Since we’ve been talking about Albany publisher and author Joel Munsell all week, let’s touch on a non-Albany volume he put out in 1858, “The Every Day Book of History and Chronology.” It’s a massive, day-by-day collection of what happened in history on each day of the year. And by “in history,” I mean obscure history that almost no one today would have the least idea ever occurred, let alone remember when it happened.
So what happened on August 8 in history? Well, the Spanish Armada was driven to the shores of Ireland and hacked up. Henry VIII got hitched. And a celebrated dancer and pantomimist died.
- Year 70. Capture of Jerusalem by Titus, the 8th
day of the month Gorpieus, (Elul) upon his daughter’s birthday. - 1419. Peter D’Ailly, a French ecclesiastic, died. He was of
an obscure family, and rose by his merit to the office of cardinal. - 1503. Alexander VI (Roderick
Borgia), pope, died. He was of infamous notoriety before his elevation to
the pontificate, and is supposed to have been poisoned by a draught which he
had prepared for some of his guests. - 1540. Nuptials of Henry VIII and Catharine Howard, his fifth
spouse. By “a notable appearance of honor, cleanness and maidenly behavior,”
she won the heart of old Harry, whose marriage with Anne of Cleves was annulled
the 9th of July previous. - 1588. Edwin Sandys, archbishop of York, died. He assisted in
the translation of what is called the Bishop’s
Bible, and was one of the nine divines appointed by Elizabeth to dispute
with nine catholics before the parliament. - 1588. The English fleet under lord Howard attacked the
Spanish armada. The engagement began at 4 o’clock in the morning and continued
till 6 at night, and resulted in a total defeat of the armada. The Spanish
admiral, apprehending the entire destruction of his fleet, resolved to sail
northwards and make the circuit of the British isles. When he had rounded the
Orkneys, the fleet was dispersed by a storm; horses, mules and baggage were
thrown overboard to lighten the ships, some of which were wrecked, some sunk in
the North sea, others wrecked on the coast of Scotland, and more than thirty
were driven by another storm upon the coast of Ireland, where many of the crews
were barbarously murdered. The duke of Medina finally reached Santardu with
sixty-five sail in a shattered condition, out of 150 sail of noble vessels
which entered the British channel, many of them of the largest class. - 1641. Though Sabbath, both houses of the English parliament
sat to prevent the king from going to Scotland. - 1776. Force of the northern American army, under Washington,
10,514 fit for duty, 3,668 sick, 2,946 on command, 97 on furlough – total,
17,225. The small pox was committing great ravages at this time, 5,500 having
died of it since April; inoculation being prohibited in general orders. - 1778. Fort Boonesborough invested by 450 Canadians and
Indians. The fort was garrisoned by 50 men, who defended it with great spirit
against every stratagem till the 20th, when the siege was abandoned,
and its capture never again attempted. - 1780. The combined fleets of France and Spain captured five
East Indiamen and fifty merchant ships bound for the West Indies. - 1792. John Leake, an English physician, died; founder of the
Westminster lying-in hospital, and an esteemed author. - 1794. The entrenchments of Pellingen, a series of redoubts
raised by the Austrians in the most advantageous situations, in order to cover
Treves, were carried by the French. - 1804. Robert MacFarlane, a Scottish miscellaneous writer,
died. He translated Ossian into Latin. - 1805. Richard Worsley, governor of the isle of Wight, died.
During a tour in Europe he made a fine collection of statues and antiques, of
which he published a description. - 1808. John Broome, lieutenant-governor of the state of New
York, died, and was buried in the Presbyterian church yard in Wall street, in
the city of New York. - 1811. British under admiral Stopford took Batavia and a
great part of the island of Java. - 1812. The United States troops under general Hull evacuated
Canada and entered Detroit. - 1814. First meeting of the British and American
commissioners at Ghent, to treat for peace. - 1816. The meetings of freemasons and other secret societies
prohibited by the king of Naples under penalty of banish, fine and
imprisonment. - 1827. George Canning, an eminent English statesman, died. He
was of humble origin, but rose to the premiership by his great talents, and
sustained himself against a powerful opposition. - 1828. Frederic Bouterwek, a German litterateur, died; author
of Geschichte der neuen Poesie und
Beredsamkeit, containing separate critical histories of the belles-lettres
of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, England and Germany, from the revival of
letters to the close of the 18th century, 12 vols. - 1836. Frederick Carl Ludwig Sickler died at Heldburghausen;
an eminent archaeologist, and author of various learned works on archaeology,
antiquities and philology. - 1838. The Chilian squadron of 32 vessels landed 5000 men at
Aneon, and demanded two millions of dollars, which not being granted, they
advanced and took Callao and Lima, after an action in which 2000 were killed.
Gomarra was proclaimed president, and Orbegozo fled to the mountains. (See July
26.) - 1840. Charles Ottfried Muller, of Gottingen, died at Athens,
from an illness brought on by fatigue and exposure in copying inscriptions, and
making excavations at Delphi. The object of his investigation was connected
with a great work on which he was engaged, upon the general history of Greece.
He was buried on the summit of a little hill above the academy. (July 31.) - 1851. Samuel Emerson, an eminent physician, died at Kennebunk,
Me., aged 87. - 1853. A strike at Stockport, England, for an advance of ten
percent in wages, ceased, 20,000 workmen resumed their labors, having
accomplished their object. - 1856. Mrs. Matthews (madame Vestris), long a celebrated
dancer and pantomimist, died in England, aged 50. Her maiden name was Lucia
Elizabeth Bartolozzi; she married Armand Vestris in 1813, and it was under this
name that she was well known in Europe and America. She married Matthews in
1838.