CHAP. V.

Of the Julian Period.

RULES.

1. The Julian Period is a Syftem of 7980 years, the first year of which had one for the Character of the Solar Cycle, as well as of the Lunar Cycle, and of the Indiction; all reckoned according to the manner of the Latines, from the Noon of the Calends of January.

2. This Period arifes from the continual Multiplication of 28, 19, and 15, the Cycles of the Sun, Moon and Indiction.

3. In refpect of its ufe, this Period is the Standard

and common receptacle of all the other Fpocha's fo that we are chiefly to reduce all other Era's to it.

S. I. .THIS HIS Period was called the falian, not becaufe The rea it was invented by Fulius Cafar, fince 'twas onwhy thit not received till the year 4669; but because the Syftem is called the

confifts of Fulian years.

Julian Pe

riod.

§. 2. This Epocha is not Historical but Artificial, as of its Abeing invented only for the ufe of true Epocha's: For ther Scaliger confidering that the Calculation was very intricate, in ufing the years of the Creation, the years of Chrift, or any other Epocha whatever, for that another Perfon could not understand what year this or that Writer meant to remove fuch doubts in the computation of time, he thought of this Period; and when he faw there was fcarce any Epocha, the beginning of which was incontestable among Chronologers, he fixed this: For he multiplied the three Cycles of the Sun, Moon and Indiction into one another, and the Product refulting be called the Julian Period. By

K 2

quo,

Book III. this means he avoided the Inconveniencies, which were wont to arife from the different Computation of years. But no one can doubt, who has confidered the Conftantinopolitan and the Julian Periods; but that the former was the occafion of the latter. For they agree in Quantity and in Principles; fince, as Scaliger has taught, both arife from the multiplication of the Cycles; but they difagree in refpect of the Terminus à fince the beginning of the Conftantinopolitan Period is fuppofed to precede the other Period by 795 years: Nor have the years of the Fulian Period the fame beginning as the Conftantinopolitan have; for we begin those from Noon upon the Calends of January; but thefe partly from the Autumn, partly from the Spring. But what praife Scaliger has deferved, even from his Enemies, upon the fcore of the use of this Fulian Period, is evident from the following Words of Petavius lib. 9. cap. 1. where he fays, Truly there is scarce any thing in all Scaliger's Chronological Books which is of any Moment, or can avoid reprehenfion, befides his Explication of the Julian Period. And as we have defervedly condemn'd the rest, because of their intolerable Errors, and have rejected them from all Ufe in Hiftory; fo we ought much to esteem this Artificial Cycle of years and its ufe. Which is fufficient from an Enemy and conftant Adverfary.

of the most S. 3. The firft ufe of the Julian Period is this; that remarka- we can explain our Minds to one another: For every ble Ufes of year in this Period has its peculiar Cycles, which no the Julian other year in the whole Period has. Whereas on the

Period.

contrary, if we reckon by the years of the World, we muit first enquire how many years any Author reckons from the Creation to the year of Chrift, which Multiple Inquifition, Experience will teach any one who doubts of it, is troublefome and full of difficulties, according to the method of other Periods. The 24e is, that the three Cycles are eafily found in this Period: The 3d Ufe is this, that if it be known how the Chronological Characters are to be found, and how the years of any other Epocha are to be connected with the years of the fulian Period, the fame Chajatters allò may with little labour be applied to the years of all other Epocha's: And for this reafon we ha" explain in certain sections the way of finding

the

the Chronological Characters in the Fulian Period; and after that our fpecial part of Chronology fhali fhew the connexion of hiftorical years, with the Flian Period. For as otherwife it had been neceffary in all the other Chapters of our fpecial part to have fhewn how thofe Characters might peculiarly be applied to Era's: So it thall thus be fufficient that we have mentioned how they may be compared together in the Julian Account; and thus 'twill only remain, that in the mention of Epocha's we fhew how the years reckoned from any Period agree with fome certain year in the Julian Period.

S. 4. The first year of Dionyfius's Chriftian Epocha, of the prin by the confent of all the Latines, had for its Chara-ciple that cters, 10 the Solar Cycle, 2 the Lunar, 4 the Roman Scaliger Indiction; which three Cycles being found in no followed in ther year of the whole Fulian Period, befides 4714; the years of inftituting the first year of the Chriftian Ara muft there- the Julian fore rightly agree with that year of the Julian Period. Period, and fo on in courfe, as Scaliger noted, and as Petavius truly wrote: The beginning of the years of Chrift, which Men call the Chriftian Era, is as it were the Limit and Hinge of Chronology, and the` common Term in which the reafonings of all Chronologers meet, as if they were drawn through many Turnings and Windings into the fame Computation.

all the

§. 5. Whereas the first year of the Julian Period, Anenquiry reckoning back from the true beginning of the World, whether the is 764; it easily appears, that the Opinions difagree-Syftem of ing in many years, may commodiously be referred the Julian to the Fulian Period: Nor does any of thofe Wri Period is ters who reckon from the Hebrew and Latin Codes Sufficient of the Bible, throw the affigned Epocha of the Crea- to adjust tion beyond the beginning of the Julian Period: But Epocha's of if we examine the Reafons of profane Hiftory, and the World first of all, of the Egyptian and other Authors, who of allChro follow the Numbers of the 70 Interpreters, we can-nologers.. not deny this Period to be infufficient to reconcile all the Difagreements that happen about the Epocha of the Worlds Creation, for the space of time from thence to Abraham, in the Computation of the Greeks, exceeds that of the Latines by more than a thoufand years, as fhall be fhewed in its place; for which rea fon, fome form another Julian Period called Poftula

How to

titious; by means whereof we can commodiously explain thofe Opinions which differ fo much from the Hebrew Truth.

S. 6. Let the given Number of years be divided by find the 28, 19, and by 15; look at the Remainders, not at Cycles of the Quotients, and you have the Characters of the the Sun, Cycles fought. Afterwards, the Solar Cycle being Moon and known, the Dominical Letter, the firft day of the of any gi. year, and the quantity of the year, are readily found from the foregoing Table, at Page 87: for the eafier of the Ju-computation of this matter, we have added the fol lian Peri-lowing Table, which will ferve to fhorten the Divifion. riod, as

Indiction

ven year

well as the Dominical Letter, the initial Feria, and the quantity of the year.

How it may be

9252 171 135 441

5,7. Caft away the Thoufands and Hundreds ; divide the Remainder by 4: If nothing remains 'tis Bif fextile; If 1, 2, or 3 remains, 'tis a common year, whether a- and the ift, 2d, or 3d. after a Biffextile. ny affigned

known

year is Biffextile or Common.

How the

S: 8. 'Tis neceffary by the method of the preceding Hebdoma Section to find the first day in the given year, and tick Cha- the quantity of the given year, if the day fought be

valer or

Feria of any day in any given year of the Julian Period may be found.

after