1656 A. M. Noah entered the ark on the 10th day of 2d month, answering to this day of our month. The ark was 525 feet long, 87 broad, and 52 deep; requiring about 245,000 cubic feet of timber; its capacity two millions cubic feet of space; was commenced about 1556 and completed 1656, having been 100 years in building.
1331. Ismael Abulfeda, prince of Hamath, in Syria, died. Before he began his reign he distinguished himself by his researches in geography, and published in Arabic an account of the regions beyond the Oxus.
1455. The charter of the beautiful town of Kirkcudbright in Scotland was given. This town was much frequented in time of persecution.
1522. Donna Maria Pacheco, the widow of Padilla, retired into the citadel of Toledo, which she defended four months against the royalists.
1594. William Allen, usually called the great English cardinal, died, and was buried at Rome.
1645. Bloody battle of Routon Heath, in which king Charles was defeated and many of his officers slain.
1701. Birth day of Helen and Judith, the united twin sisters, at Tzoni, in Hungary. They possessed a musical genius, were exhibited in England in 1708, and died 1723.
1703. Great storm in England, by which large tracts of country were overflowed, trees torn up by the roots, immense numbers of cattle perished, and 8000 human lives were lost on the Thames, Severn and coast of Holland alone.
1723. Godfrey Kneller, an eminent German painter, died in England, where he was greatly honored for his skill in portraits.
1724. Hilkiah Bedford, who was tried and fined for publishing a work entitled the hereditary right of the crown of England, died at London.