opened the way for the subsequent discoveries made in that quarter.

1557. Lord Stourton hung at Salisbury in a halter of silk, to mark his dignity. His crime was the murder of two persons whom he had decoyed to his house.

1577. Remi Belleau, one of the seven poets called the Pleiades of France, died. He excelled as a pastoral writer.

1615. The yacht Halve Maan, 80 tons burden, in which Hudson entered the river which bears his name, was wrecked and destroyed on the island of Mauritius.

1716. Aurora Borealis first seen in England, and was gazed upon with every degree of alarm till nearly three o'clock in the morning.

1754. Pelham, premier of England, died suddenly in the meridian of life. He was much opposed to the German alliances of the kingdom, but had not influence enough in the face of a hostile court to break them up.

1762. The ghost that had for so long a time alarmed the people of Cocklane, London, was detected.

1767. James Malfillastre, a French poet, died.

1781. Battle of Whitsell's mill, an important pass of Reedy fort creek, in which the British were worsted.

1784. Francis Xavier Hall, a Jesuit, professor of belles lettres and ecclesiastical law in several German universities, died.

1796. William Francis Raynal died. He was a French Jesuit, who distinguished himself as a historian of the European settlements in both Indias, and as a political writer.

1799. The French under Bonaparte took Jaffa by assault. The garrison consisted of 1,200 Turkish artillery and 2,500 Magrubins or Arnauts who were put to the sword.

1812. James Madison, an eminent American prelate, died, aged 63. His great attainments placed him in the presidential chair of William and Mary college at the early age of 28, and the reputation of the institution advanced under his charge.

1815. Lewis XVIII declared Napoleon Bonaparte a traitor and a rebel, for having entered by main force the department of the Var.

1815. A great riot around the British parliament house, on account of the corn bill. A great many lives lost.

1817. Insurrection at Pernambuco, Brazils, headed by Domingos Jose Martins. The insurgents took possession of the town, and the governor fled to Rio de Janeiro.

1822. Owing to a strong south-west wind the tide in the Thames near London bridge was so low, that several persons forded the river and picked up many valuable articles that had laid for years on the bottom of the river.

1825. Samuel Parr, an eminent English divine and critic, died. He was possessed of a prodigious memory, and in curious and elegant classical knowledge he seems to have been at the head of the English scholars of his day.

1838. Vilette Easton, a colored woman, died at Providence, Rhode Island, at the age of 110.

1854. The block of marble sent by the pope as a contribution to Washington's monument, was destroyed by unknown persons at night.