Chapter XV: Part 15

1659. JOHN CLEVELAND, an English poet, died. He was contemporary with Milton, and preferred before him by critics of the day, but has now sunk into oblivion.

1676. MICHAEL ADRIAN DE RUYTER, the famous Dutch admiral, died. He began his military career at the age of 11, and continued in the service nearly 60 years.

1685. LUC D'ACHERI, a French ecclesiastic, died. He displayed great learning as an antiquary and an author.

1688. FREDERICK WILLIAM, elector of Brandenburg, died. Posterity awards to him the character of a brave, generous and patriotic prince, who devoted his attention to the commerce and general welfare of his people.

1735. The Turks defeated by the Persians under Thomas Kouli Khan, 60,000 slain.

1740. CHARLES DREW, executed at St. Edmundsburg, in Suffolk, for the murder of his father.

1740. The English parliament prorogued. It was at this parliament that the famous acts against horse racing and deceitful gaming were passed.

1743. CHARLES IRENÆUS CASTEL DE SAINT-PIERRE, a French ecclesiastic, died; distinguished as a politician, a man of letters, and an author.

1746. CURTIS BARNET, a British commodore, died.

1758. Action off fort St. Davids, East Indies, between the British under admiral Pococke, and the French fleet under count d'Ache. British loss, 29 killed, 89 wounded; French loss, 600 killed and wounded, and one of their vessels sunk.

1762. The book of Cornelius Nepos in Latin was issued from the Russian press, being the first in that language ever printed in Russia.

1779. JOHN ASH, an English dissenting minister, died. His _Complete English Dictionary_, until the appearance of Mr. Todd's octavo edition of Johnson's, was the best compendium of words that could be referred to.

1783. BERNARD DE TANUCCI died; professor of jurisprudence in the university of Pisa, and prime minister of Naples, an office which he sustained with dignity, ability and integrity, for 50 years, when he resigned.

1788. Election of representatives from New York to consider the federal constitution held.

1793. A French privateer with her prize, the Spanish ship San Jago, was captured by the English. Cargo valued at £1,500,000.

1805. The constitution of the Batavian republic changed for the third time; the state was divided into 8 departments, and a legislative body of 19 members, with a pensionary (Schimmelpenninck), chosen for the term of five years, who administered the executive power.

1810. AUGUSTENBURGH, crown prince of Sweden, and heir to the throne, seized with an apoplexy while reviewing some corps of cavalry, fell from his horse and expired immediately.

1813. United States frigate Essex, Capt. Porter, captured, near Albemarle island, in the Pacific, British ships Montezuma and Policy, of 10 guns each, and Georgiana, of 6 guns and 4 swivels.

1813. British admiral Cockburn burnt the store-houses at Frenchtown, Chesapeake bay, in which was a great quantity of goods belonging to Philadelphia and Baltimore merchants. He also burnt two vessels, and plundered the private houses.

1814. Action between the United States sloop of war Peacock, 20 guns, 160 men, and British king's brig of war Epervier, 18 guns, 128 men, off cape Carnaverel. The Epervier was captured in 42 minutes, with the loss of 8 killed and 15 wounded; the Peacock had 2 wounded. The Epervier had on board $118,000, exclusive of $10,000 which the crew plundered before she was boarded. The Epervier was sent in 1815 from Algiers, with American prisoners, liberated there, but never arrived.

1827. RUFUS KING, an American statesman, died. He was many years a senator in congress, and twice minister to England. All parties have borne testimony to the value of his services, and the eminence of his talents.

1849. The republicans at Rome repulsed the French republicans under the city walls.

1849. The emperor NICHOLAS of Russia declared, by ukase, his purpose to assist Austria. (See April 26th.)

1851. C. C. PEPYS, earl of Cottenham, died in Italy, aged 70. He passed through all the honors of the law, and in 1836 became lord chancellor.

1854. Great excitement at Louisville, occasioned by the acquittal of Matthew F. Ward, who murdered Prof. Butler.

1855. ROBERT HAMILTON BISHOP died, aged 78. He was a native of Scotland, was licensed to preach in 1801; on coming to this country, he assisted in rearing several institutions of learning in the western states.

1855. JOHN WILSON, a celebrated landscape and marine painter, died at Folkstone, aged 81.

1855. The United States troops under Col. Fauntleroy, attacked a camp of Utah Indians near the Arkansas river, twenty miles north of the Puncha pass, killed 40, captured 6, and took a large amount of Indian property and plunder.

APRIL 30.

65. MARCUS ANNÆUS LUCANUS, the Latin poet, died. He was the friend and favorite of Nero, but afterwards joined a conspiracy with Piso against the tyrant, and was compelled to destroy himself, which he did by suffocation in a bath.

313. Battle of Heraclea, in which the emperor Galerius Maximus was defeated by Lucinus.

534. AMALASONTHA, queen of the Ostrogoths, murdered by her husband Theodatus. She was universally regretted; as for learning and humanity she had few equals.

711. TARIK, a freed man of the Arabian viceroy of Africa, landed at the foot of the rock Calpe called afterwards by his name Gebal-Tarik (Gibraltar), and two days after by a great battle fought on the banks of the Guadalete put an end to the Gothic empire in Spain.

1156. The city of Moscow founded by Duke George I. Its present population is about 400,000.

1262. ALEXANDER NEWSKI, grand duke of Russia, died. He signalized himself by a great victory which he obtained on the banks of the Neva, over the northern powers.

1439. RICHARD DE BEAUCHAMP, the famous earl of Warwick, died at Rouen, in Normandy. He was the most distinguished warrior in the reign of Henry VI.

1483. The duke of Gloucester (afterwards Richard III), arrested the lords Rivers and Gray at Stony Stratford, on their passage with the young king to the capital.

1513. EDMUND DE LA POLE, earl of Suffolk, on account of his near relationship to the house of York, beheaded.

1519. A skirmish at Edinburgh, called "Cleanse the Causeway," between the earls of Arran and Angus.

1524. PIERRE DU TERRAIL, chevalier de Bayard, buried. He was a distinguished warrior under Francis I, mortally wounded at the battle of Marignan.

1542. The new creed, called the _King's Book_, approved by the houses of convocation, and made the standard of English orthodoxy.

