1610. Nicholas Serarius, a French Jesuit, died. His works, 16 vols. folio, display great labor and extensive erudition.
1618. King James publicly declared his pleasure, "that after the end of divine service, the people should not be letted from any lawful recreation on Sundays, such as dancing, archery, vaulting, May-games, Whitsun-ales, morris-dances, and the setting up of May-poles, and other sports therewith used."
1690. John Eliot, the apostle of the Indians, died, aged 86. He was the first protestant clergyman who preached the gospel to the North American Indians.
1713. Thomas Sprat, an English prelate and poet, died; he was distinguished as a writer, and rewarded with preferments.
1726. Nicholas Brady died; an Irish divine of good ability and learning, translated Virgil and wrote a new version of the Psalms in conjunction with Tate.
1728. James le Quien de la Neufville, a French historian, died; author of an excellent history of Portugal, &c.
1732. Thomas Boston, a Scottish divine, died; author of the well known book, Human Nature in its Fourfold State.
1735. The Turks defeated by the Prussians, and more than 60,000 killed and wounded.
1736. The body of one Samuel Baldwin, of England, in compliance with his will, immersed in the sea at Lymington. His motive for this extraordinary mode of interment was to prevent his wife from dancing over his grave, which she had threatened to do in case she survived him.
1756. Naval action at Fort Philip, Minorca, between the French fleet, 12 ships 5 frigates, and the British, 13 ships 5 frigates. Admiral Byng was afterwards shot in England, on an unjust charge of cowardice in this affair.