The Right Reckoning of Years and Ages of the World, Proposition 5
FIFT PROPOSITION
That the olde Iulian or Romaine Kalendar, might receiue an easie reformation: And that the late attempted reformation thereof is not circumspectly taken vp, but giuegive… occasion of errour in reckoning.
SEing we are entred in Astronomicall reckoning of times; & there is nothing more necessary and profitable for all sort of people, that are not trayned vp in Astronomie, then to hauehave a perfite Kalendar, wherby the right course of the Sunne and Moone being counted and knowen, the true distinction of all times, may be particularly set downe as in a Table, wherein all the actions of men, both concerning Ecclesiastical and civill affaires, may be ordred and done in due season. Concerning the which purpose, it is to be vnderstood, that in all ages, men hauehave travelled to finde out such a perfite reckoning of the yeare, monethes, weekes, and dayes thereof, as might serue for this vse: Some framing their Kalenders (for so we must cal them for doctrines cause) to the course of the Sunne, to compt their years thereby, & some to the course of the moone, reckoning by Monethes, and some labouring to reduce both those reckoninges to an equalitie, & to make their Kalenders to agree to both. The which thrid being the most perfite forme of reckoning and most commodious for all affaires both holy and politick, was first vsed amongst the Godly patriarkes, euen from greatest antiquitie, whereof wee hauehave euident Testimonies in the book of God. For in the time of Noah mētiō is made of monethes of the yeare, which coulde not be counted but by a certaine forme of Kalender or Almanack, counting by moones so many Moneths (for moneths take their denomination from the moone) which wee may gather then to hauehave bene 12. in number, to make out the space of an yeare. And that the same were ruled also according to the course of the Sun, we may hauehave intelligence by the principal feastes appointed by God in the law, which were not onelyonly affixed to certaine dayes, but also to such times as had respect to the seasones of the year ruled by the Sunne, & to the times of growing & winning of the fruits of the groūd, proceeding from the course of the Sunne. As the first monethmonth named Abib, tooke the name from the first fruites, because in it was the barly haruest in the cuntry of Palestina, as Plinius also testifieth. So was the feast of the Passouer, celebrate the 15 day of the first monethmonth being the first full moone after the vernall Equinoctium, likewise the feast of Pentecost, was the fifth daye of the third MonethMonth, wherein the first fruites that were made in bread of corne were offred. In like manner after collection of all the rest of the fruites, & namely of wine and oyle, was the feast of Tabernackles, which was celebrat in the reauent monethmonth. All these feastes hade respect to the course of the Sunne, as I said before. Now to make the course of the Moone to aggree with the Sunne, so that the reckoning of the Moneths might bee conformed to both, after two or three yeares as the count fell out. The Hebrewes in their Kalender added a certain od month called their Intercalare month whereof mentiō is made in their almanacks & named it Ve-Adar: the second or posteriore Adar, wherevpon I wil not now insist. Alwaies, because this forme of agreeing the years, and framing them both to the course of the Sunne and the moone was thought (as it is in deede) most pe…fite, Iulius Caesar, a man of great magnanimitie, & well seene in letters, by the counsel and instigation of Sosigenes, an expert Mathemat…cien in those dayes, where as the Romane years very confusedly were reckoned of before vntounto the course of the Moone, about the space of 45. yeares before the Natiuitie of Christ, divised a newe forme of Kalender: First framed after the course of the Sunne, diuiding the whole yeare in 365. dayes and six houres: and making it to conteine 12 Moneths where of the names are yet in vse. And because of the od sixe houres, which coulde not bee brought to count eueryevery yeare, he ordained that eueryevery 4 yeare one day shoulde bee added to Februarie, because fouretimes six houres make vppe an whole day of 24 houres. And the yeare wherein this od day falleth, we call commonly Leape yeare. And because it was added at the sixe Kalendas of March. it is named in latine Bissextus, or Biss…xtilis annus, for the Romanes diuided their moneths in Kalendas, Nonas and Idus. Now Iulius Caesar begouth his yeare at the kalendes of Ianuarie, which was then when the Sun entred in the eight degree of Capricorne, eight daies after the winter Solstiti…m, which then being the shortest day of the yeare, fel vponupon the 25. day of December: And the Spring time Equiuoctium, when the Sun entred in Aries, after that old reckoning, fell vponupon the 25. day of March. And the Sommer Sols…itium, making the longest day vppon the 25. of Iune. And the harvest Equinoctium, about the 26. or 27. day of September: The which places of the Sun, are now changed and slyden backe in the Iulian Kalendar (by reason of the prevention of the Equ…noctial, whereof I spak in the fourth proposition) to the 12. 