[From Lex Scripta, 1819]

At a Court holden at Castle Rushen the eighth Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three, before the Honourble Basil Cochrane Esquire Governor, Council, Deemsters, and twenty-four Keyes of the said isle, the following are are passed:

Act for regulating the Commencement of the Year, and for establishing the new Calendar now used in England

Whereas an Act of Parliament hath lately passed in England, importing that the legal Supputation of the Year of our Lord, according to which the Year beginneth on the twenty fifth Day of March, hath been found by Experience to be attended with divers Inconveniencies, not only as it differs from the Usage of neighbouring Nations, and even from other Parts of Brittain itself [fpc Scotland switched in 1600! - Man being probably the last nation in Western Christendom to switch], but also that frequent Mistakes and Disputes are thereby occasioned in the Dates of Deeds and other Writings, and that the Calender then in use, commonly called the Julian Calender, being discovered to be erroneous, the Spring Equinox, which at the Time of the General Council of Nice in the Year of our Lord three hundred and twenty-five happened on or about the twenty-first Day of March, now happens on the ninth or tenth of the said Month, and the said Error still encreasing, and if not remedied would in Process of Time occasion the several Equinoxes and Solstices to fall at several different Times in the civil Year from what they formerly did, which might mislead Persons ignorant of the said Alteration, and that a Method of correcting the Calender, in such Manner as that the Equinoxes and Solstices might for the future fall nearly upon the same nominal Days on which the same happened at the Time of the said General Council, having been received and established by almost all other Nations in Europe, it would be of general Convenience to Merchants and others corresponding with other Nations, and prevent Mistakes and Disputes in or concerning Dates of Letters and Accounts if received and established there ; and whereas it is the Province and Benefit of the People of this Isle to conform in this Behalf to the said new Method of Supputation established in England, and the same having been already observed here during the Year now last past, that is to say, from and since the last Day of December one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one, the first Day of January then next following, having been accordingly taken and accounted to be the first Day of the Year one thousand seven hundred and fifty two, and from that Day the several Days of each Month and the Feast of Easter, and other moveable Feasts thereon depending, having gone on according to that Method to the second Day of September following, the eleven intermediate nominal Days of the common Calender being then omitted, the Day next after accounted to be the fourteenth Day of the said Month, and so from thence the several natural Days reckoned and numbered forwards according to the Order and Succession of Days used in the new Calender yet nevertheless it being found necessary to establish the same by a Statute Law in this Island,

