Part 53

1856. ENOCH LEWIS, a prominent member of the society of Friends, died at Philadelphia, aged 81. He wrote much in explanation of the principles and practice of his sect, was for many years editor of the _Friend's Review_, and was also noted for his attainments in mathematics.

JULY 15.

496 B. C. Battle of Regillum, in which it is said the twin knights Castor and Pollux appeared upon white horses and assisted the Romans. In memory of this event an annual cavalcade was instituted at Rome, during which the knights, robed in purple, and crowned with olive wreaths, rode in solemn procession from the temple of Honor to the Capitol, where the censor, seated on his curule chair, passed judgment on their characters.

238. MAXIMUS and BALBINUS, emperors of Rome, murdered by the prætorian guards.

1099. Jerusalem taken by the crusaders on the 39th day of the siege. Two huge movable towers had been constructed, and rolled with great labor to the foot of the fortifications. From the tops of these they fought the besieged on even terms till afternoon, when a warrior named Letolde leapt upon the ramparts and was followed by all the other knights, and drove the Saracens down into the city. The standard of the cross was planted in triumph on the walls, and after 460 years of bondage, the holy city passed from under the Moslem yoke. The victory thus bravely won, was tarnished by the ferocity of the conquerors. The number who were slain in the city amounted to 70,000, and the Jews were burnt in their synagogues.

1535. TRAJAN'S floating palace (which was sunk at a great depth in lake Nemi, Italy, 1340 years before) explored by Marchi in a diving machine. It was found in a tolerable state of preservation, measuring 500 feet in length, 270 in breadth and 60 in depth. This magnificent work was designed for the retirement of a prince celebrated for his magnificent taste, and were it possible to rescue it from its present position, or examine the interior, many valuable relics might be brought to light, to enrich the cabinet of the antiquarian if not to subserve the use of the sciences.

1546. The protestants having assembled a force of 70,000 foot, 15,000 horse, and 6,000 pioneers, with 120 cannon, 800 ammunition wagons, 8,000 beasts of burden, determined to support their cause by the force of arms. They issued a manifesto, and sent a letter to Charles V. (See July 20.) They were, however, overcome without battle, in consequence of having separated themselves into small bodies early in 1547.

1557. ANNE OF CLEVES, one of the queens of Henry VIII of England, died. The king demanded her in marriage after having seen her picture. But the painter had flattered the beauty, and the king becoming disgusted with what he termed a _Flanders mare_, obtained a divorce and sent her home again. She retired, seemingly unconcerned, and no doubt considered it a matter of great good fortune to have escaped with life.

1557. A great dearth of breadstuffs in England; wheat £2 13s. 4d.; malt £2 4s.; peas £2 6d. per quarter.

1567. MARY, queen of Scots, unable by entreaties or threats, to induce her followers to fight any longer in her cause, surrendered herself up to her disaffected subjects, by whom she was imprisoned.

1570. IGNATIUS AZEVEDO, a Portuguese Jesuit, murdered. He relinquished the enjoyment of a large fortune to embark as a missionary to India, was captured by pirates, and with nineteen of his companions, barbarously massacred, near Palma.

1575. HENRY, duke of Anjou, divested of the Polish crown, in full diet, and the throne declared vacant.

1610. The Halve Maan, in which the first white man sailed up the Hudson river, arrived at Amsterdam on her return, having been detained in England since Nov. 7 of the previous year.

1614. PETER DE BOURDEILLES, lord-abbot of Brantome, in France, died. He served an apprenticeship in arms under Francis of Guise, and is supposed to have visited most of the countries of Europe, either in a military capacity or as a traveler. His memoirs or works were published in 1666, and several editions have since been printed. It is represented to be a rare work, but has never been translated into English. (_Biog. Univer._ says July 5, q. v.)

1685. JAMES, duke of Monmouth, beheaded. He was the natural son of Charles II, against whom he rebelled; and on the accession of James II, he invaded England, was defeated, (See July 5,) imprisoned and finally brought to the scaffold, after having made the most humiliating petitions for his life.

1715. BELL, the Scottish traveler, left St. Petersburg for Persia, with the Russian embassy, in the quality of physician. They were obliged by the severity of the weather to halt at Cazan and pass the winter, and were detained there till June 4, 1716. They then proceeded by Astraken, the Caspian sea and Tauris to Ispahan, where they arrived in 1717.

