DECEMBER 25.
The commencement of what is usually called the vulgar era, was four years prior to the date now used as the beginning of the Christian era.
98. Christ mass was first used as a festival.
283. Marcus Aurelius Carus, the Roman emperor, killed by lightning, beyond the Tigris.
400. Gainas, a Goth of great valor, killed. He became a general under Arcadius, and desolated Thrace, because refused a church for the Arians.
496. Clovis, the first Christian king of France, crowned at Rheims; a glorious day among the Franks.
800. Charles, king of France, crowned at Rome emperor of the West. It was the commencement of a new Roman era, and he took the name of Charlemagne.
830. Leo V, emperor of Constantinople, assassinated. He was an Armenian, who became a general by his valor in the Roman armies, and prevailed on his troops to proclaim him emperor.
1066. William, the conqueror, was crowned at London, amid a tumult, and the better to secure the obedience of the citizens, granted them a charter.
1440. Gilles de Retz, the famous Bluebeard, executed at Nantes for his horrible crimes. The ruins of his castle, La Verriere, are seen on the banks of the Erde, in the Lower Loire.
1476. Geleas Marie Sforza, duke of Milan, assassinated. He rendered himself unpopular by his ferocity and debauchery.
1618. The first house erected at Plymouth, Mass., by the puritan settlers, after having spent more than a month in selecting a place for settlement. The company was divided into 19 families, and to each person was assigned a lot, half a rod in width, and three rods in length, for houses and gardens.
1658. Cromwell dispersed several
congregations, met to celebrate the birth of the Savior.
1676. Matthew Hale, a learned English judge, died. He was conversant with almost every branch of science, and has left valuable works in law, philosophy and religion.
1678. John Newton died; an English mathematician and chaplain to Charles II.
1698. James Houbracken, the celebrated Dutch engraver, was born at Dordrecht.
1712. William King, an English poetical and political writer, died. His most useful work is an account of the heathen gods and heroes, necessary for the understanding of the ancient poets.
1715. James, the pretender to the English throne, landed at Peterhead, and formed his court.
1740. John Soanen, an eminent French ecclesiastic, having been deposed from his bishopric, died in exile.
1741. Robert Sanderson died; an English writer, distinguished as the continuator of Rymer's Fœdera, from the 16th to the 20th volume.
1758. James Hervey, an English divine of exemplary virtue and piety, died. His Meditations and Letters are well known.
1762. Great riot at Drury lane theatre, because the managers would not admit at half price after the 3d October.
1770. Henry Mill, an ingenious English mechanic, died. He is said to have been unrivaled in the science of hydraulics.
1777. Vermont became an independent state. It was first settled in 1725, and claimed as part of New Hampshire.
1796. Kosciusko, with other Polish prisoners, liberated by the emperor Paul, when he came to America.
1801. Hester Chapone, an elegant English poetess and moral writer, died. Her works will long be popular.
1813. Violent eruption of mount Etna.
1816. Treaty between the United States and the dey of Algiers.
1822. A hurricane in Iceland, which overthrew the churches. The new volcano of Oefields Jokkelen, spouted burning stones and ashes.
1827. Enrico Acerbi, an Italian surgeon and medical writer, died.
1837. John Austin died at Philadelphia, aged 67; a native of Barbadoes, formerly a surgeon in the British army, and a practitioner at Barbadoes and Demarara, where he was greatly esteemed.
1853. John Macrae Washington, a brave American military officer, was swept from the wreck of the San Francisco, aged 60. After the close of the Mexican war he commanded an expedition across the plains of Mexico to the Pacific, and acted as military governor one year.