11. or 10. day of the said Monethes, and 13. or 14. of September. The chiefe cause hereof (besides the prevention of the Equinoctial) is that the Iulian yeare, reckoned by Caesar, to conteine 365. dayes & six od hours, conteineth somewhat more, then the just calculation For by true Astronomical reckoning, there wil be every yeare, taking off the sixe odde houres, elleven minutes of an houre, and certaine secondes: The which, in the space of 130. yeare, or thereby, will make vp an whole daye. And so in the space of 1645. yeares, which is the time since Iulius Caesar set out his Kalendar, there will be …ore then the space of thirteene dayes accressed, to be taken away from the count of the odde sixe houres, about the 365. dayes of the Iulian year. For this cause, sundrie learned men of our memory and time, hauehave earnestly desired, that some Reformation of the Iulian Kalendar might be made to bring the same to the old estate and institution thereof, as it was firste set foorth, by reason of divers inconvenients, that by processe of time, occurre by neglecting thereof. And namely, that the aggreement of the course of the Sun, with the Moone (which two Planets, were ordained of God in the beginning, to distinguish times) cannot thereby, as it is now, be knowen. The which mater, being proponed to divers general councels, could not tak effect; till now lately in our daies, with favour of Pope Gregory the 13. his Cardinals & counsels, it was permitted in the 1582. year of Christ, to one Aloysius Lilius, professor in Mathematical Astronomie, to set downe this long desired reformation: Who having performed the same after his maner, hath thereby purchased a merveilous assent of divers Princes & cuntries, to accept & authorize the same: Albeit not without divers contradictions. For in the year, 1584. in Auspurge of Rhaetia, there fell out a great commotion, both in the Church & civil governement therof. As also the 1585. yeare in Riga of Lituania, great trouble was raised, till finally it was agreed, that the old Kalendar should stande as it was before, without reformatiō. And many cuntries yet there be, that hauehave nor accepted not allowed this pretended correction. Now as concerning this reformer Aloysius Lilius, albeit (as it is supposed) he would hauehave brought the Iulian Kalendar to the old estate, as it was in the beginning, or neere thereby, yet they of the Papisticall Clergy, & others to whom the reformation therof was first proponed, would not agree that it shuld be drawen back any further, but to the time of the Nicene councell, which was holden and concluded in the 328. yeare of Christ; herefore hee was forced to begin thereat. And because there interveend betweene that time, and the 1582. yeare of Christ, the space of 1254. yeares, hee brought backe the reck…ning of the Iulian Kalendar, onelie tenne dayes, seting foorth a newe Kalendar, wherein he had respect to twelue hundreth years, with so many ods, to wit, 54. yeares: For the which cause, he was also forced to alter the Cycle of the Sunne (the which is not compleeted, but in 28. yeares) and so to change the Sundayes letter to an other thē that which was founde in the olde Kalendar books, nowe this reformation of the olde Kalendar. albeit it was exactly calculate to the time of the Nicene councel, yet it maketh a great change from the reckoning of the old kalendar, and putteth many men in doubt what to follow, whether the olde style of counte or the new. And hath brought great controuersie in diuers places (as partly I shew before) seing that the day of the natiuity of christ & other festiual dayes (as they cal them) & daies of holding faires & mercates, are changed & holden ten dayes before the accustomed times. And merchandes and others in making their contractes and obligationes are often disappoynted of their dayes of payment, with diuerse others such inconueniences, where as it had bene farre easier, without any such perceptable change (if so great neede had bene to reforme the olde Kalendar) to hauehave done, as yet it may bedone, if it please Christian Princes and countries to agree therevnto, after this manner, to witte, that for the space of 56 yeares following this 1600 yeare of Christ, there should be no leap yeare at al: But al years to be common & equal conteining 365 dayes onelyonly, according to the quantity of the olde Egiptian yeare. So that two cycles of the Sunne should passe by continuall progresse in the Kalendar, by, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, wsthout