1716. The island of Corfu, besieged by 80,000 Turks, and defended by the Venetians, was attacked by the Turkish admiral with 22 ships, and an attempt was made by the land forces to storm the citadel; but the Venetian fleet destroyed that of the Turks, and the garrison, making a counter sally with 2000 men, took the Turks by surprise in the rear, who fled, leaving 4000 dead in the trenches.

1751. JOHN WILSON, an eminent English botanist, died. His occupation was that of a shoemaker, and he ranks among the self-elevated men, who without a liberal education have distinguished themselves by scientific and literary abilities. He became an expert and accurate botanist before Linnæus's method of discriminating species improved the science, and published a _Synopsis of British Plants_. He was the first writer that attempted a systematic arrangement of indigenous plants in the English language.

1761. DOMINICO PASSIONEI, a learned Italian cardinal, died. He made a valuable collection of books and manuscripts, and was particularly distinguished as the friend and patron of literature.

1769. The general court of Massachusetts refusing to make provision for the support of the British soldiery, with whose presence they were favored, governor Bernard prorogued that assembly.

1776. British king's ships Phœnix, Rose and two tenders, effected their passage to Tarrytown, on the Hudson, under a heavy cannonade from the New York batteries, &c.

1778. France declared war against England, and 40,000 men were assembled in Normandy for the invasion of England. The plan was not carried into effect, because the French and Spanish fleets, which were to protect the landing, were dispersed by contrary winds.

1782. WILLIAM DE BURE died; a Paris bookseller, famous for his knowledge of old, curious and valuable books.

1785. A new mufti of Constantinople prohibited the reading of foreign gazettes and newspapers, in whatever language they might be written, under severe penalties.

1789. LOUIS XVI, accompanied by his two brothers, went to the states general of France, and declared his determination to act in concert with the _national assembly_, a title which he then employed for the first time. They returned on foot to the palace, amid the shouts and blessings of an immense crowd.

1791. Great riot in Birmingham, England. Dr. Priestley's house and library destroyed by the mob. His philosophical apparatus was the best in the world, and his library and manuscripts above price, and not capable of being restored.

1795. Desperate engagement between a British private armed lugger of 12 guns, and 9 French vessels of 65 guns altogether. The French were beaten off after an incessant action of 18 hours.

1797. The exiled French ministers were permitted to return to France on taking an oath to support the constitution.

1800. BRYAN EDWARDS died; a British West India merchant, author of an elegant _History of the West Indies_, and other lesser productions, connected with the islands in that part of the world.

1802. THOMAS DERMODY, an Irish poet, died, aged 28. He was employed as Greek and Latin assistant in his father's school, at the age of 9 years; and is said to have written as much genuine poetry at 10, as either Cowley, Milton or Pope had produced at nearly twice that age. He was, at the same time, a depraved wretch, and died of intemperance.

1807. JOSEPH MCKEEN died; an American mathematician, and first president of Bowdoin college.

1808. MURAT placed upon the throne of Naples by Bonaparte, under the title of _king Joachim Napoleon_. He governed with prudence and vigor.

1815. BONAPARTE surrendered himself to captain Maitland, of the British ship Bellerophon.

1819. "A steam vessel entered one of our ports from America," says a British writer under this date.

1834. The inquisition again abolished in Spain.

1839. WINTHROP MACWORTH PRAED, an eminent English orator and statesman, died.

1853. An earthquake at Cumana, in Venezuela, South America, destroyed many edifices and killed 600 persons.

1855. The first legislature of the new state of Panama, formed of the provinces of Panama, Azuen, Veraguos and Chiriqui, met at Panama. Justo Arogemena was appointed superior chief.

JULY 16.

523 B. C. One hour before midnight at Babylon the moon was eclipsed 6 digits on her northern disk. This is believed to be the 5th eclipse on record.

622. The Hegira, or Mohammedan era, commenced. It was instituted by Omar, the second caliph, in imitation of the era of the martyrs, beginning with the first appearance of the new moon (the crescent), 68 days before the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina.

1054. MICHAEL CERULARIUS, the Greek patriarch, excommunicated at Constantinople by the pope's legates. "Shaking the dust from their feet, they deposited on the altar of St. Sophia, a direful anathema, which enumerates the seven mortal heresies of the Greeks, and devotes them to the eternal society of the devil and his angels." The Greeks have never abandoned their errors, the popes have never repealed the sentence, and from this thunderbolt we may date the consummation of the schism between the two churches.