1544. THOMAS AUDLEY, an English statesman, died; appointed chancellor in the place of sir Thomas More.

1572. PIUS V (Michael Ghisleri), died. He was an Italian of the Dominican order. It was under his auspices that the battle of Lepanto was fought, in which the Turks were so signally defeated.

1598. The edict of Nantes signed and sealed by Henry IV of France, re-establishing the protestant religion where it had been interrupted, and restoring its churches, houses and revenues.

1614. Captain JOHN SMITH arrived on the coast of New England, it being his first voyage to North Virginia, as the country was then called. He explored the coast in open boats, from Penobscot to Cape Cod, and trafficked with the Indians. It was on his return from this voyage that he presented a map of the country to prince Charles, who declared that it should be called New England.

1632. Battle of Ingolstadt, in Bavaria; the imperial troops of Germany, under count de Tilly, defeated by the Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus, and the general mortally wounded in defending the pass of the Lech.

1632. JOHN TZERCLAES, count de Tilly, died; a Dutch officer, who distinguished himself in the wars with the Turks, and with Denmark.

1637. The puritans forbid by royal proclamation to emigrate to New England.

1655. EUSTACHE LE SUEUR died; one of the best French historical painters of his time.

1655. CHRISTOPHER BENNET died; a distinguished London physician, and writer on medical subjects.

1667. The Dutch fleet attacked Burnt island, in Scotland, but were repulsed.

1690. RENE LE PAYS, a French poet, died; well known at court by his miscellanies.

1696. ROBERT PLOT died; an eminent English philosopher and naturalist.

1707. GEORGE FARQUHAR, an ingenious comic writer, died. He was the son of an Irish clergyman, and held a commission in the army. His comedies are sprightly and diverting.

1712. PHILIP LIMBORCH died; a Dutch professor of divinity, and author of a history of the inquisition.

1724. WILLIAM DAWES, an English nobleman and prelate, died. He was learned, benevolent and pious, and author of several religious works.

1735. DANIEL DUNCAN died; one of the most eminent physicians of his time. He was known in almost every part of Europe as a practitioner and an author.

1745. Battle of Fontenoy, in Belgium, between the British and Hanoverians, under the duke of Cumberland, and the French under count de Saxe. The allies were defeated with great loss.

1758. German Flats in the colony of New York attacked by French Indians.

1762. The celebrated JOHN WILKES committed to the tower as the author of the _North Briton_, the 45th number of which was burnt by the common hangman.

1769. Battle of Choczine between the Russians and Turks.

1776. The eccentric EDWARD WORTLEY MONTAGUE died. He was the son of Lady Mary the author of the celebrated letters.

1781. ARNOLD, the traitor, made war upon 1,200 hogsheads of tobacco at Manchester, Va., and on his return to Petersburg conflagrated a large range of rope walks, a magazine of flour, all the vessels on the stocks, a number of warehouses, &c., and several fine mills. His progress was like that of the cannibal!

1789. WASHINGTON inaugurated first president of the United States.

1795. JEAN JACQUES BARTHELEMI, "the Nestor of French literature," died, aged 80. His principal work is _Travels of Anacharsis in Greece_.

1796. GEORGE ANDERSON, an English self-taught mathematician, died. His parents were peasants and he wrought as a day laborer till he attracted attention. He translated Archimedes' treatise on measuring the sands, and wrote a general view of the variations which have taken place in the affairs of the East India company. His intense application proved fatal to him at the age of 36, after which his widow received a pension, as a reward due to the merits of her husband.

1802. Lotea, in Spain, destroyed by the bursting of a reservoir, which inundated more than twenty leagues of the surrounding country, and "upwards of 1,000 _persons_ perished, _exclusive of cattle, &c._"

1810. The prince regent of Portugal prohibited the exportation of wine.

1812. Eruption of the Souffriere mountain, in St. Vincent, one of the Caribee islands. It was preceded by repeated earthquakes for 11 months. No flames had been emitted since 1718.

1812. SAMUEL ABBOT, a Boston merchant, died. He was one of the founders of Andover theological seminary, and contributed altogether about $125,000 to that institution.

1812. HENRY LEMOINE died. He was a bookseller, but better known as a translator of the German contributor to the _Gentleman's Magazine, &c._

1816. A spot on the sun visible with the naked eye at Philadelphia. It was seen for several days.

1840. GEORGE BRUMMELL, the celebrated _Beau Brummell_, died at Caen, in France, aged 62. He was the associate of George IV when prince of Wales, and was for a long time at the head of fashion and manners in England. He passed the latter part of his life in poverty, and towards the close of it, was confined in a madhouse.

1843. JACOB RIDGWAY, a wealthy mechanic, died at Philadelphia. He was in early life a shipcarpenter, and subsequently American consul at Antwerp. His property was estimated at $6,000,000. He was noted for liberality to mechanics and tenants.

1854. The first rail road opened in Brazil, the emperor and empress being present at the inauguration.

1854. JAMES MONTGOMERY, the poet and journalist, of Sheffield, died, aged 82.

1855. HENRY ROWLEY BISHOP, a noted English music composer, died, aged 68. He was the most distinguished representative of the English school of composition, and was knighted in 1842.

1857. W. B. BUCHANAN, an American poet, died, aged 63. He was long a correspondent of the _National Intelligencer_ and other papers, residing in Virginia.

MAY.

MAY 1.

305. DIOCLETIAN, the Roman emperor, abdicated the throne in the presence of the soldiery and a multitude of people, at Nicomedia, in the 21st year of his reign. When afterwards solicited by a friend to resume the purple, he calmly replied, that if he could show the _cabbages_ which he had planted at Salona with his own hands, he should no longer be urged to relinquish the enjoyment of happiness for the pursuit of power.

475. HENGHIST, the Saxon, caused 300 English noblemen to be murdered.

1119. HENRY I of England obtained a great victory over the Normans at Brenville.

1291. All the Italian merchants in the realm of France, called money lenders, seized by order of Philip the fair, for their ransoms.

1308. ALBERT I, emperor of Germany, assassinated by his nephew, John, duke of Swabia. The Swiss were led by his oppressions to assert their liberty.

