OfOXFO%<D-SHl%> ut 



that moft rationally) to their places, in a much more eminent Zu 

 poche, vi^ the Winter Sol/ike to the tenth of the Calends of Janu- 

 ary , and the Vernal JEquincx to the tenth of the Calends of April? 

 their true places at the time of Chrifts birth : which he proves 

 by a very cogent Argument drawn from the observations of Pto- 

 lomy, who lived but 140 years after Chrift ; in whofe time the 

 Vernal Mquinox was found to be on the eleventh of the Calends o( 

 April', now allowing, as before, that it afcends in the Calendar a 

 whole natural day in 1 30 years ; if in Vtolomies t\me it fell on the 

 eleventh of the Calends of April, it muft needs at Chrifts birth 

 have been at leaft on the tenth; and fo of the Solftice *. Accord- 

 ing to which computation they have now gon back in our Calen- 

 dar fince Chrifts time almoft 13 days, the number 130 days be- 

 ing fo often to be found in 1676. wanting but 14. Now the /Era 

 of Chrifts birth being a time of much higher value, and more to 

 be refpe&ed by Chriftians than the Nicene Council, in what ever 1 

 elle they have exceeded him 3 I # am fure in this they have fallen 

 (liortof his reformation. 



15. And (o much for the invention of the Telefcope, and o- 

 ther Inftruments, by the afliftance whereof he fo nearly defined the 

 true quantities of the Solar and Lunar years, that he firft gave oc- 

 cafion to the reformation of the Julian Calendar', wherein if the 

 Header (with me) be convinced, let him hither refer thofe in- 

 ordinate Encomiums by Kepler, Fabriciut, and C<?far la Galla, 

 heaped on GaliUu* for the one ; and whatever elfe of that na- 

 ture he (hall meet with, given to Paulu* Middleburgenfis, Copernicus, 

 or Aloyfiws for the other. 



1 6. Thus was the Chriftian World firft informed in matters of 

 A/ironomy by Roger Bacon, and with fo much fuccefs here in En- 

 gland, that in the next Century we meet with Richard Wallingford 

 Abbot of St. Albans, and Simon Bredon, both Oxford men, the 

 moft eminent for their time in the whole World", who for their 

 fubtilty, and yet clearnefs of demonftration, we find yoaked 

 with no lefs than the great Albategniws, by Lewk Caerlyon alfo an 

 Oxford man, in his obfervations of the Eclypfes^ An. Van. 1482. 

 where alfo he treats of the oblique afcenfions of the Signs calcula- 

 ted to the Meridian of Oxford. And quickly after we meet with 



* fn Operis Mtn. fart. 3- cap 69. MS. in Eibliatbeca Coll.Vmverf. c 4* Ms 79. inter Codices MS- 

 Seldeni.\ 



William 



