between) 16, 5; yet they precifely follow the Progreffive order of the Epacts, of which they are but Indices, beginning at the greatest Epact, viz. 29, and fo defcending in order till they come to the leaft, viz. 1:

The reafon why they fall in that order in the Calendar from the greatest Epacts progreffively to the least, is; because the greatest Epacts denote a greater diftance of the Moon before the Sun, and confequently a nearer approach to her Conjunction. Therefore the Indices of thefe Epacts are fet earlier in the Calendar of the Sun's Month, to keep fome accord, (as the Sun's longer and uneven Months will permit) between the Moon's Month and that of the Sun. And,for the fame reafon,as the Epacts decrease, so they fall later in the Calendar Month. If you find one, or two, or more of the leffer Epacts fet in the beginning; and one, or two, or more greater at the latter end of the Calendar Month it happens through the inequality of the Moon's and Sun's Months.

The Epacts varying every year by the progreffion of 11; It is fo, that the Greater the Epact (ie. the Age of the Moon at the end of the Sun's year,) happens to be; fo much fhorter will be the Remainder, or Complement of days to the next Conjunction: which fhews the reafon of the order of Epacts, pointed at in the Golden Number, in the firft Column of the Church Calendar.

I take the Month of Fuly there, in which to make In ftance, because it begins with the greatest Epact 29, pointed at by the Golden Number 19: The Reader will find thofe Columns in the faid Calendar very carelefly Printed; but they may be easily corrected by the ordinary Tables, obferving the order of thofe Num

bers.

When the Epact is 29, and the Golden Number 19, as it was 1690, and will be 1709: The true Complement to the next New Moon will be but half a Day. So the Moon will be in her Change (not truly, but according to that Rule by the Golden Number) the firft of July; and that will be the first day both of the Sun's and of the Moon's Month, and you may reckon the Age of the Moon by the day of the Month, throughout that one Lunation. Otherwife the Moon's Age must be reconcil'd to the day of the Month, by the Epacts,

pacts, and number of Months from March. The Solar Month being made the Standard, to which other MeaLures are reduced.

When the Moon changeth (according to the fame account) on the fecond day of July, as Anno Dom. 1698, the Epact will be 28, Golden Number 8, and the fecond of Fuly will be the firft of the Moon. When on the fourth of July, as Anno Domini 1687, 1706. Then the Epact is 26, and the Golden Number 16; and the fourth of July, the firft of the Moon. And thus still the Epacts decrease in order, as the Days of the Month go forward. Now this fhews plainly the Reafon of the Regular Progreffive Order (by Decrease) of the Epacts; and of the feeming diforder of the Golden Number in that Calendar, throughout the Month of July: And in the fame manner in all other Months: always allowing for the Differences in the Places of thofe Numbers, which will arife from the inequality of the Solar and Lunar Months. From whence it is, that in the year 1709, Epact 29, the Moon's Change will be alloted to Apr. 4. May 3. June 2. Fuly 1, and 31. Auguft 29. September 27, &c.

If you ask, Why there are void spaces in that first Column of the Calendar, fome days of the Month having no Golden Numbers fet against them? You must remember and confider, that there are no more varieties of Epacts than 19, fo measured by the Golden Number, and they arife out of their Annual Progreffion by 11, till you go through all variations, and begin again at 11; which is done in 19 Progreffions, or 19 years, as you may fee in the firft Table,

So that they are but enough to fet against 19 days of 29, or 30 in the Calendar; and 10 of the days having no Epact, can have no Golden Number against them, and fometimes an eleventh day, viz. the Space between the end of one Cycle, and beginning of another.

Take an inftance of the Month of July, in the fecond Table; the Days whereof are fet Laterally after and against the Columns of the Golden Number, and of Epacts, and of the correfpondent years of our Lord, within one Cycle.

₹

Now, there are no Epacts in the aforefaid Progreffion by II, which happen to fall on any of theie ten Numbers following, viz. 27, 24, 21, 19, 16, 13, 10, 8, 5, 2. So that thofe days of the Month, where thofe Numbers fhould in order fall, because they have no Epact, can have no Golden Number fet before them and therefore that space is left void, viz. as to. this Month of July, the 3, 6, 9, 1, 14, 17, 20, 22, 25, 28th days, (and 30% of the next Cycle.) By which you may plainly fee the reafon of thole void fpaces in this, or any other Month of the Ecclefiaftical Calendar.

But after all the Golden Number does not fo exactly comply with and measure the Moons Cycle, but that there is found an Anomaly, (like that of the Sun's Anticipation of 10.44") For tho' the Moon in 19 years feems to renew her fame courfe refpective to the Sun, yet it is found, fhe falls fhort in that time almost an hour and half, which in 16 Decennoval Cycles amounts to 24 hours, or a natural Day; viz. 6 hours, and 16 half hours: And thus 16 Cycles are compleated in 304 years, or rather, as fome more accurately feem to calculate, in 312 years, making the anticipation of the Moon, at the end of every Cycle, to be fomewhat lefs, viz. 1H, 27, 32", 42".