1515. HENRY VIII and queen attended by nobles went a maying and were entertained by the noted forester Robin Hood.

1517. A riot among the London apprentices, against foreign artisans, which resulted in the death and mutilation of many of the latter, principally Frenchmen. It commenced at 9 o'clock in the evening, and continued till 3 in the morning. The exertions of the city authorities, who had notice of the meditated riot, were unable to prevent or quell it. The next morning, several hundred youths, from 13 years upwards, were arrested, and ten gallows, constructed to move from street to street, prepared for their execution. The ring leaders were drawn, hanged and quartered; when an order came from the king to suspend the execution, and the remainder were pardoned.

1557. England made her first commercial treaty with Russia.

1607. HENRY HUDSON sailed from Gravesend on his first voyage for the discovery of a northwest passage to India. In this voyage he discovered the island of Spitzbergen.

1619. The famous Calvinistic convocation, the synod of Dort, caused their decrees to be publicly read, and dissolved the council. (May 9? 29?)

1637. A court was summoned at Hartford, Conn., to take measures to secure the colony against the depredations of the Pequot Indians. They determined that an offensive war should be carried on against them, and voted to raise 90 men! The Pequots then numbered 5000 fighting men.

1660. The convention parliament having heard Charles's letters read by sir John Granville, voted that the government of England should be by king, lords, and commons.

1683. ROBERT FITZGERALD received a patent in England for making salt water fresh.

1701. JOHN DRYDEN, an illustrious English poet, died. "What he has done in any one species or distinct kind of writing would have been sufficient to have acquired him a great name."

1703. Battle of Pultusk, in Poland, in which the Swedes under Charles XII defeated 10,000 Poles.

1707. Union of England and Scotland consummated.

1708. CLAUDE DE VERT died; he devoted much attention to the ceremonies of the church of Rome, of which he wrote a history.

1727. FRANCIS PARIS, a French ecclesiastic, died. He retired from office, bestowing his property upon his brother, in order to devote himself to the austerities of a religious life. After his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.

1737. JOHN ALPHONSUS TURRETINI died; professor of ecclesiastical history at Geneva, distinguished for his learning.

1755. JOHN BAPTIST OUDRI died; an admired French painter.

1760. WILLIAM DUNCAN died; an ingenious Scottish critic, professor of philosophy at Aberdeen, and translator of _Cæsar's Commentaries_.

1771. LOUIS PETIT DE BACHAUMON died; a native of Paris, known as the author of several literary works.

1772. GOTTFRIED ACHENWALL, an eminent German lecturer on statistics, history and the laws of nature, died at Göttingen.

1774. WILLIAM HEWSON died; an eminent English anatomist, and medical author.

1775. ISRAEL LYONS died; a celebrated English mathematician.

1776. Dr. ADAM WEISHAUPT, professor of canon law at Ingolstadt, founded the secret society of the illuminati.

1785. MILES COOPER died; a learned English divine and poet.

1786. GIBBON concluded the fourth volume of his _History_, immortal as its subject.

1789. The states general of France met at Paris, convened by the king to calm the troubles of the state, which he had not power to quell, and which had now assumed a menacing appearance towards royalty itself.

1790. Indian war commenced between the British and Tippo Saib, sultan of Mysore.

1807. Slave trade in the West Indies proscribed in the British parliament.

1808. A volcano broke out in the island of St. George, one of the Azores. A crater was formed in the centre of the island, amidst fertile pastures, 3,500 feet in height, and this beautiful island, before rich in cattle, corn and wine, became a scene of ruin and devastation.

1809. GOTTLIEB CONRAD PFEFFEL, one of the best poets of Germany, died. He became blind at the age of 21, a misfortune which he bore more than 80 years, and rendered himself a useful citizen by conducting a school where many excellent scholars were educated.

1813. British and Indians opened their fire upon fort Meigs, from a 24, a 12 and a 6 pounder, and a howitzer. They fired 260 shot, and wounded 8 men, 1 mortally.

1813. JOHN BAPTIST BESSIERS, duke of Istria, killed. He distinguished himself under Napoleon, by whom he was greatly lamented. He was killed in the combat that preceded the battle of Lutzen.

1813. JAMES DELILLE, one of the most celebrated of modern French poets, died.

1814. PIERRE VAN CORTLANDT, a distinguished revolutionary patriot, died at his seat at Croton river, aged 94. He was a member of the first provincial congress, and eighteen years lieutenant governor of the state of New York.

1823. The skeleton, entire, of a mammoth, was discovered at Ilford, in Essex, England.

1830. The Comet started on her first trip up the Arkansas, being the first steam boat that ascended that river.

1837. An official return stated that there were 70,000 English residents in France, and over 24,000 in Paris alone.

1838. Battle of Rio Pardo, in Rio Grande, between the troops of the emperor of Brazil, about 1,800 in number, and the republican forces; the former were completely routed.

1839. HERBERT MARSH, professor of divinity in the university of Cambridge, England, died. He was the author of many learned theological works and controversial publications.

1848. Insurrectionary movements at Rome in consequence of the pope's refusal to declare war against Austria.

1854. Great flood in the Connecticut valley; the water was 29½ feet above low water mark, and 2½ feet higher than during the great flood of 1801. Hundreds of persons were driven from their dwellings and drowned.

1855. The French under Gen. Pelissier carried the Russian works at Sebastopol, in front of the central bastion, and held them against vigorous sorties, taking eight small mortars, and 200 prisoners.

1855. An extraordinary eruption of mount Vesuvius commenced, which in ten days had advanced ten miles from its original source.

1856. OGDEN HOFFMAN, a distinguished member of the New York bar, died, aged 62. He served as a midshipman in the last war with Great Britain, after which he studied law, and took the front rank in his profession, and showed an eminent fitness for the public offices which he filled.

1856. GEORGE JAMES GUTHRIE, an eminent British surgeon, died in London, aged 71. He published several valuable works on surgery.

MAY 2.

373. ATHANASIUS, patriarch of Alexandria, died. His parents were pagans; he became a Christian, and distinguished himself by his learning, and the zeal with which he opposed the Arian heresy.

