• Richard Cromwell resigns his position of Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the monarchy was restored. 
• The Netherlands, England and France sign the Treaty of The Hague. 
• Central England Temperature records began (the longest instrumental temperature record in the world).
• Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked (according to Daniel Defoe). 
• The composer Henry Purcell was born in Westminster, London. 
• Sir Isaac Newton was still at school. 
• Six years before the bubonic plague swept through London. 
• Seven years before the Great Fire of London.
• 16th February 1659 - the date of the earliest example of a handwritten cheque, known to be in existence in the UK.  It was drawn on Messrs Morris and Clayton, scriveners and bankers based in the City of London, for £400 (about £43,000 today) made payable to a Mr Delboe and signed by Nicholas Vanacker.