1665. Philip IV, of Spain, died. He was unsuccessful in his wars with Holland and France; and the Portuguese also rebelled, and compelled him to acknowledge their independence.
1673. James Barrelier, a celebrated French ecclesiastic and naturalist, died. He traversed the south of France, Spain and Italy, and during a residence of 25 years at Rome, collected plants and other objects of natural history, with a view to their publication. Dying before the work was completed, he bequeathed his manuscripts to the library of a convent; but soon after his death all his collections were dispersed, and some were burnt, except the copperplates, which were collected and published by Jussieu.
1683. Controversy between lord Baltimore and William Penn. Lord Baltimore appointed Col. Talbot to demand of Penn all the lands lying on the west side of the river Delaware and south of the 40th degree, as a part of Maryland.
1690. A fire in Boston destroyed the printing office of Bartholomew Green, which was the best furnished in America.
1703. Gelders, a Prussian city, surrendered to the duke of Marlborough, after having been long blockaded, bombarded and reduced to a heap of ashes.
1720. William Burnet, son of the English bishop, took upon him the government of New York.
1753. The first theatre in New York opened in Nassau street by Lewis Hallam; the third stage on which the productions of the dramatic muse were exhibited to the inhabitants of the new world. The days of performance were Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and so continued for near half a century.
1759. Quebec taken.
1762. Francisco Geminiani, died; an extraordinary performer on the violin, and composer for that instrument.
1767. Frances Sheridan died; an