1450. The duke of Suffolk, prime minister to Henry VI of England, beheaded in a boat at Calais. During his ministry England lost most of her possessions in France. Yet his murder was resented by the formidable rebellion of _Jack Cade_.

1487. LAMBERT SIMNEL, an impostor, crowned at Dublin, by the title of Edward VI.

1494. COLUMBUS discovered the island of Jamaica.

1519. LEONARDO DA VINCI, a celebrated Italian painter, died. He distinguished himself in early youth by the variety of studies which he accomplished. He afterwards became the head of the Florentine school of painting.

1520. SEBASTIAN BRANDT died; counsellor of Strassburg, a lawyer, and author of a curious poem.

1550. JOAN BOCHER, of Kent, England, burnt for heresy.

1568. MARY, queen of Scots, aided by the gallant George Douglass, escaped from the castle of Lochleven, where she was confined after the murder of Darnley.

1595. ANTHONY, titular king of Portugal, died at Paris, a fugitive from the victorious arms of the Spaniards.

1606. FERNAND DE QUIROS discovered the New Hebrides islands.

1611. The Half Moon, in which HUDSON made his memorable voyage of discovery, sailed in company with another vessel to the East Indies, under captain Laurens Redel, and was lost. (March 6.)

1635. HORACE VERE, an English general, died. He was created baron Tilbury by Charles I for meritorious services.

1667. GEORGE WITHERS, an English pastoral poet, died. He was so zealous a partisan of democracy, and of Cromwell, that the authorities frequently placed him in a straight jacket. His poems were numerous and quaint.

1679. JAMES SHARP, archbishop of St. Andrews, assassinated for his zeal in the cause of the episcopacy in Scotland.

1691. GEORGE MACKENZIE, a Scottish lawyer, died. He figured conspicuously in trials of witchcraft, which puzzled the best heads in those days, and it is probable that he dealt with that sin most thoroughly, for he received the appellation of "the blood thirsty advocate." He was a literary character, however, of no small note, and was among the first Scotchmen who wrote the English language in a style approaching to purity.

1711. LAWRENCE HYDE, earl of Rochester, died; deservedly respected as an able statesman.

1753. LEONOR JEAN CHRISTINE SOULAS D'ALLAINVAL died; a native of Chartres, in France, and author of several comedies of merit.

1774. Permission was given to the society of antiquaries to open the stone coffin of Edward I, and it was found that the body was in a perfect state of preservation, and measured 6 feet 2 inches. It had been placed in wax.

1777. DAVID WOOSTER, a revolutionary officer, died of a wound received in pursuing the British from Danbury (April 27). He graduated at Yale college, and at the commencement of hostilities was appointed to the chief command of the Connecticut troops.

1785. JOHN LEWIS MOREAU DE BEAUMONT, a French political author, died. His works are much and deservedly admired.

1795. The number of prisoners confined in the 12 prisons of Paris amounted to 2338.

1802. BONAPARTE constituted first consul for a second term of ten years.

1808. Embargo laid on American shipping in France.

1808. The royal family of Spain sent prisoners to France. At the sight of this procedure, there was a general insurrection of the inhabitants of Madrid, who attacked the French soldiers with knives, and a bloody contest took place, which was only quelled by scouring the streets with grape shot. The Spaniards finally desisted on seeing their resistance fruitless. It is estimated that 4,000 French and 6,000 Spaniards lost their lives.

1808. JOHN COLLINS died; author of _The Evening Brush_, an oral entertainment of story, song and sentiment, which he delivered many years with great success, in all the principal towns in Great Britain. In this sort of entertainment he has had many followers, among whom the most noted was Charles Matthews.

1809. Battle of Amaranta, in Portugal, in which the Portuguese were defeated by the French under Soult.

1813. Battle of Lutzen, between the French army under Bonaparte, and the allies, under the kings of Russia and Prussia. The attack was commenced by the allies under Blucher upon the French centre, with a fury irresistible. The battle was for a long time maintained by both armies with obstinate energy. It was the more desperate and deplorable, says sir Walter Scott, that on the one side fought the flower of the Russian youth, which had left their universities to support the cause of national honor and freedom; and on the other, the young men of Paris, many of them of the best rank, who bravely endeavored to sustain their country's long pre-eminent claim to victory. Both combatted under the eyes of their respective sovereigns, maintained the honor of their country, and paid an ample tribute to the carnage of the day. The victory finally resulted to the arms of the French, by the superior generalship of their great leader, and the determined bravery of his troops. The allies sustained a loss of 20,000, and among them several experienced officers. The French loss was severe.

1817. CATHARINE RUSH died at Philadelphia, aged 110 years, 11 months.

1821. HESTER LYNCH PIOZZI, an English authoress, died. She is known as Mrs. Thrale, the friend of Dr. Johnson.

1825. ADAM SEYBERT, an American statistical writer, died at Paris. He was a member of congress from Philadelphia, and a man of science.

1836. JEREMIAH HOLME WHIFFEN, an English poet, died. He belonged to the society of friends, published a variety of miscellaneous poems, a translation of the Spanish poet Garcilasso de la Vega, and of Tasso.

1840. THOMAS MANNING, an eminent English linguist, died, aged 67. Having made several ineffectual attempts to penetrate China, his services were solicited by the British government, to accompany lord Amherst in his embassy to that country. He made himself one of the first Chinese scholars in Europe, and collected one of the finest Chinese libraries to be found in that quarter of the world.

1844. WILLIAM BECKFORD, author of the Arabian tale entitled _Vathek_, with many other works, died at Fonthill, England.

1855. GEORGE HEAD, a British commissariat, died, aged 73. He published several valuable works, relating to different parts of the world, where his duties called him, and was knighted in 1831.

1856. JAMES GATES PERCIVAL, an eminent American poet and philosopher, died in Wisconsin, aged 60. He was a native of Connecticut, graduated at Yale college, and studied medicine, but devoted himself to the cultivation of poetry, and the pursuit of science. He assisted in preparing _Webster's Dictionary_ for the press, and superintended the publication of _Malte Brun's Geography_. He afterwards made a geological survey of Connecticut, and in 1854 was appointed state geologist of Wisconsin, in which service he died. Although distinguished for his attainments in philology and general science, he will be chiefly remembered as one of the eminent American poets.

