on the very 14th Moon of the first Month, but
on the Lords Day immediately following it, and
that chiefly for this reason, viz. because on the
first Dominical, or Lords Day after the Jewish Pass∣over,
our Saviour rose from the dead. For as the
Author of the Gregorian Calender saith, the Jews
Celebrate the Passover on the 14th Moon, which
represented the Death of Christ, so we in this
Feast Celebrate the Memory of Christ's, which
hapned on the Dominical Day; so that not to con∣cur [ 10]
with the Jews, in case the 14th Moon of the first
Month should fall upon the Dominical Day, the
observation of Easter must be transferr'd to the
Lords Day following; therefore for the more exact
Celebration of Easter, upon which all the rest of
the moveable Feasts depend, these three things
are especially to be observed, viz. the Vernal Ae∣quinoctial,
the 14th Moon of the first Month, and the
Lords Day following the said 14th Month.
But after this Constitution it came to pass, how∣ever [ 20]
through the mistakes of Astronomers, that the
Vernal Equinoctial at length, in stead of hapning on
the 21th of March, it was on the 11th, nor could
the New Moons be well computed by the Golden
Numbers placed in the Calender; but fell out above
4 days later than their just time; and consequent∣ly,
Easter-day could not be kept in its due turn, ac∣cording
to the Sanction of the Nicene Council:
Whereupon by the Authority of Pope Gregory the
13th, who called together all the ablest Astrono∣mers [ 30]
of that Age, the Calender was rectified, Anno
1582. the Year brought to its just measure, and
by taking away 10 days, the Vernal Equinoctial
reinstated in its former Seat; and lastly, 30 Epact∣al
Numbers put in the room of the Golden Num∣ber.
According to this Form, that space of time where∣in
the Sun departing from any point of Heaven;
for Example, from either Equinoctial, or Solstiti∣al
Point returns again to the same, is called the [ 40]
Caelestial, or Tropical Year; and this sort of Year
is unequal, that is, sometimes greater, and some∣times
lesser by some Scruples; and by this means
it leaves us in Obscurity as to its Solution. Where∣fore
Astronomers following a middle way, have
allotted to the Year 365 Days, 5 Hours, and 49
Minutes, reckoning it as a mean between the
Tropick, or Celestial Year, and the Julian Year
which is greater by 11 Minutes, or Horary Scru∣ples;
and because the Julian Year though greater [ 50]
than the Tropical, was not however totally thrown
aside, it was provided to prevent all Error for the
future, that every Century of Years one Bessextile
Day should be omitted, excepting only every 4th
Century, which should retain the Bissextile, accor∣ding
to the common Custom. [ 60]