Events

December 1 - Portugal regains its Independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. Spain does not recognize the Independence before 1668
Charles I summons and rapidly dismisses the Short Parliament in an attempt to fund the second of the Bishops Wars.
October 26 - The Treaty of Ripon is signed, restoring peace between Scotland and Charles I of England.
November: The English Long Parliament is summoned.
Change of Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from Murat IV (1623-1640) to Ibrahim I (1640-1648)
First book printed in North America, the Bay Psalm Book
First known European coffee house opens in Venice
Henry Glapthorne flourishes.

Births

See also @ 1640 births.

January 14 - Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry, English lawyer and judge (b. 1578)
January 25 - Robert Burton, English scholar (b. 1577)
February 9 - Murad IV, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1612)
March 17 - Philip Massinger, English dramatist (b. 1583)
April 10 - Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (b. 1578)
May 30 - Peter Paul Rubens, German painter (b. 1577)
June 3 - John Aylmer, English politicial theorist (b. 1521)
June 3 - Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, English politician (b. 1584)
October 20 - John Ball, English Puritan clergyman (b. 1585)
December 30 - John Regis, French saint (b. 1597)
Uriel Acosta, Portuguese philosopher (suicide) (b. 1585)

See also @ 1640 deaths.