Note, that the supputation of the year of our Lord, in the Church of England, beginneth the .xxv. day of March, the same day supposed to be the first day upon which the world was created, and the day when Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

1578. Of the Golden number. The Golden number is so called, because it was written in the Kalender with letters of golde, right at that daye whereon the Moone changed: and it is the space of 19. yeeres, in the which the Moone returneth to the selfe same daye of the yeere of the Sunne: and therefore it is also called the Cycle of the Moone, in the which the Solstices and Equinoctials doe returne to all one point in the Zodiaque.

To finde it eucrie yeere, you must adde one yeere to the yeere of Christ (for Christ was borne one yeere of the 19. already past) then diuide the whole by 19, and that which resteth is the Golden number for that yeere; if there be no surplusage, it is then 19.

The Epact. Epacta hemera in Greeke, doeth signifie in Englishe, dayes set betwene, and therefore the 11. dayes and 3 houres, that are added to the yeere of the Moone, are called Epactæ, and are added to make the yeere of the Moone, which is but 354. dayes, iust with the yeere of the Sunne, which hath 365. dayes and a quarter.

To finde out the Epact of eche yeere, doe thus. To the Epact of the yeere that last went before that yeere for which you would finde the Epact, adde 11. and the summe of these two make the Epact. If it surmount 30. then take 30. out, and that which resteth aboue 30. is the Epact you desire.

The use of the Epact. To knowe howe olde the Moone is at any time for euer by the Epact, doe thus: Adde unto the dayes of your moneth, wherein you woulde knowe this, the Epact, and as many dayes moc as are moneths from March to that moneth, including both moneths, out of the which Substract 30. as often as you may, the age remaineth: if nothing remaine, the Moone changeth that day.

For the more ease of the Reader, we have placed hereouer an Almanacke, inclusively comprehending, not onely howe to finde the Epact for the space of xxxii. yeeres to come, but also the Golden number afore specified, together with the Dominicall letter, Leape yeere, and vii. other moueable feastes, or dayes in the yeere, during the same time, as may appeare.

Note, that the Golden number and Dominicall letter doeth change euery yeere the first day of Januarie, and the Epact the first day of March for euer. Note also, that the yeere of our Lorde beginneth the XXV. day of March, the same day supposed to be the first day vpon which the worlde was created, and the day when Christ was conceived in the wombe of the virgin Marie.

[The Epact for 1578 was xxii.]

When ye have found the Sunday Letter in the uppermost line, guide your eye downward from the same, till ye come right over against the prime, and there is shewed both what month, and what day of the month, Easter falleth that year.

These to be observed for Holy days, and none other.'

That is to say: All Sundays in the year. The days of the Feasts of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of the Epiphany. Of the Purification of the blessed Virgin. Of Saint Mathie' the Apostle. Of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin. Of Saint Mark the Evangelist. Of Saint Philip & Jacob the Apostles. Of the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist. Of Saint Peter the Apostle. Of Saint James the Apostle. Of Saint Bartholomew Apostle. Of Saint Mathew the Apostle. Of Saint Michael the Archangel. Of Saint Luke the Evangelist. Of Saint Simon and Jude the Apostles. Of All Saints. Of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Of the Nativity of our Lord. Of Saint Stephen the Martyr. Of Saint John the Evangelist. Of the holy Innocents. Monday and Tuesday in Easter week, and Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun week.

A brief declaration when every Term beginneth and endeth.

Be it known that Easter Term beginneth always the .xviii. day after Easter, reckoning Easter day for one: and endeth the Monday next after the Ascension day.

Trinity Term beginneth .xii. days after Whitsunday, and continueth xix. days.

Michaelmas Term beginneth the .ix. or .x. day of October, and endeth the .xxviii. or .xxix. day of November.

Hilary Term beginneth the .xxiii. or .xxiv. day of January, and endeth the .xii. or .xiii. day of February.

In Easter Term, on the Ascension day. in Trinity Term, on the Nativity of Saint John Baptist. in Michaelmas Term, on the feast of All Saints. in Hilary Term, on the Feast of the Purification of our Lady: the Queen's Judges of Westminster do not use to sit in Judgment, nor upon any Sundays.

1596, The Moone xxx.]

In 1596 the time of the Sun's rising and falling varies throughout.]

1596 has quite a different set of Golden Numbers. It has also a column, which

comes second, for the days of the month.]

[Red letter days are marked in Italics.]

In 1596 this is placed against the twelfth day of the month.]

[6 A misprint for, xxiii.]

[ A misprint for, Joh. ii.]

1578. JANUARIE.

1. The first day of this moneth, Noah, after he had bene in the Arke 150 dayes, began to see the toppes of the high mountaines. Gene. 7. 24. and 8.3, 5. Also as vpon this day, Christ was circumcised according to the Lawe. Luke

2. 21.

6. The Magians as vpon this day (hauing ben guided vnto Beth-lehem by the direction of a starre) worshipped Christ, and offered vnto him golde, mirrhe, and frankensence. Matth. 2. 1. usque 13.

Also as vpon this day, Christ was baptized by John in Jordan, being about xxx. yeeres of age. Matth. 3. 13. Luke 3. 21, 23.

Also Christ as vpon this day, wrought his first miracle, in turning water into wine, at a marriage in Cana of Galile. John 2. 2, 11.

10. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel as vpon' this day, besieged the Citie of Jerusalem. 2 Kings 25. 1. Jere. 52. 4.

17. The good Prince Scanderbeg king of Epyrus, a scourge to the Turke, as vpon this day, died. 1466.

22. The Duke of Somerset as vpon this day, was beheaded. 1552. 25. Caius Caligula, his wife and daughter, as vpon this day, were slaine.

Anno Do. 42.

27. Saint Paul, as vpon this day, of a persecuter was conuerted, as he iourneyed vnto Damascus. Actes 9. 3.

2. As vpon this day, Christ our Saviour was offered vnto the Lord in the Temple at Jerusalem, and his mother, the Virgin Marie, was purified according to the law. Luke 2. 22.

8. As vpon this day, the Romanes began their spring, after Plinie.

9. As vpon this day, Noah (fourtie daies after he had seene the toppes of the mountaines) sent out of the Arke the Rauen, and after the Doue, of the which only the Doue returned. Gene. 8. 7, 8.

14. The Jewes, as vpon this day, slewe three hundreth of their enemies, in Shushan, but yet on the spoyle they layd not their hand. Ester 9, 15. 15. The Jewes kept this day for a feast, because nowe the sappe riseth in the trees.

16. The learned Clerke, Philip Melanthon, as vpon this day, was borne. Anno 1497.

17. Noah, as vpon this day, sent out of the Arke againe the Doue, which returning vnto him, brought an Oliue branche in her bill, whereby he knewe, that the waters were abated vpon the earth. Gene. 8. 10, 11.

18. Martin Luther, the seruant of God, died as vpon this day. Anno 1546. 22. Martin Luther his body, as vpon this day, was translated to Witemberg, and buried in the chappell of the Castell there.

25. Noah, as vpon this day, sent the Doue out of the Arke the third time, and she returned no more. Gene. 8. 12.