Famous Birthdays Dec 9 Martinus de Porres, Peruvian saint (patron of social justice), born in Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru (d. 1639) Dec 12 Heinrich Steuccius, German composer, born in Weissenfels, Germany (d. 1645) Dec 20 John Fletcher, Jacobean playwright, born in Rye, United Kingdom Famous Deaths Dec 21 Vicente Masip, Spanish painter 1578 History by Year 1580 What Happened in 1579 Francis Drake Lands in California June 17, 1579