1212. Battle of Tolosa in Spain; the Moors defeated by Alphonso of Castile. This day became an anniversary festival called _The triumph of the Cross_.

1216. INNOCENT III died; he was a steadfast friend of king John of England.

1377. The baron PERCY created earl of Northumberland, by Richard II at his coronation.

1429. The town of Rheims in France was taken from the English by Joan of Arc, and on the following day the dauphin was crowned, an exploit which Joan had sworn to accomplish.

1439. Commencement of a direful pestilence and famine, which scourged England and France for two years, and caused an intermission of hostilities between the two countries.

1519. The first embassy sailed from Cortez to the king of Spain. He accompanied his letter by a present of all the gold he had received from the king of Mexico, including the two great wheels, one of gold, representing the Mexican century, curiously wrought, valued at 10,000 sequins, and the other of silver, representing the Mexican year, also wrought with figures in bas-relief. His object was to prepossess the king against the representations which might be made by the governor of Cuba.

1546. ANNE ASKEW (or _Ascough_), an accomplished protestant lady, after having been tortured, was burnt for heresy. It is remarkable that her husband was _accuser_, the lord chancellor _extortioner_, and the mayor of London _incendiary_, in that unmanly work.

1640. CORNELIUS VAN TIENHOVEN, secretary of New Netherland, at the head of one hundred men, made a rash attack upon the Raritans, who lived at a small river five miles behind Staten island; the soldiers committed excesses, which the Indians resented the following year.

1647. THOMAS ANELLO (or _Massaniello_), a fisherman of Naples, killed. He headed an insurrection, caused by the viceroy's laying a new tax on fruit, fish, &c. The sedition continued for ten days, when all kinds of barbarity were practiced, and Anello became supreme dictator over 150,000 people. He gave himself up to debauchery, and was despatched by four assassins and his body dragged through the streets with every mark of indignity.

1676. MARIA MARGARET DE BRINVILLIERS, a French lady known for her intrigues and crimes, executed at Paris. She cut off her relatives by poison, and spared her husband only because he looked upon her crimes with indifference.

1691. FRANCIS MICHAEL LE TELLIER, a French statesman, died. He was a great favorite with Louis XIV, who on a certain occasion treated him with so much coolness that he returned home from the levee and died in his own apartment of vexation and grief. He was endowed with splendid talents, which he exerted for the benefit of his country.

1696. JOHN PEARSON, an English prelate, died; known by his valuable _Exposition of the Creed_.

1710. Battle of Alamanza, in Spain; Philip V of France defeated by the allies under Stanhope, with the loss of 1500 killed.

1717. Battle under the walls of Belgrade; the Austrians under prince Eugene defeated the Turks.

1719. JAMES KEILL, a Scottish physician, died in England; author of several valuable medical works.

1736. THOMAS YALDEN, an English poet and physician, died. His works are not the most polished, yet deserving of perusal.

1760. Battle of Exdorff; the prince of Brunswick defeated the Prussians, and took their commander Glaubitz, the prince of Anhalt-Cothen, and five battalions prisoners.

1761. Battle of Fillinghausen in the palatinate, between the allies under the hereditary prince Ferdinand, and the French under Broglio and Soubise. The French were defeated with the loss of 5000 and 9 cannon; loss of the allies 1200.

1767. CHARLES MOLLOY, an English dramatic writer, died. He also conducted _Fog's Journal_, and _Common Sense_.

1779. Stony point taken by the Americans. The assault was made at half-past 12 at night, when both columns rushed forward under a tremendous fire of musketry and grape shot, entered the works at the point of the bayonet. American loss 98 killed and wounded; British loss 63 killed, 543 prisoners, with 15 cannon and a considerable quantity of military stores.

1780. JOHN NICHOLAS HUBERT HAYER, a French ecclesiastic, died. His works display great zeal and learning.

1794. MARK ANTHONY CHARRIER, a French lawyer, beheaded at Paris. He was a member of the states general, and boldly opposed all innovations.

1786. Treaty of peace between the emperor of Morocco and the United States.

1789. The parliament of Paris insulted the king by a vote of thanks, but communicated their resolution only to the national assembly. The same day a great number of the nobility left France.

