Note e — BOOK IV.

That the common Age of Man hath been the same in all Ages since the World was peopled, is manifest from prophane, as well as sacred History. To pass by others: Plato lived to the Age of 81, and was accounted an old Man. And those which Pliny reckons up, l. 7. c. 48. as rare Examples of long Life, may for the most Part be match’d by our modern Histories; especially such as Pliny himself gave Credit unto. Dr. Plot hath given us divers Instances in his History of Oxfordshire, c. 2. §. 3. and c. 8. §. 54. and History of Staffordshire, c. 8. §. 91, &c. Among others, one is of twelve Tenants of Mr. Biddulph’s, that together made 1000 Years of Age. But the most considerable Examples of aged Persons among us, is of old Parre of Shropshire, who lived 152 Years 9 Months, according to the learned Dr. Harvey’s Account; and Henry Jenkins of Yorkshire, who lived 169 Years, according to the Account of my learned and ingenious Friend Dr. Tancred Robinson; of both which, with others, see Lowth. Abridg. Phil. Trans. V. 3. p. 306. The great Age of Parre of Shropshire, minds me of an Observation of the Reverend Mr. Plaxton, that in his two Parishes of Kinardsey and Donington in Shropshire, every sixth Soul was 60 Years of Age, or upwards, Phil. Trans. Nᵒ. 310.

And if we step farther North into Scotland, we shall find divers recorded for their great Age: Of which I shall present the Reader with only one modern Example of one Laurence, who married a Wife after he was 100 Years of Age, and would go out to Sea a Fishing in his little Boat, when he was 140 Years old; and is lately dead of no other Distemper but mere old Age, saith Sir Rob. Sibbald, Prodr. Hist. Nat. Scot. p. 44. and l. 3. p. 4.

As for Foreigners, the Examples would be endless; and therefore that of Joh. Ottele shall suffice, who was as famous for his Beard, as for being 115 Years of Age. He was but two Brabant Ells ³⁄₉ high; and his long grey Beard was one Ell ¼ long. His Picture and Account may be seen in Ephem. Germ. T. 3. Obs. 163.

As for the Story Roger Bacon tells, of one that lived 900 Years by the Help of a certain Medicine, and many other such Stories, I look upon them as fabulous. And no better is that of the Wandring Jew, named Joh. Buttadæus, said to have been present at our Saviour’s Crucifixion; although very serious Stories are told of his being seen at Antwerp, and in France, about the Middle of the last Century but one; and before in Ann. 1542, conversed with by Paul of Eitsen, Bishop of Sleswick; and before that, viz. in 1228, seen and convers’d with by an Armenian Archbishop’s Gentleman; and by others at other Times.

If the Reader hath a Mind to see more Examples, he may meet with some of all Ages, in the learned Hakewill’s Apol. p. 181. where he will also find that learned Author’s Opinion of the Causes of the Brevity and Length of humane Life. The Brevity thereof he attributeth to a too tender Education, sucking strange Nurses, too hasty Marriages; but above all, to Luxury, high Sauces, strong Liquors, &c. The Longævity of the Ancients he ascribes to Temperance in Meat and Drink, anointing the Body, the Use of Saffron and Honey, warm Clothes, lesser Doors and Windows, less Physick and more Exercise.