Be it therefore ordained and enacted by the Most Noble and Puissant Prince James Duke of Atholl, Lord Strange, Lord of Mann and the Isles, &c by and with the Advice and Consent of the Governour, Council, Deemsters, and the twenty-four Keys in this present Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That all Acts, Deeds, Proceedings, Bills, Bonds, Notes, Letters, Accounts, and. other Writings, and all other Matters and Things whatsoever, had, made,. transacted, or done for and during the said Year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-two, from the last Day of December one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one, and so on to the Comencement and Promulgation of this Act, and which were, are, or shall be dated in that Time according to the New Stile, shall at all Times be held, deemed, and esteemed to be as good and effectual both at Law and in Equity as if they had actually been made and dated, or did bear date according to the old Method of accounting by the Julian Calender, and that no Plea of that Kind shall be admitted against them, or any of them, in any Court of Law or Equity within this Isle whatsoever. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Supputation, according to which the Year of our Lord begun on the twenty-fifth Day of March, shall not be made use of in this Isle from and after the last Day of December one thousand seven hundred and fifty-two, and that the first Day of this Instant January shall be reckoned, taken, deemed, and accounted to be the first Day of the Year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three, and so on from Time to Time the first Day of January in every Year which shall happen. in Time to come shall be reckoned, taken, deemed, and accounted to be the first Day of the Year, and that each new Year shall accordingly comence and begin to be reckoned from the first Day of January next preceding the twenty-fifth Day of March on which such Year would, according to the Julian Calender or Method of accounting, have begun or comennced ; and that from the said first Day of January Instant the several Days each Month shall go on and be reckoned and numbered according to the new Calender now established in England aforesaid ; and that all Acts, Deeds, Notes, and other Instruments of what Nature or Kind soever, whether Ecclesiastical or Civil, Publick or Private, which shall be made, exacted, signed, or perfected upon or after the Day of the Publication of this Act, shall bear Date according to the said new Method of Supputation ; and that the two fixed Terms of Saint Philip and Saint James, and of Saint Michael, for holding the Courts of Common Law or Sheading Courts, Courts of General Gaole Delivery, and other Courts at those Times usually holden, the Courts of Chancery, and all other Courts of what Nature or Kind soever, whether Civil, Criminal, or Ecclesiastical, and the usual Election and Admission of Officers, (except Coroners and Lockmen), and their entering upon the Execution of their respective Offices, or for any other Purpose whatsoever, which by any Law, Statute, Custom, or Usage of this Isle, are to be holden and kept, done, and admitted, on any fixed or certain Day of any Month, or on any Day depending upon the beginning or any certain Day of any Mouth, (except the Midsummer Tynwald Court held with the Fair of that Day), shall from Time to Time from and after the said Day of Publication of this Act, be holden and kept upon and according to the same respective nominal Days and Times whereon or according to which the same are now to be holden, hut which shall be computed according to the said new Method of numbering and reckoning the Days of the Calender as aforesaid; that is to say, eleven days sooner than the respective Days . whereon the same were holden and kept, any Law, Statute, Custom, or Usage to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding : Provided always, and it is hereby declared, that nothing herein contained or enacted shall restrain, or shall be understood to restrain the Power of the Governor or other Officers and Judges respectively concerned from appointing the said Common Law Courts, Gaole Deliveries, and other Courts usually holden after the said two respective Feasts of Saint Philip and Saint James, and of Saint Michael, at such Convenient Time or Times as he or they shall see most proper for holding the same And for continuing and preserving the Calender or Method of reckoning and Computing the Days of the Year in the same regular Course as near as maybe in all Times coming, be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the several Years of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred, one thousand nine hundred, two thousand one hundred, two thousand two hundred, two thousand three hundred, or any other hundredth Years of our Lord Which shall happen in Time to come, except only every four hundredth Year of our Lord, whereof the Year of our Lord two thousand shall be the first, shall not be esteemed or taken to be Bissextile or Leap Years, but shall be taken to be common Years, consisting of three hundred and sixty-five Days, and no more, and that the Years of our Lord two thousand four hundred, two thousand eight hundred, and every other four hundredth Year of our Lord from the said Year of our Lord two thousand inclusive, and also all other Years of our Lord which by the present Supputation are esteemed to be Bissextile or Leap Years, shall for the future, and in all Times to come, be esteemed and taken to be Bissextile or Leap Years, consisting of three-hundred and sixty~six Days in the same Sort and Manner as was before used with respect to every fourth Year of our Lord And whereas, according to the Rule prefixed to the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, Easter Day is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the twenty-first Day of March ; and if the full Moon happens upon a Sunday, Easter Day is the Sunday after : And whereas the Method of computing the full Moons heretofore used in the Church of England, and according to which the Table to find Easter for ever prefixed to the said Book of Common Prayer is formed, is by the Process of Time become considerably erroneous. And. whereas the new Calender and also certain Tables and Rules for the fixing the true Time of the Celebration of the Feast. of Easter, and the finding the Times of the full Moons on Which the same dependeth, have been prepared and are now established in England, be it therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Feast of Easter, or any of the Moveable Feasts thereon depending, shall be no longer kept or observed in this Isle according to the said Method of Supputation formerly used, or the said Table pi prefixed to the said Book of Common Prayer , and that the said Table, and also the Column of Golden Numbers as they are prefixed to the respective Days of the Month in the said Calender, shall be disused, and that the said new « Calendar Tables and Rules established in England as aforesaid shall be preferred and used in the Room and Stead thereof and that from and after the Day of the Publication of this Act all and every the fixed Feast Days, Holy Days, and Fast Days, which were formerly kept and observed by the Church in this Island, and also the several solemn Days of Thanksgiving and of Fasting, and Humiliation, which are from Time to Time to be kept and observed, shall be kept and observed on the respective Days marked for the Celebration of the same in the said new Calender ; that is to say, on the same respective nominal Days on which the same were then kept and observed, but which, according to the Alteration by this Act intended to be made as aforesaid, will happen eleven Days sooner than the same by the Old Stile did ; and that the said Feast of Easter, and all other Moveable Feasts thereon depending, shall from Time to Time be observed and celebrated according to the said new Calender Tables and Rules within this Isle ; and all Markets, Fairs, and Marts, which by any Law, Custom, or Usage are appointed or accustotmed to be hokien or kept at any moveable Time or Times depending upon the Time ot Easter, or at any other such Moveable Feast as aforesaid, shall from Time to Time, from and after the Day of Commencemeut of this Act, be holden and kept on such Days and Times whereon the same shall respectively happen or fall, according to the happening or falling of the said Feast of Easter, or such other Moveable Feasts as aforesaid, to be computed according to said new Calender Tables and Rules settled in England as aforesaid.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the holding and keeping of all other Markets, Fairs, and Marts, whether for the Sale of Goods or Cattle, or for the Hiring of Servants, or for any other Purpose, which are either fixed to certain nominal Days of the Month, or depending upon the Beginning or any certain Day or any Month, and the Midsummer Tynwald Court usually holden or kept with the Fair or Mart on the Feast Day of Saint John Baptist, at which the several Coroners of this Isle heretofore were and hereafter are intended by this Act to be sworn and admitted into their respective Offices and to enter upon the Execution of the same,. and afterwards to appoint their Sub-Coroners or Lockmen, to be likewise sworn in as usual ; and the Time or Times of hiring, yarding, publishing, giving warning, obtaining by Juries Freedom from yarding and discharging of Servants from their Servitude, and of entering Choice Children, shall not, from and after the Promulgation of this Act, be continued upon or according to the nominal Days of the Month, or the Time of the Beginning of anyYear or Month to be computed according to the said new Calender ; but that from and after the said Promulgation the said Markets, Fairs, and Marts, and the said Midsummer Tynwald Court shall be holden and kept, and the said hiring, yarding, publishing, warning, obtaining by Juries Freedom from yarding and discharging from Servitude, and of entering Choice Children, shall be done, given, received, had, transacted, and taken upon or according to the same natural Days upon or according to which the same should have been so kept or holden, done, given, received, had, transacted, or taken, in case this Act had never been made ; that is to say, eleven Days later than the same would have happened according to the nominal Days of the said new Supputation of Time by which the Commencing of each Year or Month, and the nominal Days thereof, are anticipated or brought forward by the Space of eleven Days, any Thing in this Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding .

And whereas according to diverse Customs, Prescriptions, and Usages within this Isle, the entering upon the Possession and Occupation of Lands and Houses, either by Recoveries of Titles or by setting and letting or opening of Grounds for Pasture and other Purposes, are often on particular nominal Days and Times in the Year ; and on the other Hand the Owners of such Lands, Houses, and Grounds have, on the Determination of such Settings, and of the letting of Pastures a Right to re-enter upon, enclose, and shut up the Premisses for their own private Use ; and there is in many other Instances a temporary and distinct Property and Right vested in different Persons in and to such Lands, Houses, and Grounds, according to certain nominal Days and Times in the Year : And whereas the anticipating and bringing forward the said. nominal Days and Times by the Space of eleven Days, accordingg to the said new Method of Supputation, might be attended with many Inconveniencies, be it therefore further declared, provided, and enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend, or be Construed to extend to accelerate or anticipate the Days or Times for entering by Recoveries, for setting or lettings, for the opening, inclosing, or shutting up any such

....

Posssession of any such Lands, Houses, Tenements or aments, or the Commencement Expiration, or Determination of any Annuity or Rent, or of any Grant for any Term of Years of what Nature or Kind soever, by virtue or in consequence of any such Deed, Writing, Contract, or Agreement, or the Time of the attaining the respective Ages of fourteen and twenty-one Years, or any other Age required by any Law, Custom, or Usage, Deed, Will, or Writing whatsoever for the doing any Act, or for any other Purpose whatsoever by any Person or Persons now born, or who shall be born before the Publication hereof, or the Time of the Expiration or Determination of any Apprenticeship, or other Service by virtue of any Indenture, or of any Article under Seal or otherwise, or by reason of any simple Contract or hiring whatsoever ; but that all and every Such Rent and Rents, Boons, Customs, Duties, Fines, Suits, Services and other Dues and Demands. Annuity and Annuities, Sum and Sums of Money and the Interest thereof, shall remain and Continue to be due and payable, and the Delivery of such Goods and Chattels, Wares and Merchandize,. shall be made, and the said Leases, Deeds, and Demises of’all such Lands, Houses, Tenements and Hereditaments and the said Contracts and Agreements shall be deemed to commence expire, and determine ; and the said Lands, Houses, Tenements and Hereditaments shall be accepted, surrendered, and delivered up, and the said Rents, Boons, Customs Duties,Fines, Suits and Services Dues and Demands Annutities and Grants, for any Term of’ Years, shall Commence, cease, and determine at and upon the same respective natural Days and Times as the same should and ought to have been payable or made, or would have happened in ease this Act had not been made ; and that no further or other Sum shall be paid or payable for the Interest of any Sum. of Money whatsoever than such Interest shall amount unto for the true Number of natural Days for which the principal Sum bearing such Interest shall Continue due and unpaid ; and that no Person or Persons whatsoever shall be deemed or taken to have attained to the said respective Ages of fourteen or twentyone Years, or any other such Age as aforesaid, or to have compleated the Time of any such Service as aforesaid, until the full Number of Years and Days shall be elapsed on which such Person or Persons respectively would have attained to such Ages, or would have compleated the time of such Service. as aforesaid in case this Act had not been made, any Thing hereinbefore contained to the contrary thereof in anywise. notwithstanding.

(Signed)Dan. Mylrea, John. Taubman Basil Cochrane.,Willm Christian, Jo. Quayle.,Dan. Mylrea.

The Keyes. Tho. Heywood, William Murrey, Philip. Moore, Quayle Curphey, John Frissell, Tho. Christian, William Stevenson,John Clucas,William Qualtrough, Richard Tyldesley, Tho Radcliffe, Dan. Lace, William Cubbon., Matth. Christian, John Taubman,Thomas Fargher,Edward Christian,, John Oates, John Moore, James Moore, Thomas Gawne,