29820The Hiſtory of Life and Death.
mind than to be caſt out to Birds and Dogs?
He ſaid again, Seeing in my life-time I
endeavoured to my uttermoſt to benefit Men, what hurt is it if when I am dead I
benefit Beaſts? Certain Indian People called Pandoræ are exceedingly long liv’d,
even to no leſs than two hundred years. They adde a thing more maryellous, That
having, when they are boys, an hair ſomewhat whitiſh, in their old age, before their
gray hairs, they grow coal black, though indeed this be every where to be ſeen, that
they which have white hair whilſt they are boys, in their man’s eſtate change
their hairs into a darker colour. The Seres, another people of India, with their
Wine of Palms are accounted long livers, even to an hundred and thirty years.
Euphranor the Grammarian grew old in his School, and taught Scholars when
he was above an hundred years old. The elder Ovid, father to the Poet, lived nine-
ty years, differing much from the diſpoſition of his ſon, for he contemned the
Muſes, and diſſwaded his ſon from Poetry. Aſinius Pollio, intimate with Au-
guſtus, exceeded the age of an hundred years: a man of an unreaſonable Profuſe-
neſs, Eloquent, and a lover of Learning; but vehement, proud, cruel, and one
that made his private ends the centre of his thoughts. There was an opinion, that
Seneca was an extream old man, no leſs than an hundred and fourteen years of
age: which could not poſſibly be, it being as improbable that a decrepit old man
ſhould be ſet over Nero’s Youth, as, on the contrary, it was true, that he was
able to manage with great dexterity the affairs of State: beſides, a little before,
in the midſt of Claudius his Reign, he was baniſhed Rome for Adulteries com-
mitted with ſome Noble Ladies, which was a Crime no way competible with ſo
extreme old age. Johannes de Temporibus, among all the men of our later Ages, out
of a common fame and vulgar opinion, was reputed long-liv’d, even to a mira-
cle, or rather, even to a fable; his age hath been counted above three hundred
years: He was by Nation a French man, and followed the Wars under Charls
the Great. Garcius Aretine, Great Grand-father to Petrarch, arrived at the age of
an hundred and four years: he had ever enjoyed the benefit of good health; be-
ſides, at the laſt, he felt rather a decay of his ſtrength, than any ſickneſs or malady,
which is the true reſolution by old age. Amongſt the Venetians there have been
found not a few long livers, and thoſe of the more eminent ſort: Franciſcus Do-
natus, Duke; Thomas Contarenus, Procurator of St. Mark; Franciſcus Molinus,
Procurator alſo of St. Mark, and others. But moſt memorable is that of cornarus
the Venetian, who being in his youth of a ſickly body, began firſt to eat and drink by
meaſure to a certain weight, thereby to recover his health: this Cure turned by uſe
into a Diet, that Diet to an extraordinary long Life, even of an hundred years and bet-
ter, without any decay in his ſenſes, and with a conſtant enjoying of his health. In
our age William Poſtel, a French-man, lived to an hundred and well-nigh twenty years,
the top of his beard on the upper-lip being black, and not gray at all: a man crazed in
his brain, and of a fancy not altogether ſound; a great Traveller, Mathematician, and
ſomewhat ſtained with Hereſie.
endeavoured to my uttermoſt to benefit Men, what hurt is it if when I am dead I
benefit Beaſts? Certain Indian People called Pandoræ are exceedingly long liv’d,
even to no leſs than two hundred years. They adde a thing more maryellous, That
having, when they are boys, an hair ſomewhat whitiſh, in their old age, before their
gray hairs, they grow coal black, though indeed this be every where to be ſeen, that
they which have white hair whilſt they are boys, in their man’s eſtate change
their hairs into a darker colour. The Seres, another people of India, with their
Wine of Palms are accounted long livers, even to an hundred and thirty years.
