1645. Richard Baker, an English historian, died. Having become security for the debts of some of his wife's relatives, he was thereby reduced to poverty, and thrown into the Fleet prison. During this imprisonment, and as a means of subsistence, he wrote his Chronicle of the Kings of England, and various other works, mostly devotional. He died in prison, where he had spent the last twenty years of his life, at the age of 77.
1652. Gregorio Allegri, an eminent musical composer, died at Rome. His compositions, the chief of which is the Miserere, are still performed in the pontifical chapel.
1653. Naval action off Portland, England, between the British, under Blake, Dean and Monk, and the Dutch under Van Tromp and De Ruyter. The latter was defeated, with the loss of 2000 killed, 1500 prisoners, and 11 ships of war, besides a number of other vessels, principally merchantmen.
1654. John Lewis Guez de Balzac, historiographer of France, died. He acquired great celebrity by his publications.
1662. An unprecedented storm in severity passed over England, chiefly felt at London.
1672. John Labadie died at Altona; a celebrated French enthusiast.
1694. Several ships of war, &c., lost in a storm east of Gibraltar. The Sussex on board of which was Sir Francis Wheeler, the admiral, foundered with the whole of her crew.
1695. William Phipps died at London, aged 45. He was born at Pemaquid, Maine; was apprenticed to a ship carpenter, and afterwards went to sea. Hearing of a Spanish wreck near Bahama, he gave such an account of it in England that he was fitted out in 1683 to search for it, but was unsuccessful. The duke of Albemarle fitted him out a second time, and he returned with a treasure of £300,000, of which his share was 16,000. He was subsequently sent over as governor of
Massachusetts, but his administration was short and unpopular.
1702. Thomas Hyde, an eminent English divine and orientalist, died. He published a work on the religion of the ancient Persians, which threw many new lights on the most curious and interesting subjects.