Читать книгу The Every Day Book of History and Chronology - Joel Munsell - Страница 92

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1140. A remarkable eclipse of the sun in England, which caused total darkness.

1491. The new epoch and sacred year of the Jews established, corresponding with the first day of Abib, (Nisan) the day of Pharaoh's overthrow.

1512. Juan Ponce de Leon landed in Florida, and claimed the honor of the discovery; although Sebastian Cabot sailed along the coast in 1497. He was led to undertake the expedition by the Indian tradition in Cuba, that in the interior of the country was a spring which made those who drank it young and perpetuated their youth. At a great loss of his men in the swamps and marshes, he penetrated into the interior, but was driven back by the Indians without discovering the miraculous fountain.

1556. Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, burnt for heresy at Oxford. He was born 1489, and educated for the ministry. His first promotion arose from his remarking that the meditated divorce of Henry VIII from his first wife, Catharine of Arragon, might be decided by learned divines without an appeal to the pope. The king, on hearing of it exclaimed "by G—d, the man has got the sow by the right ear!" He was sent for to court, and immediately preferred. On the accession of Mary, he was tried before commissioners, sent from Rome on charges of blasphemy, perjury, incontinence and heresy, and sentenced to be degraded and deprived of office, and finally burnt for the confessions he was induced to make with the hope of pardon. He contributed far more than any other individual to the establishment of the independence of the English church, and was a great patron of learning and the universities.

1604. Peter Ernest, count de Mansfield, died at Luxembourg. He was an able statesman in the service of the emperor of Germany. His conduct was considered so meritorious that he was appointed governor of Brabant.

1639. Thomas Campanelli, an Italian philosopher of great eminence, died at Paris. So great was his learning and eloquence, that his rivals and enemies procured the interference of the inquisition on an accusation of sorcery and magic. He was afterwards put to the rack and condemned to perpetual imprisonment, but found means to escape to France, where he was protected.

1644. Prince Rupert defeated the parliament forces in England, and relieved Newark.

1656. James Usher, archbishop of Armagh, died. He enjoyed a reputation seldom acquired, in every department of knowledge, and received pressing invitations to France and Germany, at a time when his own country was in a state of anarchy, and his property falling a prey to the fortunes of war.

1663. Charlotte Tremouille, countess of Derby, died. She was the wife of the earl of Derby who was treacherously beheaded during the civil war of England, and imitated his heroic conduct by defying the attacks of the parliament forces, and was the last person who submitted to them.

1673. The castle formerly standing at the entrance of Boston harbor, accidentally destroyed by fire. It was constructed of timber, since replaced by a new one of stone.

1676. A hissing, detonating meteor passed over Italy two hours after sunset. Its apparent diameter was greater than that of the moon; its real diameter about three quarters of a mile; and the velocity was calculated at 160 miles a minute.

1684. Nathaniel Highmore, an eminent English anatomist, died. He is the author of the first systematic treatise on the structure of the human body, in the English language, and was indefatigable in the pursuit and improvement of anatomical science.

1733. Stanislaus, king of Poland, sent his abdication by express, to Warsaw.

1766. Richard Dawes, an English scholar, died; celebrated as the author of the Miscellanea Critica.

1772. James Nicholas Bellin, a learned and laborious geographical engineer of Paris, died.

1776. The duke of Bridgewater's canal from Manchester to Liverpool completed, a great achievement for the time.

1778. The American ministers, Franklin, Dean and Lee, were publicly received at the French court.

1788. A fire occurred at New Orleans, by which seven-eighths of the city was laid in ashes.

1797. John Parkhurst, an English divine, died aged 69; well known as a lexicographer.

1797. The French entered Goritz in Austria, where they found 1500 sick, and a great quantity of provisions and stores.

1799. Battle of Asterach, between the French under Jourdan, and the Austrians under the archduke, in which the latter were defeated. Austrian loss 2160.

1800. The Ionian republic, formed under the protection of the porte. Corfu, Zante and other Venitian isles formed the confederation.

1801. Battle of Aboukir, or Alexandria, in Egypt, between the French under Menou, and the British and Turks under Abercrombie. The French were defeated with the loss of 3000 killed, and the standard of the invincible regiment taken, the officer bearing this famous banner being killed, and nearly the whole of those celebrated soldiers annihilated. British loss 1376, and their commander, Abercrombie, mortally wounded.

1803. Edward Marcus Despard, an Irish officer, executed for treason. He was appointed superintendent of the English colonies in the West Indies, where his conduct led to a recall; out of his subsequent treatment grew a desire for revenge, which led him on to his fate.

1804. Duke d'Enghien, shot at Vincennes by torch light. (See p. 104.)

1806. Madison county, New York, was formed.

1815. Bonaparte entered Paris, the Bourbons having previously evacuated it, on the news of his landing from Elba.

1821. Michael Bryan, an eminent connoisseur in the fine arts, died. He is the author of a biographical and critical dictionary of painters and engravers.

1829. Duel at London between the duke of Wellington and the earl of Winchelsea.

1829. Great earthquake in the provinces of Murcia and Oriheula, in Spain. Upwards of 20 churches and 4,000 houses destroyed, and great numbers of the inhabitants killed. A considerable portion of the former province was converted into a barren waste.

1839. Louisa, the last surviving daughter of Linnæus the naturalist, died at Upsala, aged 90.

1843. Herard, the successful general of the insurgents in Hayti, made a triumphal entry into Port au Prince.

1843. Robert Southey, an eminent English poet, died, aged 68, in a state of mental darkness, from an excess of labor.

1845. Benjamin Bushe died at Greensboro, Vt., aged 115.

1849. Benj. F. Thompson, the historian of Long island, died, aged 64. He was distinguished by an ardent love for historical research, and left a large collection of materials for the illustration of the local history of New York state.

1852. Armand Marrast, one of the leading and ablest journalists of France, died. His name was conspicuous in the revolution of February, 1848, which made him mayor of Paris, and a member of the provisional government. He was the author of the French constitution of 1848.

1856. The fortieth asteroid, named Lætitia, discovered by Mr. Goldschmidt, at Paris.