Remarks upon the solar and the lunar years, the cycle of 19 years, commonly called the golden number, the epact, and a method of finding the time of Easter, as it is now observed in most parts of Europe / Being part of a letter from the Right Honourable George Earl of Macclesfield to Martin Folkes, President of the Royal Society, and by him communicated to the same, May 10 1750.

George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield

Date:: 1751

Credit: Remarks upon the solar and the lunar years, the cycle of 19 years, commonly called the golden number, the epact, and a method of finding the time of Easter, as it is now observed in most parts of Europe / Being part of a letter from the Right Honourable George Earl of Macclesfield to Martin Folkes, President of the Royal Society, and by him communicated to the same, May 10 1750. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$c*+] For which Reafon, in cafe the Lrgiflature of this Country fti >uld before the Year ipoo, think fit to make our Civil Year correfpond with that of the GrtgorianSy and alfo to celebrate all the future Feafts of E i\ier upon the fame Days upon which they cele¬ brate them 5 this laft Particular might be eafily effected, without altering the Rule of the Church oi England for the finding of that Feaft: And this only by advancing the Golden Numbers, prefixed ro certain Days in the Calendar, 8 Days forwarder for the New Moons, or 2i Days forwarder for the fourteenth Days or Full Moons, than they now Hand in our Calendar. In order to explain this, it muft be obferved, that the Gregorian Account or the New Style is eleven Days forwarder than the Julian Account or the Old Style, which we ft ill make ufe of 5 that is, the laft Day of any of our Months is the eleventh Day of their next fucceeding Month. If therefore their Ecciefiaftical New Moons fell on the lame Days with thofe of the Church oi England, the Golden Number 14, which now ftands againft the laft Day of February in our that is the Julian Calendar, fhould, when we fhould have adopted the Gregorian Calendar, be prefixed to the nth Day of March. But firice their Ecclefiaftical New Moons happen 3 Days earlier than our Ecclefiafti¬ cal New Moons at prefent do ; fo much fhould be de¬ ducted from thofe 11 Days, by which the Golden Numbers ought otherwife to be advanced 5 and the Golden Number 14 fhould not be placed againft the ■nth, but the 8th Day of March: Which being rec¬ koned the firft Day of the Moon, if we count on to the fourteenth Day of the fame inclufive, that would be found to fall on the 21ft Day of March s on which Day$

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