Editing 1677 (section)

=== January&ndash;March ===
* [[January 1]] &ndash; [[Jean Racine]]'s [[tragedy]] ''[[Phèdre]]'' is first performed, in Paris.
* [[January 21]] &ndash; The first medical publication in America (a pamphlet on smallpox) is produced in [[Boston]].
* [[February 15]] &ndash; Four members of the English [[House of Lords]] embarrass King Charles II at the opening of the latest session of the "[[Cavalier Parliament]]" by proclaiming that the session is not legitimate because it had not met in more than a year. The [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham|Duke of Buckingham]], backed by [[Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury|Lord Shaftesbury]], [[James Cecil, 3rd Earl of Salisbury|Lord Salisbury]]  and [[Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton|Baron Wharton]], makes an unsuccessful motion to end the session.  When the four Lords refuse to apologize, they are arrested and imprisoned in the [[Tower of London]].
* [[February 26]]
** The first arrests are made in the case that will develop into the "[[Affair of the Poisons]]" in France, as [[Magdelaine de La Grange]] and her accused accomplice, Father Nail, are detained on suspicion of poisoning her lover, a Messr. Faurie.<ref>"The Women of the Bastille", anonymous excerpt from ''Memoires Historiques et Authentiques sur la Bastille'' (1789), in ''New Monthly Magazine'' (April 1864) p. 435</ref>  While in prison in the Bastille and awaiting trial Mademoiselle La Grange writes letters accusing other persons of carrying out murders by poison as well.  
** On the Indonesian island of [[Java]], [[Amangkurat II]] of the [[Mataram Sultanate]] agrees to bring his kingdom under the protection of the [[Dutch East India Company]] to drive out rebels.
* [[February 28]] &ndash; During the [[Franco-Dutch War]], the [[Siege of Valenciennes (1676–1677)|Siege of Valenciennes]] by the French Army begins in the [[Spanish Netherlands]] (modern-day Belgium). The city surrenders on March 17.
* [[March 17]] &ndash; [[Franco-Dutch War]]: [[Siege of Valenciennes (1676–77)]] in the [[Spanish Netherlands]] ends with surrender of the town to the French.