1500. Brazil discovered by Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, who left two convicts.
1556. Osep Napea, the first ambassador from Russia to England, made his appearance at the court of Elizabeth, and delivered his master's presents.
1557. George Rorar (Rorarius), a learned corrector of the press at Wittemburg, died, aged 65. He had been the amanuensis of Luther, and assisted in editing some of the works of the great reformer.
1599. Birthday of Oliver Cromwell.
1603. James Beaton, bishop of Glasgow, died. He was raised to the see before the age of 25; when the reformation broke forth, he fled to France, with the records and sacred vessels of his cathedral, which were deposited with the Scotch college of Paris. He left a history of Scotland in manuscript.
1617. D'Ancre Concini, marechal of France, assassinated. He was a Florentine by birth, and acquired his offices by intrigue. The day following his burial, the body was taken from the grave, mutilated and dragged through the streets of Paris.
1645. Cromwell defeated the king's forces at Islip bridge, near Oxford, taking the king's standard and 200 prisoners.
1667. Matthew Wren, bishop of Hereford, died. During the civil wars his property was confiscated and himself confined in the Tower 18 years without being brought to trial.
1704. The Boston News Letter, the first paper printed in America, made its appearance at Boston, published by John Campbell, the postmaster. It was printed on a half sheet of writing paper. It was continued until the British evacuated Boston, in 1776.
1731. Daniel Defoe, a popular English author, died. He is best known as the author of Robinson Crusoe, which was supposed at first to be a true narrative, and afterwards as erroneously to have been founded upon the papers of Alexander Selkirk. It still enjoys an old age of honor and renown, which it is impossible for any eulogium to exalt. Like its hero, it has traveled into the most distant regions, and worn the costume of literature and the garland of fame in almost every civilized country of the globe.