Gregorii posthuma, or, Certain learned tracts written by John Gregorie. Together with a short account of the author's life and elegies on his much-lamented death published by J.G.

CHAP. I. Concerning the Characters of Time.

A Character in Chronologie, is a certain Note where∣by an infallible judgment is made of the time pro∣posed.

They are either Natural or Civil. Natural, as Eclipses, the Cycles of the Sun and Moon, &c. Civil, as the Sabba∣tical Years, the Indictions &c. Their importance in Histo∣rie is more then their appearance. Sine his, without these (saith Scaliger) omnis conatus irritus, 'tis to no purpose to go to work. Character temporis (as the same Autor) constituit fines audaciae Computatorum, ut qui in hoc negotio Characterem negligat non magis fit audiendus, quàm qui negat principia. Can. Isagog. Wee begin with the natural Characters, and first

CHAP. II. Of the Eclipses.

EClips is more properly said of the Moon then of the Sun. The Eclips of the Moon is caussed by the Inter∣position of the Earth. The Eclips of the Sun by the Inter∣position

of the Moon, therefore the Sun cannot bee Eclip∣sed but when hee is in Conjunction with the Moon; nor the Moon, but when shee is in opposition to the Sun: yet neither do the Eclipses com to pass, as often as these Lights oppose or conjoin; for then they should bee Monethlie: Onely that Conjunction or Opposition maketh an Eclips which is Diametral; that is, when the center of the Earth and the centers of both the Luminaries shall bee in the same line, which hapneth to bee there onely, where the Moon's Eccentrick cutteth the Sun's in that Line, which is therefore called the Ecliptick. This intersection is (as needs it must) but in two places, called by Ptolomie the Nodi, one asscending, the other descending. The Arabians term them the Dragon's Head and Tail, from the fashion of the Intersections as they imagine it. But neither do these Inter∣sections keep one certain place, but moving make a Circle of 18 Years, so that the Eclips of the Moon which shall fall out the tenth of December next, in the 20 deg. of Gemini, shall 18 Years hence com to pass in the same Sign again.

Therefore Eclipses beeing Periodical, the begining of the World supposed, the Astronomer by Calculation can attein to anie, and all that ever have been by the same Rules, by which hee foretelleth those that shall bee so, that if anie where in Storie this Character shall occurr, nothing can more assure the Time.

Let Instance bee made in the Begining of the Grecian Em∣pire, the appointment whereof dependeth upon the Battel at Arbela, or (as Plutarch correcteth) at Gaugamele. Eleven daies (saith the same Autor) before this fight an Eclips of the Moon was seen. 'Twas the second hour of the Night, saith Plinie, the Moon then rising in Sicilie. Astronomical calculation demonstrateth that this Eclips (all things con∣sidered) could not fall out but in the second Year of the 112 Olympiad, which was the 3619 of the World, the Sun beeing then in the 24 deg. of Virgo. And therefore that God in Cicero mistook the cours of the Stars, who pre∣saged,* 1.1 that if the Moon should bee Eclips'd in Leo, a little before the Sun's rise, the Victorie should fall on Alexander's

side. So indeed it did, but neither was the Moon then in Leo, nor the Sun in the East.* 1.2 For such is the assurance of this Character, that though the Astronomer learn of the Historian, that there was an Eclips; yet where, and oft-times when it was, the Historian might learn of him.

Eusebius and Dio set down that there was an Eclips of the Sun a little before the death of Augustus; but by a Calculati∣on Astronomical, the Eclips was not of the Sun but of the Moon, nor was it a little before, but a little after his death.

S. Hierom reporteth, that in his time (about the Year of Christ 393) so terrible a darkness overshadowed the earth (obscurato sole) that everie man thought the World was at an end. Nos scindimus Ecclesiam (saith hee to Pammachius) qui ante paucos menses, circadies Pentecostes, cum obscurato Sole omnis Mundus jam jámque venturum Judicem formidaret.

But the Astronomers finde that there could bee no Eclips of the Sun then, nor near about that time; but in such ca∣ses they answer, that the Interposition was made by som un∣usual exhalations, of that opacitie, which might intercept the Sun's light, in as great a measure as if the Moon had com between; Such an one was that Eclips (as som Histo∣rians miscal it) which was seen so often in one Year be∣fore Cesar's death, and that of the Year 798, the Sun bee∣ing so dark for 18 daies together, ut naves in mari aberrarent,* 1.3 which was a greater Eclips then the Moon could make.