MAY 3.

1324. A poetic festival at Toulouse called _jeux floraux_, to which all the poets of the _Langue d'Oc_ were invited, where the composer of the best poem was to receive a violet of fine gold. The celebrated troubadour, Arnaud Vidal, won the prize.

1381. JOHN BALL, a priest and compeer of the notorious Wat Tyler, preached to Tyler's army from the proverbial rhyme:

"When Adam dalfe and Eve span,
Who was then a gentleman?"

1410. ALEXANDER V, pope, died. He was originally a beggar, but found means to cultivate his mind, and rose by degrees in the church till he reached the pontifical chair. He is distinguished as a man of great firmness, liberal and munificent.

1481. MAHOMET II, sultan of Turkey, died. He took Constantinople from the Christians, thereby driving many learned men into the West, which was a great cause of the restoration of learning in Europe.

1493. The pope issued a _great bull_, by which the infidel world was divided between Ferdinand and Isabella on the one hand, and the Portuguese on the other. That is, the Spanish were granted the full right to all countries inhabited by infidels which they should discover west of an imaginary line drawn from pole to pole, at a distance of 100 leagues westward of the Azores, while the Portuguese were to have all east of that line.

1568. DOMINIQUE DE GOURGES, having destroyed the Spanish settlements in Florida, embarked for France. The Spaniards had seized the French settlements in the same places, and murdered the inhabitants. Gourges fitted out three vessels and 150 soldiers at his own expense to revenge their death, and repair the honor of his nation. The Spaniards were well fortified to the number of 400 in their forts; but de Gourges resolutely pressed forward, and after a desperate assault carried the forts. Those who escaped the massacre were hung upon the same trees on which the Frenchmen had previously been hung. The Spaniards had placed over their victims a label, signifying, "_I do not this as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans_." De Gourges replaced it with a tablet of fir wood, on which was graven the following: "_I do not this as to Spaniards, nor as to mariners, but as to traitors, robbers and murderers_."

1573. A border feud at Reedsquair, between the English and Scottish marchmen, in which the former were completely beaten. This skirmish was the last of any note between the two nations.

1621. Sentence of fine and imprisonment passed upon lord Bacon in the house of peers for bribery.

1649. ISAAC DORISLAUS assassinated; a Dutchman who went from Leyden to England and read lectures on history at Cambridge. He was alternately royalist and republican during the civil wars; and was stabbed to the heart by some enthusiastic royalist while on an embassy to Holland.

1655. The English took the island of Jamaica from the Spanish.

1664. The earl of Tiviot, governor of Tangier, surprised and defeated by the Moors.

1697. KALDAN, khan of the Eleuts, who had for several years eluded the formidable armies sent against him annually from China, accompanied by the emperor himself, being finally reduced to the last extremity, and abandoned by his best subjects, put an end to his life by poison.

1702. Lord CORNBURY commenced his administration of the government of New York.

1711. RICHARD CHISWELL, a noted English printer and an extensive publisher, died.

1733. RICHARD COX, lord chancellor of Ireland, died. He published a history of that kingdom.

1747. Naval battle between the English fleet under Anson and Warren, and the French fleet under M. de la Jonquiere, which was convoying six East India ships and a number of transports and merchantmen to Canada. After a regular and well fought battle, the French struck their colors. The loss of the French killed and wounded was 700; that of the British 500. The trophies of the victory were six men of war and all of their East India ships, and between four and five thousand prisoners. The treasure taken on board these vessels was afterwards conveyed to the bank of England in 20 wagons. The French loss by this defeat was estimated at one million and a half.

1759. A young woman in England who had laid a considerable wager that she could ride 1000 miles in 1000 hours, finished her match in a little more than two-thirds of that time. At her coming in the country people strewed flowers in her way.

1763. GEORGE PSALMANAZAR, a literary impostor, died. He was a native of France, and obtained a thorough education. After various adventures he arrived at London under the character of a Japanese converted to Christianity, was patronized by the great, and undertook to translate the catechism into Japanese, and wrote a history of the country. Some absurdities were detected, when he confessed himself an impostor, and afterwards subsisted by turning his pen to better employment.

1765. Sujah ul DOWLAH defeated at Calpy, in India, by the British.

1776. Sir PETER PARKER'S squadron of 20 sail arrived at Cape Fear river, with lord Cornwallis.

1784. ANTHONY BANEZET, a philanthropist of Philadelphia, died. He was a native of France, and early engaged in mercantile pursuits, which he abandoned to devote his attention to objects of benevolence and philanthropy, in which he continued during a long life.

1793. Battle of Famars, in which the allies drove the French from their camp with great loss.

1794. JAMES WILLIAM THOURET guillotined; he was president of the national assembly when Louis XVI accepted the constitution of 1791.

1797. The first commencement of Union College for conferring degrees in the arts and sciences.

1797. BONAPARTE invaded Venice pretending that the Venetians had illtreated the French. This issued in republicanizing Venice and Genoa.

1799. BENJAMIN FLOWER, printer of the _Cambridge Intelligencer_, was fined £100 and ordered by the house of lords to be imprisoned 6 months, for some freedom with the speech of bishop Llandaff.

1802. PETER ELMSLY, a partner of the celebrated Paul Valliant, and himself an importer of books and no mean critic and linguist, died.

1810. Lord BYRON, in emulation of Leander, swam the Dardanelles, from Abydos to Sestos. The distance, including the length he was carried by the current, was upwards of four miles; though the actual breadth is barely one.

1813. Havre de Grace, Maryland, burnt by the British.

1814. BONAPARTE arrived at the island of Elba, and Louis XVIII made his entrance into Paris.

1814. THOMAS COKE, a methodist bishop in the United States, died. He became one of the assistants of Mr. Wesley, and was active in the service of the church. He wrote a _Commentary on the Bible_, _History of the West Indies_, _&c._

1816. JAMES MCHENRY, confident of Gen. Washington, and for some time secretary of war, died at Baltimore.

1818. Capt. Ross sailed from Shetland, on his first voyage for the discovery of the north-west passage.

1839. FERNANDO PAER, an Italian dramatic composer, died at Paris. He was a native of Parma; his pieces have been performed in Germany, France and Italy, with success.

