Events from the year

1707 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 1 – John V is crowned King of Portugal and the Algarv ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...

, created on 1 May this year as a consequence of the 1706

Treaty of Union The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new state of Great Britain, stating that the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland were to be "United i ...

and its ratification by the 1707 Acts of Union.

Incumbents

Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...

–

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

– 2nd of Queen Anne (since 29 April for Great Britain), 1st of Great Britain (starting 23 October)

Events

* 12 May (1 May

Old Style Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) indicate dating systems before and after a calendar change, respectively. Usually, this is the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar as enacted in various European countries between 158 ...

) – The new sovereign state of Great Britain comes into being as a result of the Acts of Union which ratified the Treaty of Union: the kingdoms of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

are combined into a single,

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and merge the Parliaments of

and

to form the Parliament of Great Britain.

The Equivalent The Equivalent was a sum negotiated at £398,085 10s. 0d. paid to Scotland by the English Government under the terms of the Acts of Union 1707. Proposals for it first emerged in the course of abortive Union negotiations in 1702 to 1703. The Equiv ...

, a sum of £398,000, is paid to Scotland by the English government due to Scotland now taking on shared responsibility for England’s national debt. * 8 July – "Hot Tuesday" – estimated temperature in England 38°C. * 29 July–21 August –

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

: Battle of Toulon – Allies, including British forces under Admiral Sir

Cloudesley Shovell Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c. November 1650 – 22 or 23 October 1707) was an English naval officer. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Solebay and then at the Battle of Texel during the Third Anglo-Dutch Wa ...

, are obliged to withdraw, but the French fleet is effectively put out of action. * 22 October – Scilly naval disaster: Four

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

ships, including HMS ''Association'', run aground in the Isles of Scilly because of faulty

navigation Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, ...

– Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell and at least 1450 sailors are drowned. * 23 October – first sitting of the Parliament of Great Britain, at

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

. * 5 December – first meeting of the Society of Antiquaries takes place in the Bear Tavern on The Strand, London.

Undated

* A new Succession to the Crown Act requires the senior officers of state to proclaim the next

protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

heir as successor to the British throne on the death of Queen Anne, on pain of

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

; and provides for the continuance of Parliament on the monarch’s death. * Establishment of

Warminster School Warminster School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in Warminster, Wiltshire, England, for students aged three to eighteen. Initially established in 1707, the school took its current form in 1973 with the amalgamation of Lo ...

in Wiltshire as Lord Weymouth's Grammar School. * Establishment of the

Fortnum & Mason Fortnum & Mason (colloquially often shortened to just Fortnum's) is an upmarket department store in Piccadilly, London, with additional stores at The Royal Exchange, St Pancras railway station, Heathrow Airport in London and K11 Musea In Hong ...

department store in London.

Books

* Anonymous, ''Memoirs of the Court of England'' (translation)Cox, Michael, editor, ''The Concise Oxford Chronology of English Literature'', Oxford University Press, 2004, * Anonymous, ''The History of the Earl of Warwick; Sirnam'd the King-maker'' (transl.) *

Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 – 8 December 1691) was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymnodist, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he ...

, ''The Poetical Works of the Late Richard Baxter'' * Thomas Brown, ''The Works of Mr. Thomas Brown'' * Anthony Collins, ''Essay Concerning the Use of Reason'' *

Thomas D'Urfey Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera. Life D'Urfey was born in Devonsh ...

, ''Stories, Moral and Comical'' *

Laurence Echard Laurence Echard (c. 1670–1730) was an English historian and clergyman. He wrote a ''History of England'' that was a standard work in its time. Life Echard was the son of the Rev. Thomas Echard or Eachard of Barsham, Suffolk, by his wife, th ...

, ''The History of England'' vol. 1 *

Edward Lhuyd Edward Lhuyd FRS (; occasionally written Llwyd in line with modern Welsh orthography, 1660 – 30 June 1709) was a Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary. He is also named in a Latinate form as Eduardus Luidius. Life ...

, ''Archaeologia Britannica: an Account of the Languages, Histories and Customs of Great Britain, from Travels through Wales, Cornwall, Bas-Bretagne, Ireland and Scotland, vol. 1, Glossography'' * Delarivière Manley, ''The Lady's Pacquet of Letters'' (fiction) *

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a " natural philosopher"), widely recognised as one of the grea ...

, '' Arithmetica Universalis'' *

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet, and Anglican cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dubl ...

, ''A Critical Essay upon the Faculties of the Mind'' *

Matthew Tindal Matthew Tindal (1657 – 16 August 1733) was an eminent English deist author. His works, highly influential at the dawn of the Enlightenment, caused great controversy and challenged the Christian consensus of his time. Life Tindal was baptised ...

, ''A Defence of the Rights of the Christian Church'' (seq. to

1706 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Monday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 26 – War of Spanish Succession: The uprising by Bavaria ...

work) *

John Toland John Toland (30 November 167011 March 1722) was an Irish rationalist philosopher and freethinker, and occasional satirist, who wrote numerous books and pamphlets on political philosophy and philosophy of religion, which are early expressions o ...

, ''A Philippick Oration to Incite the English Against the French'' (translated from a work by Matthaus Schiner) * Catherine Trotter, ''A Discourse Concerning a Guide in Controversies'' *

Isaac Watts Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. His works include "When I Survey the ...

, ''Hymns and Spiritual Songs'' (frequently reprinted hereafter) *

John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1 April 1647 – 26 July 1680) was an English poet and courtier of King Charles II's Restoration court. The Restoration reacted against the "spiritual authoritarianism" of the Puritan era. Rochester embodi ...