Yet neither is it here to bee dissembled that the Astrono∣mers themselvs do not alwaies agree about this infallible Character, for Moller findeth out, by his Frisian Tables, manie Eclipses which cannot bee attein'd unto by the Pru∣tenick Tables, or those of the King Alphonsus, &c. To ex∣cuse this, wee are to laie an imputation upon their Tables, as beeing not all exacted from the same Hypotheses, or not performed with like elaborate erection: Or otherwise wee are to saie (supposing the Tables to bee exact) that som er∣ror was committed in the calculation of the Eclips. And in this case wee are to guid our selvs by the greatest Ma∣sters in the Art. For what if Moller saie that the Year of

Cesar Augustus his diseas cannot bee demonstrated by the Eclips of the Moon in the begining of Tiberius, becaus the Moon was Eclipsed both the Year before and after. Se∣thus Calvisius may satisfie, that neither of those could bee to∣tal, as this was, and whereas the one of those was seen at 7, the other at 8 of the Clock at night, this was seen at 5 in the Morning.

And therefore all this notwithstanding, the Character is to bee accounted excellent and of singular importance, which Aristotle himself, not ignorant of, appointed Calisthe∣nes at the siege of Babylon, to reserv with all possible care the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Astronomical calculations of the Chaldeans, as Simplicius relateth. And the care was taken, yet none of these observations (though known to bee very manie) could escape the injurie of time, save onely three Eclipses, which came to Ptolomie's hands, unto which, himself added three more of his own observation, serving very much to the ad∣vancement of Historical Truth, though this bee but a small number, in comparison of those manie which the Histori∣ans here and there have committed to Memorie; for indeed wee are not for this matter, much less beholden to ignorance then to knowledg. Wee know when it was that a Romane General durst not give Battel for fear of an Eclips: and that of the Moon in the begining of Tiberius, as one men∣tioned,* 1.4 as Tacitus can tel us, affrightned the mutinous Soul∣diers into order and accord: And 'tis not long since the Conqueror of the Indies persuaded the Natives, that hee had complained of them to their Moon, and that such a daie the God should frown upon them, which was nothing els but an Eclips, which hee had found out in his Al∣manack.

However this ignorant Admiration was an occasion to the Men of those daies, not to leav so strange an Accident, as an Eclips out of their Storie, especially if it happened to bee great, or concurring with anie notable design: little aiming at that which the reach of those daies hath brought to pass upon them, which by turning over the leavs of that celestial volume, recovereth their Eclipses again; and by

application of this Character, maketh as sure of the time proposed, as if it had been written in Heaven.

CHAP. III. Concerning the Cycle of the Sun.

THe division of the Year into 52 Weeks, becaus it setteth off one daie supernumerarie, maketh an alteration in all the rest; so that the daies of the Week (which use to bee assigned by the letters of the Alphabet) fall not alike in se∣veral Years; but Sundaie this Year, must fall out upon the next Year's Mondaie, and so forwards till seven Years; and (becaus the Bissextile superaddeth another daie everie fourth Year) till four times seven, that is twentie eight Years bee gon about. This Revolution is called the Cycle of the Sun taking name from Sundaie, the Letter whereof (called therefore Dominical) it appointeth for everie year. It is found by adding nine (for so far the Circle was then gon about) to the Year of our Lord, and dividing the whole by 28. So to the year following 1639, if 9 bee added, the nu∣merus factus will bee 1648, which divided by 28 leaveth 24 for the Cycle of the Sun.

CHAP. IV. Concerning the Cycle of the Moon.

THe Cycle of the Moon is the Revolution of 19 years, in which space (though not precisely) the Lunations do recurr.

For becaus of the Sun and Moon's unequal motions, the changes falling out inconstantly, the time of Conjunction could not bee still the same. This varietie the Antients per∣ceiving to bee Periodical, endeavored to comprehend what Circle it made in going about. Cleostratus the Tenedian per∣suading

himself, that the Varietie finished within the space of 8 years proposed his Octaëtris, affording thereby no smal direction; But the error of this was discovered in part by Harpalus first, and after that by Eudoxus, but more fully by the learned Meton, who, finding that the Revoluti∣no was not completed in less time then the space of 19 years, set forth his Enneadecaëtris, within the Circle where∣of the Lunations (though not exactly) do indeed recur; so that if the Quadrature of the Moon shall fall out as this daie of this year; the like shall return again, the same daie of the 19. year succeeding. This Cycle is therefore called Cyclus decennovennalis, and from the Autor Annus Metonicus, from whose Athenians the Egyptians may seem to have recei∣ved it, as the Romanes from them, in letters of gold; from whence, (if not from the more pretious use of it) it ob∣tein'd to bee call'd,* 1.5 as yet still it is, the Numerus Aureus, or Golden Number. It was made Christian by the Fathers of the Nicene Councel, as beeing altogether necessarie to the finding out of the Neomenia Paschalis, upon which the Feast or Easter, and all the Movable rest depended. It self is found by adding an unite to the year of our Lord, and dividing the whole by 19, the remainder shall bee the Cycle of the Moon, or if nothing remain, the Cycle is out, that is nineteen.