1794. Battle of Wigoya; the Poles defeated the Russians.

1795. Attack on the heights of St. Barbe at Quiberon, by the French emigrants, who were defeated by the French under Hoche, with the loss of 300.

1799. Aboukir in Egypt attacked and carried by assault by the Turks under Seid Mustapha Pasha, and the whole garrison, 700 in number, put to the sword. The castle of Aboukir with a garrison of 400, also surrendered immediately after.

1808. Battle of Baylen, in Spain, which terminated in the defeat and capture of general Dupont and his division, one of the first serious reverses of Napoleon in the peninsula.

1812. Colonel CASS with 280 men attacked and carried the bridge over the river Aux Canards, four miles from Malden. It was defended by a part of the British 41st regiment and some Indians.

1815. BONAPARTE sent a flag of truce and entered the Bellerophon man-of-war, captain Maitland, who proceeded with his illustrious _ruin_ to Torbay.

1832. The German diet, at Franckfort, issued a protocol suppressing the liberty of the press in Baden.

1833. Corner stone of New York University laid.

1838. GEORGE DOMBERGER, a soldier under prince Eugene, died, aged 130. He married for the first time when in his 100th year. He was a special pensioner of the emperor of Austria.

1843. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN, founder of the homeopathic system of medical practice, died at Paris, aged 88.

1849. DAVID B. OGDEN, an eminent New York attorney, died. For more than half a century he was associated with the councils of the state and city of New York.

1849. Frost was seen at Pittsfield and vicinity, although the thermometer had been at 90° the day before.

1852. LOUIS KOSSUTH, the Hungarian revolutionist, left New York in the steamship Africa, for Liverpool, under the assumed name of Alexander Smith.

1854. NATHANIEL BOWDITCH BLUNT, an eminent New York attorney, died at Lebanon Springs.

1854. A day of humiliation and prayer observed at Bombay, and all over India, by the natives as well as the Europeans, for the success of the British arms.

1856. A formidable insurrection which had broken out at Madrid in Spain two days before, was suppressed after a sanguinary contest of 30 hours.

1857. PIERRE JEAN DE BERANGER, a French lyric poet, died, aged 77. His songs are at once a storehouse of gayety and satire, and a record of the history of his time.

JULY 17.

855. LEO IV, pope, died. He was a wise and courageous pontiff, who, when the Saracens approached Rome to pillage it, boldly marched out to meet them, unsupported by the emperors of the east or the west. The Saracens were defeated with great slaughter, and the captives employed to adorn and fortify the city they had come to destroy. The famous pope Joan succeeded for a few days to the papal chair.

1085. ROBERT GUISCARD, duke of Apulia, died at Corfu. He was a famous Norman knight, who assisted in the conquest of Naples from the Saracens.

1429. CHARLES VII, of France, crowned at Rheims. Joan of Arc, his supporter, was seated on horseback, helmeted, at his right side, with her triumphal banner unfurled.

1453. JOHN TALBOT, earl of Shrewsbury, killed. He distinguished himself in the reduction of Ireland, of which he was made governor by Henry V. This brave warrior, who was the terror of the French, and acquired the title of the English Achilles, accompanied the English army to France, and took several towns; but was finally killed in battle, near Castillon.

1525. An act of the English parliament was passed prohibiting the importation of any of Luther's books into England.

1530. TINDAL'S translation of the _Pentateuch_ was published at Marlborow (Marburg), in the land of Hesse. The violence of the times rendered concealment necessary.

1652. EDWARD SACKVILLE, earl Dorset, an English statesman, died. He was also sent with an army into Bohemia, and fought at the battle of Prague 1620.

1755. The British East India ship Doddington lost, and only 23 out of 273 persons saved.

1656. Battle of Valenciennes; the prince of Conde and don John of Austria, defeated the French under Turenne and La Ferte; the latter was captured. The French army was saved by the masterly manœuvres of Turenne.

1679. JAMES DUPORT, an English divine, died, whose great erudition as a classical scholar is evinced in the learned works which he published.

1786. Thirteen elm trees removed by a storm in Devonshire, Eng., 200 yards where they afterwards took root.

1791. The first bank in Albany began to discount, being the present bank of Albany.

1793. MARIE JOSEPH CHALIER, a French revolutionist, guillotined. He was an admirer of the sanguinary character of Marat, whom he determined to imitate at Lyons, where he was a merchant. He erected a guillotine, and had already marked 900 victims for sacrifice, when he fell into the snare himself.