1840. JAMES MORISON, self-styled _The Hygeist_, died at Paris, aged 70. He was the inventor of the vegetable universal medicines, known as _Morison's Pills_, from which he realized great profits, and is said to have paid the English government in ten years £60,000 for medicine stamps.

1849. A serious insurrection occurred at Dresden, in Saxony, but was in a few days put down.

1852. SARAH COLERIDGE died; the accomplished and only daughter of S. T. Coleridge. She translated from the Latin the curious works of Dobrizhoffer on Paraguay, 3 vols., and completed the editorial care of her father's _Literary Remains_, begun by her husband.

1853. JOHN B. GIBSON, an eminent Pennsylvania jurist, died at Philadelphia, aged 73; at which time he was judge of the supreme court.

1856. ADOLPHE CHARLES ADAM, the noted French music composer, died at Paris, aged 54.

MAY 4.

1471. Battle of Tewkesbury, between the York partisans and the Lancastrians, in which the latter were defeated, and queen Margaret and her son Edward taken prisoners. The young prince was basely murdered on the spot, by the dukes of Gloucester and Clarence.

1605. ULYSSES ALDROVAND, a Bolognese philosopher, died. He was the most celebrated naturalist of the 16th century, and spent his life and exhausted his resources in the pursuit of science. He lost his sight, and ended his days in a hospital at the age of 80.

1643. LOUIS XIII (_the just_), king of France, died. He was guided in his conduct by the celebrated cardinal Richelieu, who, from motives of ambition, kept him at war during most of his reign.

1655. GIOVANNI FRANCESCA ABELA, a historian and ecclesiastic of Malta, died.

1668. A riot in London under pretence of destroying brothels. Four of the leaders taken and executed for treason. In the reign of some of the English kings the demolition of such houses would not have been adjudged treason.

1673. RICHARD BRATHWAITE, an English poet and miscellaneous writer, died. His works are numerous.

1677. ISAAC BARROW, an eminent English mathematician and divine, died. His writings are numerous and valuable, and chiefly on mathematical subjects; his sermons are highly esteemed, and have been frequently edited.

1702. War declared against France and Spain, by England, Germany and Holland.

1729. LEWIS ANTHONY DE NOAILLES, a French cardinal, died. Though by birth duke of St. Cloud, he preferred the ecclesiastical state to political distinction.

1734. JAMES THORNHILL died; an English historical painter.

1737. EUSTACE BUDGELL, the friend of Addison, drowned in the Thames. He turned his attention to polite literature, contributed to the _Spectator_, _Tatler_, _Guardian_ and _Craftsman_, and published two volumes of biography.

1768. CHARLES STEPHEN LOUIS CAMUS died, a learned French mathematician.

1786. GEORGE GORDON, an English nobleman, who it is said submitted to circumcision, avowed Judaism, and was excommunicated from the church of Mary le Bone.

1791. The pope burnt in effigy at Paris.

1799. Seringapatam, a city of Hindostan, taken by storm by the British, under Gen. Harris. Tippoo Saib was slain, with 8,000 of his men. The treasure found in the city amounted to £3,000,000; 2,200 cannon, and an immense booty, fell into the hands of the conquerors, and the once powerful kingdom of Mysore was extinguished.

1804. The conservative senate sent a deputation to Bonaparte, expressing their desire that he would accept the title of emperor.

1813. Heavy rain retarded the firing on fort Meigs; 220 cannon shot were fired; 2 killed, several wounded. The rifle was more used this day than on any other.

1831. MEHEMET ALI, pasha of Egypt, employed upwards of 70,000 men in excavating, cleansing and lining canals in his territories.

1842. Great fire at Hamburg, in Germany, destroyed 2,000 houses.

1843. JAMES P. PRESTON, formerly governor of Virginia, died at Smithfield, aged 69. He commanded a regiment in the war of 1812, and was maimed for life in the battle of Chrystler's fields.

1854. ALEXANDER WITHERSPOON, a New York physician, died at Washington, aged 37; a medical writer remarkable for the exactness of his observations and the clearness of his statements.

1854. JOHN MATTHEWS died, aged 70. He served with distinction as a general officer in the war of 1812-15; and for a period of fifteen years was a representative in the state legislature of Maryland.

1856. JOHN COLLINS WARREN, a distinguished Boston physician, died, aged 77. He was the first successful competitor for the Franklin medal. He had a long and brilliant career as a physician, and during the latter years of his life devoted much time to the study of the natural sciences, and collected a valuable museum, among which was the most perfect skeleton of the mastodon known to exist.

MAY 5.

1421. A holy convocation at Canterbury decreed that a bishop's barber should not receive a fee from any one on whom the bishop had conferred holy orders.

1432. FRANCESCO BUSSONE DI CARMAGNOLA, count de Castlenuovo, executed. He was a celebrated Italian general, first in the service of the duke of Milan, afterwards led the Venetian army to repeated victories. His fortune at length turned, when the senate suspecting him of treachery, he was tortured and condemned to death.

1526. FREDERICK (_the wise_), elector of Savoy, died. He was one of the first and most zealous friends of Luther.

1529. PAULUS ÆMILIUS, a learned Italian, died. He was invited to France, where he employed a great number of years in writing a history of the French kings, but did not live to finish it.

1556. The company of London stationers received their first charter from Philip and Mary, under the title of "The master and keepers or wardens, and commonalty, of the mystery or art of the stationers of the city of London."

1586. HENRY SIDNEY, an English statesman, died. He was the favorite of Edward VI, and afterwards employed by Mary and Elizabeth.

1618. One WILLIAMS, a barrister, arraigned for libeling the king, was executed.

1643. Parliament of England ordered the _Book of Sports_ to be burned by the common hangman.

1670. FRANCIS ANNIBAL D'ESTREES, a French statesman, died, aged 98. He distinguished himself by several military exploits, and wrote some valuable historical works.

1682. WILLIAM PENN, published in England his frame of government for the colony of Pennsylvania.

1687. A proclamation was issued by government to establish a manufactory for white paper in England.

1700. STEPHEN MORIN, a French protestant divine, died at Amsterdam. He was professor of oriental languages; his dissertations on various subjects of criticism and antiquity were highly esteemed.