any variation, during these 56 yeares, to bring it to the first institution, leauing out the foureteene od letters of leape yeare, which are now interlaced in eueryevery two Cycles of the Sunne, for in them are fourteene times foure, which make 14 leap yeares. So by this reckoning 14 dayes being left out in the space of 56 years, the year should come to the same estare wherein it was, at the first setting foorth thereof by Iulius Casar, which was 45 yeares before the birth of Christ. And these fourty fiue yeares, added to the fiftie sixe yeares, before mentioned, make 101. yeares, which 101. yeares being added to 1600. yeares, which nowe hauehave bene from the birth of Christ, will make vp in the whole, 1701. yeares, which being divided by 130. by true calculation, giuegive in the quotient, thirtteene whole dayes: and there will remaine after division, twentie odde houres, and fourty sixe Minutes of an houre, laking only three houres, fourteene Minutes, to accomplish twenty foure houres: For the fourteen daye, which is no perceptible difference, and will be made vp in the space of sixteene yeares thereafter. And giving this reformation, should not be made till sixteene yeares here after were past, it should make vp the selfe: So by this maner of correcting of the Kalendar, it were casie to bring the Iulian yeare, to the first institution: letting the Cycle of the Sunne, after the 56. yeares before mentionate, returne to the former estate, as it is now set downe in our Almanackes, as for example: If this Reformation should be attempted to beginne in the yeare, 1601. next following. The Sundayes letter, that yeare being D. the Cycle of the Sunne fourteene, the yeare of Christ. 1656. being compleet, the same letter should be the Sundaies letter, in the 1657. yeare: & the Cycle of the Sunne, 14. And so consequently, the Cycle of the Sunne, with the Sundaies letter, should proceede as they stand in the old Almanacks, without any variation for many yeares; and, as may be supposed, should neede no further reformation to the ende of the world, which appeareth now shortly to approch. At least, every 134. year, leaving out a leape year, should hold it at the old stand. And this should make no perturbation nor varietie in the order of the Kalendar, nor in the dates of Obligations, or cōtracts; neither change any of those dayes, which are called, fixed Feasts, from the dayes whereon they are now placed in the olde Kalendare. Let this much then suffice for reformation of the Kalendare, to the course of the Sunne. There is also an other alteration vsed in this late reformed Kalendare, concerning moveable Feasts, which commeth by occasion of the course of the Moone, and defection of the Golden number. For the which, it is to be vnderstood, that they that first placed and set downe the Golden number in the Kalendare, as it is now (for it was not Iulus Caesar) set the number of the year therof, directly against the day of each MonethMonth, wherein the Moone then changed: But now the course of the change is flitted forward from those places, four daies with the more. Now this number, called the Golden number, by reason of the vtilitie thereof, whereby it was worthy to be written in Golden letters, was placed in the Kalendar, to agree the course of the Moone with the Sunne (as is supposed) by DIONYSIVS, called EXIGVVS, a certayne Romane Abbotte, who after the Nicene Councell, about the yeare of Christ, fiue hundreth, thirtie two yeares, sette out that Cycle: which is called the Paschall Cycle, or rather corrected that which was set out of before, a two hundreth and nine yeares, by EVSEBIVS CAESARIENSIS: This Golden number (I say) which is verye profitable indeede, conteining the space of nine teene yeares, was beleeved by the auncientes, to compryse in the periode or revolution thereof, the exacte course of the motion of the Moone: So, that after the accomplishmente of nine-teene yeares, the Moone did returne to the same course, that shee was in before at the beginning therof: and so they thought it sufficiente to agree the dayes of the Romane Kalendar, with the chaunges of the Moone precisely. Albe-it, it bee of veritie, that the true motion of the Moone, in the space of nine-teene yeares, is more then to agree exactlie to the course of the Sunne, by the space of one houre and an halfe, or thereby, which in the space of three-hundreth and foure yeares, or little more, will make vp an whole daye, wherein the reckoning of the course of the Moone, by the Golden number, exceederh the course of the Sunne, and goeth forwardes in our Kalendars. And so in the space of an thousand, two-hundreth, seventy two years, which is from the time of the Nicene Councel, from the which DIONYSIVS reckoned, to witte, from the yeare of Christ, three hundreth twentie eight, vnthis present