CHAP. V. Concerning the Ferial Character.

THe Character of anie Time propos'd, is that which re∣maineth after all the Septenaries bee cast away from the whole summ converted into daies.

In rationibus Solis & Lunae (saith Scaliger) de dierum aggre∣gato semper abjicimus omnes septenarios; & residuum, cum horis & scrupulis est Character temporis propositi.

So the Character of a Moneth consisting of 29 daies, 12 hours, and 793 minutes, is 1.12.793. that is Feria prima∣hor.

12. min. 793. for so much remaineth more then the Septenaries. The Ecclesiastical year of old, began at Easter, the first Week whereof was all Holiedaie, the daies beeing distinguished by prima, secunda, tertia, &c. added unto Feria. From thence the daies of anie other Week began to bee called Feria prima, secunda, &c. 'Tis a Character of good assurance if the Historian set down Quâ Feriâ, what daie of the Week the Act was don. And if hee set down what Ho∣lie or Festival daie it was, 'tis a double Character. An Ex∣ample shall bee the deceas of great Otho, which, as som Histo∣rians cast, happened in the Year of Christ 972, as others, in the Year 973, but they saie too, that hee died the seventh of Maie, upon the fourth daie of the Week, and a little be∣fore Whitsontide; but the seventh of Maie could not fall upon the Feria quarta, but in a year whose Dominical letter was E. which was the Letter of 973, as 'tis certain from the Cycle of the Sun, which that year was 2.

Besides, the Cycle of the Moon was 5, therefore the Ter∣minus Paschalis that year was March the 22, therefore the 11 of Maie was Whitsundaie, which cannot bee said of the years before or after. Therefore 'tis certain that Otho died that year, or els hee died not that daie.

CHAP. VI. Concerning the great Conjunctions.

COnjunctio superiorum is not the same thing now as of old. The antient Astrologers called no Conjunction great but that of trium Superiorum, when Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars met altogether. But the later finding the effects of the two conjoined more strong and prevailing then of the three; have given the name of a great Conjunction onely to that of Saturn and Jupiter.

These two superior Planets finishing their Circles in un∣equal time, they make three Conjunctions in the whole Re∣volution. The twelv Signs in Astrologie are divided into

four Trigons, or Triplicities, each denominated from the connatural Element; and so they are three Fierie, three Aë∣rie, three Waterie, and three Earthie. Nineteen years, and som odd daies and hours gon about, Saturn and Jupiter meet together in Signs of the same Triplicitie: 198 years gon about they meet in signs of several Triplicitie, but not altogether in complying: 794 years and 214 daies gon a∣bout they meet in Signs of contrarie Triplicitie. The first of these is called Conjunctio Minor; the second Media. This latter Magna, the great Conjunction, when Saturn joineth force with Jupiter in the fierie Trigon or Triplicitie, which though it happen in 794 years, and 214 daies, yet it useth to bee accounted by the Numerus rotundus of 800.

By these Conjunctions, Cardinal Aliac undertook to re∣form the whole State of Chronologie, and make infallible demonstration of the years of the World.

To bring this about, hee first of all supposed out of Al∣bumazar the figure of Heaven when the World began: That the Horoscope was in the seventh of Cancer, and that the Sun was in the 19 of Aries, the rest of the Planets accor∣••ingly assigned.

This taken for granted, hee brought himself to that first and great Conjunction, which falling out in the wateris Triplicitie, insinuated such an influence into the Inferior bodies, as brought upon the World that universal Deluge, as Aoniar, and Albumazar delivered out of their Antients. By this Conjunction hee assigned 2242 years for the Inter∣val betwixt the Flood, and the begining of things, but which was neither true in it self, nor following his own Principles. And therefore wee may imagine what Conclu∣sion hee was likely to make, whose foundation was not bet∣ter appointed: though otherwise a great Conjunction may bee set down among the Characters of Chronologie; but rather to assure, then to finde out the moments of time; and more concerning that which is to com, then those which are gon and past.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cic. de. Divi∣nat. lib. 1.
• * 1.2

  De Emend. Temp. lib. 5. Chronolog. Bunting. fol. 126.
• * 1.3

  Scal, in Pro∣legom. pag. 51.
• * 1.4

  Tacitus An∣nal 1.
• * 1.5

  Origan.