the change of numbers in different centuries [See p. 126], and the correspondence they have to the numbers of the Old Style.

The commencement of the year in various countries being known, we can form calendars to fuit the various dates, whether for the Old or New Style.

The French Republican Calendar has been drawn out with the corresponding dates for the English Calendar.

The account given of the Golden Numbers, and the tables showing the change in the order of the numbers, with the different cycles, will ferve as a key to the cause of the confufion which has exifted concerning the date upon which the Feast of the Passover commenced, at the time of the establishment of the Chriftian faith. [See Table of correfponding numbers of the three cycles, p. 224].

The Pafchal Cycle continued by Dionyfius, serves as a ready key to the

Table for finding the date of Eafter-day for the Old Style, the New Style dates of Eafter-day for years from 1583 to 1926 being given feparately [pp. 138 to 141].

The moveable feafts with the Saints'-days, altogether amounting to several hundreds, are believed to be those which were chiefly used in English manuscripts.

A Table of Law Terms, fo that the commencement and termination of any of the four "Terms" can be eafily ascertained after the year 1264, is indispensable when a date happening near the end of any "regnal year" falls between the first and last dates of a moveable "Term.”

The Eras of various nations are required for the verification of one another. For example, In the account of the Chriftian Era, by means of other eras, historical statements have been verified, and the words of the Gospel of St. Matthew may be seen to apply to 30 Anno

Domini of the Julian form of year = 33 Anno Chrifti, for the year in which our Lord fuffered. [The date of the feast of the Paffover has been determined by the numbers of the Metonic Lunar Cycle, and we think we are juftified in taking this cycle for the one which was then [A.D. 30] used by the Jews, inafmuch as we have shown in the account of the Hebrew Calendar [/ee pp. 263-266], that the numbers of the "cycle of the year" now used by the Jews have been regulated by the cycles introduced by Christians in the years 463 and 532 of the Christian era. The numbers of the Jewish cycle of the year being found correfponding to the cycle of Hilarius [A.D. 463], and the seven intercalary or embolismic years of the Jewish Cycle being represented by the fame numbers as those of the "Dionyfian Cycle of 19 years" [A.D. 532], except when a new number has been introduced by the Jews on new year's day of the civil year, at the time of the autumnal equinox, we infer that the cycle now used by the Jews was not adopted by them before the fixth century, and that the numbers of the Metonic Lunar Cycle (probably according to the system of the Calippic period) would have been used by the Jews in the first century of the Christian era, for determining the date of the New Moon of the Vernal equinox, by which the feast of the Paffover was regulated].

Anaftafius, a Greek writer [poffibly the Bishop of Antioch, who was banished from his See A. D. 570], states, that "our Lord fuffered, in his 33rd year [= 30

A.D.], on the 14th day of the moon, the 29th of "Phamenoth" [= 25th of March], which date falls on Saturday in that year. In our account of the Christian era [See pp. 222-3], we have endeavoured to show how it happens that this date has been given.

State Papers.

The letters, &c. of which our State Papers are chiefly compofed frequently bear dates according to the two styles, Old and New, when the letters have been written in Foreign Countries, and they are thus eafily arranged chronologically according to either system. But when we meet with a paper dated on or between the ift of January and the 24th of March, with double dates for the year, we must take the day of the month to be according to the Old Style. Thus :-" Tuesday, Ift of January, 1582-3," is according to the Old Style in England &c. by the fact of the year 1582 ending on the 24th of March being recognized. For if the date instanced had been intended to represent the New Style, the year 1583 would have appeared alone, as the fyftem of commencing the year on the 1st of January was in each country adopted earlier than the Gregorian or New Style of writing dates.

=

Memorandum.-The Table of correfponding Golden Numbers given in this work [fee p. 224] shows the difference of three numbers between each cycle; but as Number I of the Metonic Cycle commenced with the Attic month Hecatombeon July, on the 13th of that month, there will be a difference of four numbers during the first fix months in the year commencing with January, and number V of the Metonic Cycle must be made to correspond to IX of the Lunar Cycle, and XII of the Dionyfian Cycle of 19 years in the Christian year of the Julian form A.D. 30, from January to July, as the numbers for the year of those two cycles came into use in January. Number VI of the Metonic Cycle corre

C

sponding to those numbers, IX and XII, only from July to December in the fame year [A.D. 30]. No variation in the dates for the New Moon will be required, as the "Table" in which VI = IX = XII appear has been made expressly for the year commencing with January. This explanation is required, because in this preface [see p. xiv] we have shown that number V of the Metonic Cycle belonged to 30 A.D. The above remarks muft alfo be borne in mind when the "Table" given in the body of this work [fee p. 122] is referred to.

It is now the agreeable duty of the author, to offer his beft thanks to those friends who have kindly aided him in his work. Special thanks are due to L. Ph. C. Vanden Bergh, Efquire, Chef des Archives d'Etat, at the Hague, for his kindness in furnishing some valuable notes concerning the dates of the adoption of the New Style in the Proteftant Netherlands. To William Frafer, Efquire, F.S.A., of Edinburgh, for his examination of the dates connected with the reigns of the Scottish Sovereigns. To John Edwards, Efquire, Secretary of the Public Record Office; Hans Claude Hamilton, Esquire, F.S.A.; E. H. Rhodes, Efquire, B.A.; S. R. Bird, Esquire, and W. D. Selby, Efquire, of the Public Record Office, and to William Floyd, Efquire, for the loan of valuable works. To Meffrs. Whittingham and Wilkins, whose names appear as printers of the book, the author alfo offers his beft thanks.

J. J. B.

Cæfar's Invafion of Britain,

in the year of Rome 699 = 55 before I A.D. on the
26th of Auguft, Saturday, fo interpreted.

T is ftated in hiftory, that Cæfar invaded our
shores on the 26th of August 55 B.C. The
Year-letter for that year, if we obferve the

fixed form of year, correfponding to that of the Solar Cycle, is A, [fee p. 35]. The Calendar for letter A [fee p. 54] makes the 26th of Auguft fall on Saturday.

In Cæfar's Commentaries we find the following words. [Lib. iv. cap. 28.] "Pace firmatâ his rebus, quartam diem post-quam ventum-eft in Britanniam," &c. &c. [Cap. 29.] "Eâdem nocte evenit ut luna effet plena," &c. &c., by which we learn that the fourth day of Cæfar's arrival was the time of the full moon. Now if we look to p. 116 of this book we fhall fee that the Golden Number of the Metonic Cycle for the year 55 B.c. was XVII, with which number, in the table at p. 224, the date of the new moon appears to be the 14th of Auguft. The full moon would be the fourteenth day of that date = the 27th of August [Sunday]; and the fourth day of the 26th would be the 29th of Auguft. This note is given for the purpose of showing the use of the tables in this work for the verification of dates with the Golden Numbers, as the date found by means of the Golden Number XVII fuits the statement made by Cæfar with reference to the time of che full moon, when the high tides caufed him so much inconvenience.