yeare, a thousand six hundreth years, are foure times, three-hundreth and foure yeares, and more-over, fifty sixe odde yeares, which, adde foure dayes (as was declared) and almost sixe houres of the forward passing of the course of the Moone, attour the reckoning of the Golden number. Now because this DIONYSIVS that placed the Golden number in the Kalendar, tooke no heede to this, or rather vnderstood it not, by processe of time, the changes of the Moone fall not vponupon the dayes of the Kalendare, where DIONYSIVS placed the Golden number, but foure dayes, and some-times fiue dayes thereafter. And also those dayes, which are called moveable Feastes, and namely, the Feaste of Easter or Pasche daye, cannot bee rightlie reckoned by the Cycle of DIONISIVS, called the Paschall Cycle, conteining the number of fiue hundreth thirtie two yeares, that is, nineteene times twenty eight yeares, by multiplying the Cycle of the Sunne, by the Cycle of the Moone: for albeit this man, named Dionysius Exignus, a certaine Abbot of Rome, who lived in the dayes of Iustinian the Emperour, about 500. yeares after the incarnation of Christ, the authour of the Romanes Paschall count or Cycle, intended by setting out of that his Cycle of 532. yeares, to giuegive a perpetuall and infallible rule, to know the true daye of the celebration of the Paschall feast, called Easter, after the minde and determination of the Nicene councell, which decreed, that all times thereafter, the Feast of Easter should be celebrate vponupon that Sunday, which immediatly followed the fourteen day of the Moone (which the Hebrewes hold to be the fourteen day of their first MonethMonth, called Nisan) next, after the Spring time, Equinoctium, which then fell out in March, as it doth nowe, but not vppon the same day of the MonethMonth. Yet this Dionysius was deceived in two things. For first (as I hauehave told) he took no heed, or vnderstood not, that every ninteene yeare, the Golden number lacketh of the juste reckoning, an houre and halfe an houre, or thereby. Secondly, hee remembred not the leape yeare in his reckoning, or else supposed the Moone to hauehave a leape yeare, aswell as the Sunne, which very proposterously is called [Saltus lunae] the leaping of the Moone by some; For the Moone hath no leaping, but keepeth a constant course. Herefore it is, that the Cycle of Dionysius, serveth not exactly to count the course of the Moone, and those moveable Feastes: For Easter day, as it is commonly now counted by that Cycle, falleth out often-times a MonethMonth and more, after the just appoynted time of the Nicene councell. And if we shall follow, the old Romane Kalendar and Golden number, set downe by Dionysius, there in minding to celebrate Easter day thereafter; we shall see a great variation from the decree of the councell. For sometime, Easter daye shall fall before the middest of March, the Tuesday called, Fastings even, shall fall in Ianuary: And Whit sunday sometime in April. And after the reckoning of the Hebrewes, our Easter day, shal fal in the MonethMonth of Adar, the last MonethMonth of the yeare, and not in Nisan, the first MonethMonth. For the which, I wil giuegive you one example. In the yeare of our Lord 1598. lately by past, according to the decree of the Nicene Councell, and late Kalendar, set outby Lilius, Easter day, fell vponupon the twelft daie of March, in the olde Kalendare and Almancks, whereby we yet reckon in England and Scotland: And Whit sunday vponupon the last daye of Aprill: And Fastings-euen, vponupon the twenty foure of Ianuary: Whereas after the vulgare maner and count, Easter daie was celebrate that yeare, the sixteenth daie of Aprill, Whit-sunday, the fourth of Iune: And Fastings-even, the last of February. Yee see the distance betweene the one calculation and the other, is more then the space of a MonethMonth: what errour it may growe to by proces of time, it is easie by this example to perceiue: And so wee must confesse indeede, that the olde Kalendare in this poynt, hath neede of reformation: As also, that Cycle or count, called the Paschall Cycle of Dionysius. Now Lilius in his new Kalendar, to restore that Cycle of Dionysius to the right reckoning, maketh his counte by hundreths, because every 304. yeares, which is the space of sixteene Golden numbers, one day being added to the Golden number of nineteene yeares, supplieth the houres and Minutes of the course of the Moone. But this counte by hundreths, hath divers imperfectiones: Namely, because in his Epactes, counting by hundreths, no exact methode can be observed; yea, the variety of the course of the Moone, can not so formally bee counted thereby, as by the Golden number, which conteineth lesse space: besides that, the Paschal tearms aggree not oftimes thereto: wheranent you may reade, Ioseph Scaliger, in the end of his learned woork, De