THE THIRD BOOK TREATETH OF DAIES and TIMES.
Before we treat of their Feasts, it will be needful, by way of Preface, to understand somewhat concerning the divisions of their _Days_, _Hours_, _Weeks_, &c.
Their _Day_ was two-fold; _Natural_, containing _day_ and _night_, and consisting of 24 hours; or _Artificial_, beginning at _Sun-rising_ and ending at _Sun-set_. Of this is that, _Are there not twelve hours in the day?_ _John 11. 9._
The _Natural day_ was again two-fold: _Civil_, _a working-day_, which was destined for civil businesses and works: this began at _Sun-rising_, and held till the next _Sun-rising_, _Mat. 28. 1._ or _Sacred_, a Festival or Holy-day, destined for holy exercises: this began at _Sun-set_, and continued till the next _Sun-set_.
Their night was divided into four _quarters_, or _greater hours_, termed four _Watches_, each _Watch_ containing three _lesser hours_. The first they called _Caput vigiliarum_, the beginning of the watches, _Lam. 2. 19._ the second was the middle watch, _Judg. 7. 19._ not so termed, because there were only three _watches_, as _Drusius_[237] would perswade, but because it dured till _midnight_. The _third watch_, began at _midnight_, and held till three of the clock in the morning. If he come in the _second_, or _third watch_, _Luk. 12. 38._ The _last_, called the _morning watch_, _Exod. 14. 24._ began at three of the clock, and ended at six in the morning. In the _fourth watch_ of the night, _Jesus_ went out unto them, _Mat. 14. 25._ These _Watches_ also were called by other names, according to that part of the night which closed each watch. The _first_ was termed ὀψὲ, the _even_. The _second_, μεσονύκτιον _Midnight_. The _third_ ἀλεκτοροφωνία, _Cock-crowing_. The _fourth_ πρωῒ, the _Dawning_. _Ye know not when the Master of the house will come, at Even, or at Midnight, or at Cock-crowing, or at the Dawning_, _Mark 13. 35._
The day was likewise divided into four _quarters_, as appeareth by the Parable of the Labourers hired into the Vineyard, _Mat. 20._ The _first quarter_ began at six of the clock in the morning, and held till nine. The _second quarter_ ended at twelve of the clock. The _third quarter_ at three in the after-noon. The _fourth quarter_ at six of the night. The first _quarter_ was called the _third hour_, _vers. 3._ The second _quarter_, the _sixth hour_, _vers. 5._ The third _quarter_, the _ninth hour_, _vers. 5._ The last _quarter_, the _eleventh hour_, _vers. 6._