1705. LEOPOLD I, emperor of Germany, died. He was long engaged in sanguinary war with the Turks and the French, who pillaged and destroyed his frontier towns.

1706. Lateral eruption of the peak of Teneriffe. A volcano opened at the south side, towards the port of Garachico, and in a few hours not an edifice of that populous city was left standing.

1710. NICHOLAS JOSEPH POISSON, a French priest, died. He was the friend of Descartes, and a philosopher; distinguished for his eloquence and as an author.

1751. JOHN PICHON died; a French Jesuit and an author.

1757. Battle of Prague, between the Prussians under Frederick the great and the Austrians. The Prussians were victorious, after a bloody contest, in which the distinguished general, count Schwerin, was killed. Austrian loss 24,000; Prussian loss 18,000.

1760. LAWRENCE SHIRLEY, earl of Feraro, executed at Tyburn for the murder of his steward. He was a man of no mean mental acquirements, but passionate and often inflamed by inebriety.

1776. Congress declared the authority of England over the thirteen colonies abolished.

1785. THOMAS DAVIES (alias _Honest Tom Davies_), an English author, died. He was educated at the university of Edinburgh, became an actor, afterwards a bookseller, turned strolling player, married Miss Yarrow, an actress of great beauty, returned to bookselling, became bankrupt, was relieved by the assistance of Dr. Johnson, wrote the _Life of Garrick_, several other biographies and innumerable miscellanies, and was entrusted with the publication of Granger's _Biographical History of England_.

1789. JOSEPH BARETTI, an Italian lexicographer, died. He emigrated to England, where he published an Italian and English dictionary, and assisted Dr. Johnson in compiling his dictionary.

1789. Assembly of the states general of France, at Versailles. This may be called the first day of the revolution, although the object of the meeting was to prevent such a catastrophe.

1795. The law went into operation in England imposing a tax on wearing hair powder.

1802. Cleopatra's coffin, head of the Theban ram, and other Egyptian curiosities, arrived in England.

1804. France formed into an empire.

1808. PETER JOHN GEORGE CABANIS, a French physician, died. He was the friend of Mirabeau, sat in the council of 500, and in the senate of Napoleon acquired great reputation for talent, learning and benevolence. His works are published in 7 volumes.

1811. Battle of Fuentes d'Onor, in Portugal; the French repulsed with great loss, by the British under Wellington.

1813. Battle at Fort Meigs; Gen. Clay arrived with 1,000 Kentucky militia and volunteers, attacked the British, carried their batteries and spiked their cannon; but having pressed too far in pursuit, were met by a reinforcement of Indians, and in turn defeated, so that only 150 escaped. The British had fired 143 cannon shot into the fort before the arrival of Gen. Clay. American loss, 64 killed, 124 wounded, exclusive of Clay's loss. British stated their loss at 103, killed, wounded and missing, and that they had taken 495 American prisoners.

1814. NAPOLEON landed at Elba at an early hour in disguise, with a sergeant's company of marines. He made a formal landing at 2 in the afternoon, and was welcomed by the people with acclamation.

1821. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE died at St. Helena, in the 52d year of his age, and the 6th of his exile, to the great relief of the British nation. He commenced in 1795 that unparalleled career of military achievements, which continued to agitate Europe for 20 years, and terminated with the battle of Waterloo, 1815.

1822. THOMAS TRUXTON, an American naval officer, died. He distinguished himself in the revolutionary war, and also in the war with France of 1799, after which he retired from the navy, and died in Philadelphia.

1827. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS I, king of Saxony, died, aged 77; a wise and benevolent monarch, who devoted the energy of his mind to promote the welfare of his subjects.

1846. JOHN PICKERING, an eminent American philologist, died at Boston, aged 60. He commenced the practice of the law, and distinguished himself as a jurist; but his reputation rests chiefly on his attainments as a scholar, and on his literary and scientific labors, which were of great service to the cause of learning in this country. He published a vocabulary of Americanisms, and a Greek and English lexicon.

1848. Opening of the national assembly of France, after the abdication of Louis Philippe.

1853. His other demands having been conceded, prince Menschikoff sent in an ultimatum to the Turkish divan, demanding for the emperor of Russia the protectorate of the Greek church Christians in Turkey.

1853. A new planet was discovered at the observatory of Bilk, at Dusseldorf, by Prof. Luther.

MAY 6.

356. B. C. MARCIUS RUTILUS, the first dictator elected from the plebeians, entered Rome in triumph from his victories over the Etrurians.

1527. The imperialists under the duke of Bourbon, took Rome by assault and plundered it. The duke was killed by a musket ball. He had been disgraced at the French court, and was now in the service of Charles V of Germany.

1540. JOHN LEWIS VIVES, a learned Spaniard, died. He resided some time at the court of Henry VIII of England, where he was imprisoned for opposing the divorce of Catharine of Arragon.

1562. PAUL DE LA BARTHE, lord of Thermes, a French general, died, aged 80. He was distinguished in the wars of his country by several important victories.

1569. The first English lottery, which commenced drawing on the 11th January (q. v.), and had been continued day and night, finished on this day. It consisted of 400,000 lots of 10s. each. The prizes were plate, and the profits were to be expended in repairing the havens of the kingdom.

1631. ROBERT BRUCE COTTON, an eminent English antiquary, died. His writings are numerous and valuable, and he did great service to learning by leaving his valuable library to the use of posterity, in the British museum.

1643. Battle of Stratton, in which the parliamentary army under the earl of Stamford was attacked by the Cornish royalists, who, although far inferior in numbers, gained a complete victory, taking the camp of the enemy, all their artillery, baggage and provisions, and many prisoners.

1667. SAMUEL BOCHART, a learned French protestant divine, died. He was distinguished as an oriental scholar, and died while delivering an oration at the academy of Caen.

1673. The island of St. Helena retaken by the English.

1712. GARIEN DE SIEUR DE SANDRAS COURTLITZ, a French author, died. His works were numerous, and some of them political, for which he was confined in the bastile nine years.

1739. KOULI KHAN, after pillaging the capital of Hindostan, and slaughtering 150,000 of its inhabitants, departed from the city, leaving his son Mohammed Schah on the throne.

