Historical Events
- May 27 Court of Oyer and Terminer ("to hear and determine") established by Governor of Massachusetts to hear accusations of witchcraft
- May 29 Battle at La Hogue: English and Dutch fleet beat France
- May 29 Royal Hospital Chelsea Founder's Day first celebrated in London
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 James Stirling, Scottish mathematician (Formula of Stirling), born in this month in Stirlingshire, Scotland (d. 1770)
- May 3 Jan Jacob Mauricius, Dutch governor-general of Suriname (1742-51), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1768)
- May 18 Joseph Butler, English theologian and bishop, born in Wantage, England (d. 1752)
Famous Deaths
- May 18 Elias Ashmole, English antiquarian & collector (Ashmolean Museum), dies at 74