1793. MARIE ANNE CHARLOTTE CORDAY D'ARMANS, the assassin of Marat, executed. She gained admittance to him while bathing, and when he declared some of his bloody designs, she plunged a dagger to his heart. She was 24 years of age, possessed rare charms of person, united with great courage, and was actuated by a sense of duty in ridding the world of a monster, at the expense of her own life.

1793. The crown revenue of Poland sequestered by order of the Russian ambassador.

1796. JOHN CHRISTIAN HARTWICK, a Lutheran divine, died at Clermont, N. Y., aged about 90. He was eminent for his classical knowledge and literary abilities, and spent 62 years in the gospel ministry. He left a large estate for the promotion of religious purposes.

1796. JOHN BAPTIST SECONDAT DE MONTESQUIEU, died. He was a son of the celebrated Montesquieu, and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He published several agricultural and scientific works.

1806. RICHARD JOSEPH SULLIVAN, an English writer, died. His works consist of travels, history, &c., &c.

1812. American privateer schooner Dolphin, 2 guns, captain Endicott, captured a British ship of 14 guns. She took six other prizes.

1812. _Fort Michilimackinac_ with a garrison of 57 United States troops, capitulated to the British, 306 men, 715 Indians.

1812. United States frigate _Constitution_ fell in with a British squadron, from which she effected her escape by the masterly seamanship of captain Hull, after a chase of 60 hours.

1813. A small number of volunteers with 40 soldiers from fort George, in two row-boats, captured at the head of the river St. Lawrence, a British gun-boat, mounting a 24 pounder, and 14 bateaux laden with 230 barrels of pork, and 200 bags of bread, and took 4 officers and 61 men.

1813. British and Indians made an attack on an outwork of the garrison at fort George, but were repulsed.

1832. JOHN CARR, an English tourist, died at London; well known as a writer of tours and travels.

1853. An exhibition of relics was made at Aix-la-Chapelle, when more than 60,000 pilgrims entered the city to see them.

1854. The first party sent out under the auspices of the Massachusetts emigrant aid society, left Boston for the territory of Kansas.

1854. The American steamer Franklin, from Cowes for New York, went ashore on Long island beach, and was lost; the mails and passengers were safely landed.

1854. GEORGE C. WASHINGTON, a nephew of general Washington, died at Georgetown. He had been twice a member of congress, from his district in Maryland, was president of the Ohio and Chesapeake canal, and commissioner for the settlement of Indian claims. All his duties were performed with faithful attention and marked ability.

1854. An insurrection broke out at Madrid, and barriers were erected by the people in all parts of the city.

1856. A collision occurred on the North Pennsylvania rail road, near Philadelphia, when a Sunday school excursion on one of the trains had 60 killed and 78 wounded.

1856. The steam boat Northern Indiana was burnt on lake Erie, and over 30 persons lost.

1856. While a fire was raging at Salonica, Turkey, a terrific explosion of gunpowder occurred, killing and wounding 700 persons, among whom were the Dutch, Russian and Sardinian consuls.

JULY 18.

390 B. C. Battle of Allia, a river in Italy; the Romans defeated by the Gauls under Brennus, who destroyed the city, except the capitol.

1009. JOHN XVIII, pope, died. He was a Roman; after him the right of election passed from the Roman people to the clergy. He resigned the dignity some time before his death, and died in the obscurity of a monastry.

1100. GODFREY DE BOUILLION, one of the heroes of the crusades, died. He was the son of a French count, defeated the armies of the sultan with great slaughter, and made himself master of all Palestine. He was elected king of Jerusalem, as a reward for his activity and heroism, which he declined for the humbler appellation of the duke of the holy sepulchre.

1390. On this and the two following days the parish clerks of London played interludes before Richard II and his queen, at Skinnerswells.

1566. WILLIAM RONDELET, a French anatomist, died. He wrote a Latin treatise on fishes, 2 vols. folio, and various tracts on medicine, afterwards collected into a volume. His death was occasioned by eating figs to excess.

1639. BERNARD, duke of Saxe-Weimar, died. He waged an active war with Austria, in which he was successful, till death stopped his career.