Now as the Nicene Council fixed the Equinox upon the 21 of March, for the finding out of Eafter,which has caused the mifguidance from the Sun, which we lie under, in refpect of Eafter,and the moveable Feafts: fo the fame Council likewife fixed the Accounts of the Moon, upon the Cycle of the Golden Number, as it then pointed out the Lunations, and therefore plac'd it in the Calendar, for a perpetual Rule (as is faid before.)

:

But now we find (for the reafons before affigned) that the Golden Number, fo fix d, gives us the Newmoon's, and Full, and other Accounts of the Moon, more than four days too late by reafon of the aforefaid Anticipation and our neglect of it: Which also wants Reformation, like that which is attempted in the Gregorian Calendar.

For, at this time, the Suns Account, by our old fulian year, is above ten days too late and that of the Moon above four days. When therefore the Accounts

of

of the Moon are alfo rectified and reformed, and the Golden Numbers once rightly applied to the days of the the Months; they may be kept fo, for many Ages, and kept right; by abridging one day at every end of 312 years, for an Equation of the Moons Cycle.

The Council of Nice was celebrated Anno Domini 325, fince which there have paffed four times 312 years, to the year 1573: which then caufed an Error of four days, and was reformed foon after, viz. 1583. From thence, viz. 1573, to this prefent year 1692, there have paffed 20 years; which contain fix Cycles of the Moon, and fix years Currant, which caufe a farther Anticipation of almoft nine hours. So much the Rule, by the Golden Nunber, affigns the Afpects of the Moon to the Sun, later, than by true account they are found to be.

Therefore, in the aforefaid first Coluinn, in the Car lendar before our Book of Common-prayer, in any of the Months, having found out, among t thofe Figures of that Column, the Golden Number for the prefent year; instead of the day of the Month over against it, reckon four days and nine hours before it, and you have the day of the Moon for common ufe: or, which amounts to the fame, reckon that Day of the Month which has the Golden Number belonging to it (over against it) for the fifth day of the Moons Age.

Thus much hath been faid of the Accounts of the Sun and Moon, principally for the better understanding of our Calendar; which being conftituted after the old fulian year, we may fee what need there is of rectifying it from thofe Anomalies, which in this long tract of time, fince the Nicene Council, have crept into it; tending to the difplacing of the Seafons of the year, and misplacing the Feftivals of the Church: And to fhew alfo the Grounds and Realons of the Cycle of the Moon's Epacts, viz. the Golden Number; which fo often occurs to us, and of which we may make fa frequent and continual ufe.

The Cycle of Indiction is a Syftem of 15 Julian years perpetually recurring, by which the times of certain Payments were made known to the Roman Subjects.

What we 5. 1. Some of the Gracians will have Indictio quafi in

ought to Actio; and 'tis wonderful that Cedrenus fhould understand follow this Opinion. Onuphrius will have Indictio to by theWord come ab Indice Crucis, feen by Conftantine when he Indiction. fought Maxentius: But thefe are frivolous Conjectures.

Indictio rather comes ab indicere, and was particularly used at first to denominate a certain Species of Penfions. Afconius apud Budaum in Pandect. p. 83.reckons up three kinds of Penfions or rather Penfitations, well known to the ancient Romans. First, the Canon to which Imposts, Tributes, &c, were referr'd. Secondly, the Oblation, at this time called the Aids: And thirdly the Indiction, which the Antients called Collatio. Čicero alfo calls it collecta. The Greeks call it πεντεκαιδεκαετήριδα.. Die calls it ἐκκαιδεκαετης» χρόνον. In the fame Senfe that the Olympias is called πενταέτερες. Αlfo χηματισμὸν, κύκλον τ νεμήσεως, &c. Which laft Words are used by the Writers of the Antiochian Hiftory.By the Latines,the Diftributiones and Fufiones were commonly used inftead of Indictiones.Pallad. de Rebus Geftis, Chryfoft. & Cod. Theod. de Indulg. Debit,

of the O- §. 2. There are many Opinions in this matter. The riginal and chief are these : First, Dionyfius Petavius lib. 11.de doct. Antiquity temp. item in Ration. p. 1.1.6. c. 1. who brings in a great of thefe In many Opinions about the Original of Indictions,

ditions.

thinks them all improbable Conjectures. Fofeph Scaliger Canon. Ifagog.1.3 p. 173. thinks this kind of Penfion of long standing, and that anciently 'twas denoted by the

Luftrum