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.
1794. Robespierre appeared before the French convention as the Champion of the Supreme Being! It was thought advisable to found a religion, and it was necessary first to enact a supreme being, for God had been abolished by a decree of the convention. The tyrant made an eloquent speech, and concluded by declaring the real temple of the supreme being to be the universe; his worship, virtue; his festivals the joy of a great nation. His propositions were carried by acclamation, and a solemn festival proclaimed, which under the arrangement of David, the painter, was a magnificent affair.
1795. Anthony Quentin Fouquier Tinville, a notorious French revolutionist, guillotined. As public accuser, he caused the death of immense numbers, of all ages and either sex.
1796. Bonaparte and the army of the French republic crossed the Po at Placenza.
1800. Nicholas Piccini, an eminent musical composer, died at Naples.
1811. Richard Cumberland died; eminent as a British poet, essayist, novelist and dramatic writer. The number of his works is very extraordinary, as was also his vanity.
1825. John Gabriel Chasteler, governor of Venice, died. He was a Spanish grandee of the first rank, entered the Austrian service, and distinguished himself in several engagements with the French. He possessed a chivalrous and cultivated mind, and spoke 12 languages.
1830. Treaty between the United States and Turkey signed at Constantinople, securing to the United States the free navigation of the Black sea, and the trade of the Turkish empire.
1838. Mary Sprouse died in Albemarle county, Va., aged 99. She was in the practice of carrying poultry, vegetables, &c., to market at Charlottesville, a distance of 8 miles, on foot, till within a few weeks of her death.
1838. Thomas Bradford, the oldest master printer in America, died at Philadelphia, aged 94. He was the successor of Dr. Franklin as editor, and entered upon the business in 1763. During the revolutionary war he was commissary-general to the Pennsylvania division, and printer to congress. He was long known as a distinguished printer, editor and publisher.
1840. A tremendous tornado passed over the city of Natchez, very destructive to life and property. Almost every building in the city was more or less injured, many being utterly demolished. The amount of property destroyed was estimated at $1,500,000; and 317 persons were killed.
1840. Thomas Barnes, principal editor of the Times newspaper, died in London, aged 56. He was unquestionably the most accomplished and powerful political writer of the day, and particularly excelled in the portraiture of public men.
1842. The island of Hayti destroyed by an earthquake. Not a single town escaped without some casualty. Thousands of lives were lost, and property to an incalculable extent was destroyed. Cape Haytien was entirely leveled with the ground, and of 12,000 inhabitants, one half were buried under the ruins, and of those which escaped, a great part perished by fire and other disasters which followed. Bands of armed negroes came in the next day to plunder, and stabbed and shot the wounded wherever they found them, for the jewels and clothing they wore.
1844. It was discovered that all the watches on board the British schooner Henry Curwen, and the chronometer, had stopped, and on referring to the three compasses on board, they were found to point different ways, and were entirely useless. In about two hours afterward the watches and chronometer recommenced going, and the compasses resumed their position. This occurred in 44° north, and 32° 35´ long., at 4 A. M.
1848. The Polish insurgents surrendered to the Prussian troops, after great slaughter, at Posen.
1848. Insurrection at Madrid, when many lives were lost.
1848. The Indians, who were in a state of insurrection in Yucatan against the Spanish population, entered the town of Marie, and butchered 200 of the inhabitants, besides committing other outrages.
1849. Gen. Worth died at San Antonio de Bexar of cholera.
1849. Macready, the English tragedian,
hissed from the stage of the Astor opera house in New York.
1852. James Savage, a distinguished London architect, died, aged 74. The Gentleman's Magazine contains a long list of the bridges and churches which attest his reputation and skill.
1854. The gallery of the Catholic church at Erie, Pa., fell, crushing the people below, and killing and wounding several persons.