1743. ANDREW MICHAEL RAMSAY, a Scottish historian and philosopher, died. He spent much of his time in France, with Fenelon and Turenne, where he died.

1763. JOHN WILKES released from the tower by the memorable sentence of chief justice Pratt. (See April 30).

1766. SAMUEL SQUIRE, bishop of St. David's died; a poetical, historical and antiquarian writer of note.

1766. Lord HOWE and Gen. HOWE appointed commissioners for restoring peace to the British colonies.

1766. THOMAS ARTHUR LALLY, an Irish officer in the service of France, executed. He fought against the British in the East Indies with great bravery, but had become so unpopular, that on being defeated he was imprisoned and condemned for treason.

1780. Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's island, surrendered to the British, who bombarded Charleston at the same time.

1782. STEPHEN MIGNOL DE MONTIGNI died at Paris; eminent as a mechanic and a man of science, who introduced several useful manufactures into France.

1790. JOHN JAMES GESNER died; professor in the university at Zurich, and a noted Swiss author.

1796. ADOLPHUS F. F. L. KNIGGE, a German author, died. His works were various, and his novels once popular. He was a member of the illuminati, and implicated in some of the disputes relating to that order.

1801. Action of Barcelona, between British ship Speedy, 14 guns 54 men, lord Cochrane, and Spanish frigate El Gamo, 32 guns 319 men. British loss, killed and wounded 11, Spanish loss, 55.

1802. SAMUEL MCDONALD died, aged 40. He served under the British with the Sutherland fencibles, and afterwards as fugleman in the royals. He was six feet ten inches in height, and his strength is represented to have been prodigious. He continued active till his 35th year, when he began to decline, and died of water in the chest.

1811. WILLIAM BOSCAWEN, an English poet and miscellaneous writer, died. His translation of Horace is preferred by some critics to that of Dr. Francis.

1814. Battle of Oswego. The town was attacked the second time by the British, 1,600 soldiers and sailors, and two companies of Glengarians, under Gen. Drummond. The Americans, about 300, under Col. Mitchell, gallantly defended the place, till they were compelled to retreat before an overwhelming force, after securing their stores. American loss, killed 6, wounded 38, missing 25; British, 94.

1839. WILLIAM LENOIR, an officer of the revolution, died. He bore a distinguished part in the war in South Carolina, and was closely identified with the early history of the state. He held various civil offices, was a justice of the peace about 60 years, and for many years a member of the state legislature. He was distinguished for integrity, firmness and patriotism.

1840. DEMETRIUS AUGUSTINE GALITZIN, son of prince de Galitzin, one of the first nobility of Russia, died in poverty at Loretto, Pa., aged 70. He left the princely halls of his ancestors, and spent thirty years in a rude log cabin in America, almost denying himself the comforts of life, that he might devote his days to religion, and assist the poor and distressed. Few have left behind them such examples of charity and benevolence.

1840. FRANCISCO PAULA DE SANTANDER, formerly president of the republic of New Granada, died at Bogota, aged 48. When the revolution began to agitate the country he embarked in the cause of independence, and soon rose to distinction as an officer in the army.

1844. Fearful rioting in Philadelphia between the native Americans and Irish.

1848. Engagement between the Austrians and Piedmontese before Verona; great loss on both sides.

1848. Gen. FOLQUE, a veteran officer, died at Lisbon, Portugal, aged 102.

1853. The drawbridge of the New York and New Haven rail road having been carelessly left open at Norwalk, the cars were thrown into the water; forty-five persons were killed, and many severely injured.

1856. An accident occurred on the Panama rail road, recently put in operation, by which 43 persons were killed, and 60 wounded.

1856. WILLIAM HAMILTON, a distinguished Scottish metaphysician, died at Edinburgh, where he was professor of logic and metaphysics, and became more widely known by his volume of _Essays_.

MAY 7.

431 B. C. The war which wasted the Athenians for 27 years, commonly called the Peloponnesian war, began May 7th.

399 B. C. SOCRATES, the greatest of the ancient philosophers, died. He was put to death by the Athenians on a charge of atheism, and corrupting the youth.

973. OTHO (the great), emperor of Germany, died. He was an active and valiant prince, who made himself respected by the powers of Europe.

1253. RUBRUQUIUS (or Ruysbroeck) landed at Soldaia, on the Black sea, on his way to discover a Christian people, who were said to inhabit the centre of Tartary. On this embassy he explored that country, and though unsuccessful in the object of his mission, he brought back a fund of curious information, which after the lapse of centuries is still about the best picture we possess of Tartar life. But few have been among them in their native wilds since then, and those who have, like Marco Polo, John Bell and Timkowsky, confirm most of his details.

1402. Battle of Nisbeth, between the English and Scottish forces, in which 10,000 of the latter were slain.

1588. Lord BURLEIGH, as chancellor of Cambridge, issued rules for reforming the apparel and other "disorders" of the scholars: "and that the excess of colored shirtbands and ruffs, exceeding one inch and a half (saving for the sons of noblemen), be avoided presently; and that no scholar do wear any long locks of hair upon his head, but that he be polled after the manner of the gravest scholars, under pain of 6s. 8d."

1621. JOHN GUILLIM died; rouge-croix pursuivant at arms, and author of a celebrated work called _The Display of Heraldry_.

1621. JOHN SUCKLING, an English poet, died. He also signalized himself as a soldier under Gustavus Adolphus.

1660. The king's statue was again set up in Guild hall, London, and the states arms taken down.

1768. PATRICK DELANY died; an eminent divine and theological writer of Ireland, better known now as the friend and correspondent of Dean Swift.

1676. HENRY DE VALOIS (Henricus Valesius) died; a French critic of great abilities and learning.

1776. The American army under Gen. Thomas, on their retreat from before Quebec, took up their line of march at 1 in the morning, and reached Point de Chambault. At Jaques Cartier they had but one batteau to cross the army over with, and were fired upon during the whole time by two frigates.

1777. CHARLES DE BROSSES, president of the parliament of Burgundy, died. He is the author of several useful works.

1778. British took possession of Bordentown, N. J. They burnt 4 store-houses and about 40 vessels.