Historical Events Dec 20 Corporation Act enforced in England Famous Birthdays Dec 5 Robert Haley, 1st Earl of Oxford and English premier (Whig, 1710-14), born in Covent Garden, Middlesex, Kingdom of England (d. 1725) Dec 18 Christopher Polhem, Swedish scientist and inventor (d. 1751) Famous Deaths Dec 29 Antoine Gérard de Saint-Amant, French poet (b. 1594) 1660 History by Year 1662 What Happened in 1661 1st European Banknote July 16, 1661 Why The King Became a Party Pooper August 17, 1661