emendatione temporum; where also he setteth downe a more perfite reckoning, by a Table of equall Epactes; where-anent, because it is hard to be conceived by them that are not wel acquainted with Astronomical reckonings, I cease now further to speak. Alwaies, wee shall vnderstande, it is very difficill to finde out ane Cycle that may make an absolute perfite reckoning, of the course of the Moone, to frame it to anie perpetuall Kalendar: Yea, as Io. Stoeflere wryteth in his greate Romane Kalendare;Propositi… 37. no Paschall Cycle, may exactly comprehend the same: Which alwaise is best found out by the Epacts, and by the Golden number, receiving a juste correction. Therefore, for the instruction of the common …orte of men, best it is by Astronomicall counte, to sette a Table or Almanacke, conteining the right reckoning of the course of the Moone, for manie yeares, either by her midde motiones, or by her appearing and true motiones: as Io. Stoeflere did for certaine yeares in his dayes. In the meane time, it shall suffice, for a grosse and common instruction of all men, to place the Golden number in the Iuliane Kalendare, vppon the precise dayes of the change of the Moone, as it is nowe set downe in diverse Kalendars: For that will serue to declare what daye everie change falleth out; and whether it be before or after noone, by adding of the letter B. or A. to everie particulare Golden number, which maye serue for a long season, without anie perceptible variation. And who would knowe more exactlie the houres and Minutes of everie Change, Full, or quarter of the Moone, let them gette once by ane Ephemeride, or right Prognostication, the chaunge of one Moone, with the dayes, houres, and Minutes thereof, and counte to the next change, twenty nine daies, twelue houres, and fourtie foure Minutes: And from the Change to the Full, fourteene dayes, eighteene houres, and twentie two Minutes. And for everie quarter, seaven dayes, nine houres, and elleven Minutes, proceeding so farre as you lyste, it shall bee the true reckoning of the course of the Moone. As to the Paschall Cycle, we need not be carefull thereof; But take heede to the first full Moone, after the vernall Aequinoctium, and ever the next Sunday thereafter, should be Pasche or Easter day: and thereby, you may propagate an Almanacke for the moueables Feastes, as farre foorth as ye please, after the rule of the Nicene Councell. But to bee too much curious, concerning the observation of those Feastes, it is not necessary for true Christians; for wee know that concerning the resurrection of Christ, which admonisheth vsus to ryse in newnesse of life, everie seventh daye in the yeare, (which wee call the Sundaie or Lordes day) putteth vsus in remembrance thereof. And otherwise, wee are forewarned by the Apostle, Not to be supersititions in observation of times, Gal. ….dayes, and yeares, that wee be not brought in Iewish bondage thereby: And againe, That no man shoulde iudge vsus in Meate or Drinke, Col. 2…or in respecte of an Holic-daie or of the newe Moone, or of the Sabbothe dayes, which were but shaddowes of thinges to come: But the bodie is in Christe: meaning the substance thereof, was accomplished in Christe. And wee hauehave no commandement nor ground out of the Scripture, nor any example of Christ or his Apostles, for observation of those daies. For as to the typical Pasche or Passeover of the Iews; it was finished in Christ, when he our true Passeover, or Paschal Lambe was sacrificed for vsus: And we (as Paule sayeth) hauehave now to keepe a feast spiritually,Cor. 5. al the days of our life (putting away the olde leaven of malice and vvickednesse) with vnleavened bread of sincerity and trueth. And the other invented Paschetyde or Easter, after the resurrection of Christe, is but the invention of men, how auncient soever it be. So that the great contentiones and controversies that followed in the auncient Church, for the day wherin the same was to be observed, both before and after the Nicene councell, are skarsely worthy to be recited. And yet Victor Bishoppe of Rome (as that seate was ever proude) for not observing the same day, which he and his adherentes kept, did excommunicate al them of the churches of Asia, that kept an other day. For the which cause, the godly Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons, justly founde great fault with him: Notwithstanding, the Church agreeing to the observation of such a day, as an indifferent thing, in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ, there is no necessity to counterfaite the lawe of Moyses, in observing the time of the Moone, but it may be fixed to a certaine day of the MonethMonth, or else, following the full Moone, to finde it out after the maner before recited: Alwaies, our Christian libertye ought not to be prejudged herein: And so I make an end.