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FOR 
The Eight Belperend Father in God William 
Lord Bi/hof of Worcefter at Whitehall. 
Oxford June 30. 1699. 
, May it fleafe your Lordjhip^ 
IN a late Letter which I had the honour to receive 
from my Lptd Archbifliop's Grace of Ca/jterbury, 
His Grace was pleafed to intimate, as a thing now under 
Confideration, about changing the Stile of our Civil 
Year. ' 
It may perhaps be prefumption in me to interpofe 
my thoughts with your Lordfhip in aBufinefs of that 
Nature. But I muft needs think it a tender point to 
.touch upon : and which, if we attempt it, may be at- 
tended with greater Mifchiefs, than we may at firft be 
aware of. I adventured to fay fomewhat to that pur- 
pofe in a Letter to his Grace : But more may be faid. . 
That the difference of Stiles doth create fome Confu- 
fion in Hiftory is not to be denyed. (And 'tis very un- 
happy that Pope Gregory XIII. did in the laft Century 
attempt it-) But it is now unavoidable and cannot be 
jremedied. 
For 'tis not Lnghni only, that ufeth the JtUian Year. 
But all the Three Kingdoms of Englund^ Scotland^ and 
Ireland*-^ and all our Foreign Plantations^ which are not 
a few ; and the two Kingdoms of Denmark and Swe^ 
derr-^ the Proteftant Canto/js of Switzerland; and Four 
of the, Seven united Provinces • and how many more of 
the Proteftants in Germany I cannot prefently fay. 
And if we fhould now change our Stile in compliance 
with fome of our Popifh Neighbours from whom we 
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