1213. Date of the most ancient writ, summoning four discreet knights of the counties, to meet king John at Oxford, in 15 days from All Saints, ad loquendum nobiscum de negotiis regni nostri.
1400. Timour the Mogul sacked Aleppo, the capital of the Mamelukes. He thus addressed one of the cadhis: "I am not a man of blood; and God is my witness, that in all my wars, I have never been the aggressor, and that my enemies have always been the authors of their own calamities."
1462. Anne of Cyprus, died. She married Lewis, duke of Savoy, and showed herself able, active and discriminating at the head of public affairs.
1572. Tycho Brahe observed a new star in Cassiopeia, a phenomenon which had not been recorded since the age of Hipparchus. In splendor it was equal to Jupiter and Venus, and did not change its position in two years.
1620. The Plymouth pilgrims signed an instrument for their government, which was to go into force on their landing. It had the signatures of 41 of their number; and they with their families amounted to 101 persons. John Carver was chosen governor for one year. Thus did these intelligent colonists, says Holmes, find means to erect themselves into a republic, even though they had commenced their enterprise under the sanction of a royal charter; "a case that is rare in history, and can be effected only by that perseverance which the true spirit of liberty inspires."
1621. Robert Cushman arrived at Plymouth, in a ship from England, bringing 35 persons to remain in the colony, and a charter procured in London.
1623. Philip de Mornay, baron du Plesis Marly, died; an illustrious French protestant, a political and polemical writer, and privy counselor of the king.
1671. Thomas Fairfax, one of the principal generals in the civil wars of England, died.
1673. Battle of Choczin; the Turks defeated by John Sobieski, with the loss of 28,000.
1692. The negroes of the Barbadoes conspired against their masters for which many of them were executed.