Note E378 — 60.

In the reign of Elizabeth an Act was passed, requiring a seven years' apprenticeship to enable a person to set up in business or trade; and hence the idea arose of dividing human life into periods of seven years.—M. The idea is much older; for, in Arnold's Chronicle (edition 1811), page 157, we find:—"The vij Ages of Mā liuing ī the World. The furst age is infance and lastith from ye byrth vnto vij yere of age. The ij is childhod and endurith vnto xv yere age. The iij age is adholocencye and endurith vnto xxv yere age. The iiij age is youth and endurith vnto xxxv yere age. The v age is manhod and endurith vnto l yere age. The vj age is [elde] and lasteth vnto lxx yere age. The vij age of mā is crepill and endurith vnto dethe."

See Prompt. Parv. p. 7, for another version of the above, the limits assigned to the several stages being different, and the seventh stage beginning at the resurrection.