Remarkable examples of such confusion are afforded by two well-known
events in English history: Charles I. is said by most authorities to
have been beheaded January 30, 1648, while others, with equal
correctness, say it was January 30, 1649; and so the revolution which
drove James II. from the throne is said by some to have taken place in
February, 1688, and by others in February, 1689. Now, these
discrepancies arise from some using the civil and legal, and others the
historical year, though both would have assigned any event occurring
_after_ the 25th of March to the same years--viz., 1649 and 1689. To
avoid as far as possible mistakes from these two modes of reckoning, it
was usual, as often seen in old books or manuscripts, to add the
historical to the legal date, when speaking of any day between January 1
and March 25, thus:
8(_i.e._ 1648, the civil and legal year.
Jan.30. 164- (
9(_i.e._ 1649 the historical year.
or thus, January 30, 1648-9.
This practice, common as it was for many years, is, nevertheless, often
misunderstood, and even intelligent persons are sometimes perplexed by
dates so written.
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