The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. II. A discourse and speculative consideration as touching the Bissextile or odde day of the Leape yeare, so precisely observed by Valentinian.

THe space and revolution of the yeare, the auncient writers, learned in the motion of the heaven, and in Astronomie, among whom, Menon, Euctemon, Hipparchus, and Archimedes excell, define in this wise: name∣ly, when the Sunne having by the everlasting law and order of things coelestiall run through the circle of the [twelve] signes, which in the Greek tongue is tearmed the ^c Zodiake, a course that he performeth in three hundred threescore and five dayes and nights, is returned againe to the same point: as for example, if setting out at the second degree of Aries, he returneth after his course ended to the same againe. But most truly, the space of one yeare is fully determined in the daies aforesaid, and sixe houres besides, namely, untill noone; and then the next yeare shall begin after the * 1.1 sixt houre, and reach unto the evening: the third day taking his beginning at the first * 1.2 watch, extendeth to the sixt houre of the * 1.3 night: and the fourth, from midnight holdeth on untill it be cleare * 1.4 day light. Least therefore this computation, by reason of the divers beginnings of the yeare, and for that, as one runneth out or endeth after the sixt houre of the day, so another after the sixt houre of the night should by a disorderly division confound all knowledge: and least the Autumne moneth might be found at any time in the Spring, thought good it

was, that those odde sixe houres, which in foure yeares arise to foure and twentie, should make the full measure of one day and night, for to be put unto the rest. Which being deepely considered, with the accord of many learned men it came to passe, that the revolution of the yerely course being brought to one distinctend, is neither wandering nor uncertaine, ne yet from thenceforth appeareth the order and motion of the heaven shadowed with any error, and the moneths keepe just their appointed times. The Romanes for a long time, before they had farre enlar∣ged their dominions, were ignorant hereof, and for many ages together being en∣wrapped with obscure doubts and difficulties, wavered then most in the deepe mist of errors, when they had transferred upon the priests the power and authoritie of ^d Intercalation: who gladly gratifying the Publicans or suiters at law for their com∣modities, at their pleasure abridged or augmented the times. And beside this, there arose many other deceivable errors, which to relate I thinke it now superfluous. All which abuses Octavian Augustus having abolished, in imitation of the Greekes re∣formed the disorder, and composed this inconstancie, by collecting together with great deliberation the spaces of twelve moneths and six houres: and so the Sunne running by eternall motion through the houses of the twelve signes, concludeth the space of the whole yeare. The reason of which odde day in the Leape yeare being thus allowed, Rome also (which by the helpe of Almightie God is to live so long as the world shall last) hath established. Wherefore let us proceed to the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  noone.
• * 1.2

  ••. 6. of the clocke in the evening.
• * 1.3

  midnight
• * 1.4

  6. of the clocke in the morning, af∣ter the ••quinocti∣all houres, when daies and rights be equall.