493. Odoacer, chief of the Heruli, murdered. It was reserved for him, at the head of a tribe of barbarians almost unknown, to strike the decisive blow that overthrew the great mistress of the world—imperial Rome.
1223. Alonzo II of Portugal died. His career was begun by an attempt to deprive his sisters of their estates, and ended by robbing the church. The pope, however, interfered, and compelled him to promise to be civil to the ecclesiastics; but death overtook him before he had time to fulfill his engagements by making restitution.
1495. Henry VIII granted a patent to John Cabot and his three sons Lewis, Sebastian and Sanchius, empowering them to sail under the flag of England in quest of countries yet unoccupied by any Christian state, to take possession of them in the name of Henry, and plant the English banner on the walls of their castles and cities, and to maintain with the inhabitants a traffic exclusive of all competitors, and exempted from customs; under the condition of paying a fifth part of the free profit on every voyage to the crown. They embarked two years after.
1534. Antoni Allegri, an illustrious Italian painter, died. He lived at Parma, where without any instruction he executed some of the most perfect pictures in the world. He is better known as Corregio, from his birth place.
1546. Isabella Losa died; a native of Cordova in Spain, so illustrious for her acquirements that she was honored with the degree of D. D.
1605. Clement VIII (Hippolitus Aldobrandi), pope of Rome, died. He was a liberal minded and benevolent pontiff.
1660. Monk's parliament ordered the printing and setting up in churches the solemn league and covenant.
1686. James II forbade the bishops to preach on controverted points.
1695. Henry Wharton died; an English divine and historian of uncommon abilities.
1701. Robert, earl of Bellamont, governor of the province of New York, died, two years after his installment into that office.