Euphranor the Grammarian grew old in his School, and taught Scholars when
he was above an hundred years old. The elder Ovid, father to the Poet, lived nine-
ty years, differing much from the diſpoſition of his ſon, for he contemned the
Muſes, and diſſwaded his ſon from Poetry. Aſinius Pollio, intimate with Au-
guſtus, exceeded the age of an hundred years: a man of an unreaſonable Profuſe-
neſs, Eloquent, and a lover of Learning; but vehement, proud, cruel, and one
that made his private ends the centre of his thoughts. There was an opinion, that
Seneca was an extream old man, no leſs than an hundred and fourteen years of
age: which could not poſſibly be, it being as improbable that a decrepit old man
ſhould be ſet over Nero’s Youth, as, on the contrary, it was true, that he was
able to manage with great dexterity the affairs of State: beſides, a little before,
in the midſt of Claudius his Reign, he was baniſhed Rome for Adulteries com-
mitted with ſome Noble Ladies, which was a Crime no way competible with ſo
extreme old age. Johannes de Temporibus, among all the men of our later Ages, out
of a common fame and vulgar opinion, was reputed long-liv’d, even to a mira-
cle, or rather, even to a fable; his age hath been counted above three hundred
years: He was by Nation a French man, and followed the Wars under Charls
the Great. Garcius Aretine, Great Grand-father to Petrarch, arrived at the age of
an hundred and four years: he had ever enjoyed the benefit of good health; be-
ſides, at the laſt, he felt rather a decay of his ſtrength, than any ſickneſs or malady,
which is the true reſolution by old age. Amongſt the Venetians there have been
found not a few long livers, and thoſe of the more eminent ſort: Franciſcus Do-
natus, Duke; Thomas Contarenus, Procurator of St. Mark; Franciſcus Molinus,
Procurator alſo of St. Mark, and others. But moſt memorable is that of cornarus
the Venetian, who being in his youth of a ſickly body, began firſt to eat and drink by
meaſure to a certain weight, thereby to recover his health: this Cure turned by uſe
into a Diet, that Diet to an extraordinary long Life, even of an hundred years and bet-
ter, without any decay in his ſenſes, and with a conſtant enjoying of his health. In
our age William Poſtel, a French-man, lived to an hundred and well-nigh twenty years,
the top of his beard on the upper-lip being black, and not gray at all: a man crazed in
his brain, and of a fancy not altogether ſound; a great Traveller, Mathematician, and
ſomewhat ſtained with Hereſie.
I ſuppoſe there is ſcarce a Village with us in England, if it be any whit populous, but
1120. it affords ſome Man or Woman of fourſcore years of age; nay, a few years ſince there
was in the County of Hereforda May-game or Morrice dance, conſiſting of eight men,
whoſe age computed together made up eight hundred years, inſomuch that what ſome
of them wanted of an hundred, others exceeded as much.
1120. it affords ſome Man or Woman of fourſcore years of age; nay, a few years ſince there
was in the County of Hereforda May-game or Morrice dance, conſiſting of eight men,
whoſe age computed together made up eight hundred years, inſomuch that what ſome
of them wanted of an hundred, others exceeded as much.
In the Hoſpital of Bethlehem, corruptly called Bedlam, in the Suburbs of London, there
2221. are found from time to time many mad perſons that live to a great age.
2221. are found from time to time many mad perſons that live to a great age.
The ages of Nymphs, Fauns, and Satyrs, whom they make to be indeed mortal,
3322. but yet exceedingly long-liv’d, (a thing which ancient Superſtition and the
late Credulity of ſome have admitted) we account but for Fables and Dreams;
eſpecially being that which hath neither conſent with Philoſophy nor with Divi
nity. And as touching the Hiſtory of Long Life in Man by Individuals, or next
unto Individuals, thus much. Now we will paſs on to Obſervations by certain
Heads.
3322. but yet exceedingly long-liv’d, (a thing which ancient Superſtition and the
late Credulity of ſome have admitted) we account but for Fables and Dreams;
eſpecially being that which hath neither conſent with Philoſophy nor with Divi
nity. And as touching the Hiſtory of Long Life in Man by Individuals, or next
unto Individuals, thus much. Now we will paſs on to Obſervations by certain
Heads.
The Running on of Ages, and Succeſſion of Generations, ſeem to have no whit
4423. abated from the length of Life; for we ſee that from the time of Moſes unto theſe
our dayes, the term of man’s life hath ſtood about fourſcore years of age,
neither hath it declined (as a man would have thought) by little and little. No
doubt there are times in every Country wherein men are longer or ſhorter liv’d.
4423. abated from the length of Life; for we ſee that from the time of Moſes unto theſe
our dayes, the term of man’s life hath ſtood about fourſcore years of age,
neither hath it declined (as a man would have thought) by little and little. No
doubt there are times in every Country wherein men are longer or ſhorter liv’d.
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