, ''The Miscellaneous Works of the Late Earls of Rochester and Roscommon''

Periodicals

John Oldmixon John Oldmixon (1673 – 9 July 1742) was an English historian. He was a son of John Oldmixon of Oldmixon, Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. He was brought up by the family of Admiral Robert Blake in Bridgwater and later became involved in trad ...

, ''The Muses Mercury; or, The Monthly Miscellany'', published monthly from January of this year to January

1708 In the Swedish calendar it was a leap year starting on Wednesday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–June * January 1 – Charles XII of Sweden invades Russia, by crossing t ...

Poetry and songs

* Samuel Cobb, ''Poems on Several Occasions'' *

Nahum Tate Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 adaptation of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'', and for his libretto for ...

, ''The Triumph of Union'' *

, ''Hymns and Spiritual Songs'', the first of many editions throughout the 18th century and afterward; includes "

O God, Our Help in Ages Past "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" is a hymn by Isaac Watts in 1708 that paraphrases the 90th Psalm of the Book of Psalms. It originally consisted of nine stanzas; however, in present usage the fourth, sixth, and eighth stanzas are commonly omi ...

" *

John Wilmot John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1 April 1647 – 26 July 1680) was an English poet and courtier of King Charles II's Restoration court. The Restoration reacted against the "spiritual authoritarianism" of the Puritan era. Rochester embodi ...

, Earl of Rochester, ''The Miscellaneous Works of the Right Honourable the Late Earls of Rochester And Roscommon. With The Memoirs of the Life and Character of the late Earl of Rochester, in a Letter to the Dutchess of Mazarine. By Mons. St. Evremont'', London: Printed & sold by B. Bragge; second edition in the same year, London: Printed for Edmund Curll (third edition, 1709)Web page title
"John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (1647 – 1680)"
at the Poetry Foundation website, retrieved April 11, 2009. 2009-05-02.

Drama

Joseph Addison Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richar ...

, ''

Rosamond Rosamond is a feminine given name, which may refer to: People *Rosamond Carr (1912–2006), American humanitarian and author *Rosamund Clifford (before 1150 – c. 1176), English mistress of King Henry II * Rosamond Langbridge (1880–1964), Irish ...

'' (opera) * Susanna Centlivre, ''The Platonick Lady'' *

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in a personal, anecdotal and even rambling ...

** ''

The Double Gallant ''The Double Gallant'' is a 1707 comedy play by the British writer Colley Cibber. It was originally performed on 1 November 1707 at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket with a cast that included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Solomon, Barton Booth a ...

'' ** ''The Lady's Last Stake'' * George Farquhar, ''

The Beaux' Stratagem ''The Beaux' Stratagem'' is a comedy by George Farquhar, first produced at the Theatre Royal, now the site of Her Majesty's Theatre, in the Haymarket, London, on March 8, 1707. In the play, Archer and Aimwell, two young gentlemen who have fal ...

'' *

Peter Anthony Motteux Peter Anthony Motteux (born Pierre Antoine Motteux ; 25 February 1663 – 18 February 1718) was a French-born English author, playwright, and translator. Motteux was a significant figure in the evolution of English journalism in his era, as the ...

, '' Thomyris, Queen of Scythia'' (opera) * Nicholas Rowe, ''

The Royal Convert ''The Royal Convert'' is a 1707 tragedy by the British writer Nicholas Rowe (writer), Nicholas Rowe. The play is set in England during the Saxon era featuring two brothers in a love triangle with a young Christians, Christian woman. It was stage ...

'' *

, ''Injur'd Love'', adaptation of Webster's '' The White Devil''

Births (from 1 May)

* 24 August – Selina Hastings, Methodist leader (died 1791) * September – Nathan Alcock, physician (died 1779) * 5 September – John Forbes, general (died 1759) * 18 December –

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include "And Can It Be", "Christ the Lord Is Risen T ...

, Methodist leader, brother of John Wesley (died 1788) *''probable'' –

William Hoare William Hoare of Bath (c. 1707 – 12 December 1792) was a British portraitist, painter and printmaker. From c. 1740 to 1759, he was the leading oil portraitist at Bath, Somerset, until Thomas Gainsborough arrived in the town. Noted for his ...

portrait painter Portrait Painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commission, for public and pr ...

, noted for his pastels (died 1792)

Deaths (from 1 May)

* 17 June – Antonio Verrio, painter (born 1639 in Italy) * 23 June – John Mill, theologian (born c. 1645) * 18 August –

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire, (25 January 164018 August 1707) was an English soldier, nobleman, and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1684 when he inherited his father's peerage as Earl of Devonshire. ...

, soldier and statesman (born 1640) * 15 September – George Stepney, poet and diplomat (born 1663) * 23 September –

John Tutchin John Tutchin (c.1660 or 1664 – 23 September 1707) was a radical Whig controversialist and gadfly English journalist (born in Lymington, Hampshire), whose ''The Observator'' and earlier political activism earned him multiple trips before the bar ...

, radical Whig controversialist, gadfly journalist and poet (born c. 1661) * 22 October – Sir

, admiral, drowned (born 1650) * 1 December –

Jeremiah Clarke Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1674 – 1 December 1707) was an English baroque composer and organist, best known for his ''Trumpet Voluntary,'' a popular piece often played at wedding ceremonies or commencement ceremonies. Biography The exact date of Cla ...

, composer and organist, suicide (born 1674) *''probable'' –

Henry Playford Henry Playford (1657 – c. 1707) was an English music publisher, the younger son and only known surviving child of John Playford, with whom he entered business. His father died around 1686, but for some time before that he was in poor health. Hen ...

, music publisher (born 1657)

References

{{Year in Europe, 1707 Years in Great Britain