1378. Charles IV, emperor of Germany, died. His reign is famous for the golden bull, enacted by the diet of Nuremberg. He founded the university of Prague, and deserves the respect of the learned for the patronage he extended to literature.
1526. John de Medicis died, aged 28; a warrior in the service of Francis I of France, and surnamed the invincible.
1530. Thomas Wolsey, an English cardinal, died in disgrace. From a butcher's boy he rose to be archbishop of York, and prime minister of England. He even aspired to the popedom. At the height of his fortune he had in his retinue 800 servants, among whom were ten lords, fifteen
knights and forty esquires. His expenses exceeded the revenues of the crown. All this he owed to the capricious favor of the king, Henry VIII, who suddenly stripped him of all his possessions.
1599. Christopher Barker, printer to queen Elizabeth, died at Windsor. His books were specimens of good workmanship of that time.
1632. The king of Bohemia died; on whose youngest daughter, Sophia, by Elizabeth, sister of Charles I, and her issue, the crown of England was finally settled.
1643. William Cartwright, an English dramatic poet, died.
1652. The Dutch fleet under Van Tromp defeated the English, and Van Tromp sailed through the channel with a broom at the mast head.
1661. Brian Walton, an English bishop, died; editor of the Polyglot Bible, in 6 vols.
1662. Count d'Estrades took possession of Dunkirk, purchased by the French king of Charles II of England.