The Old, Old, Old Man

Summary

Consequently, instead of trying to prove or disprove Parr’s date of birth, contemporary accounts focused on answering two questions: why did Parr live so long, and why did he die so suddenly? The answers to these questions reflect the early modern preoccupation with healthy living, and in particular the belief that a set of factors known as “the six non-naturals” (namely air and environment, food and drink, exercise, sleep, excretion, and the emotions) had a significant effect on an individual’s health. According to both John Taylor and the royal physician William Harvey (who is now best known for discovering the circulation of the blood, but who also served as physician to both James I and Charles I), Parr’s longevity was largely attributable to the clean, pleasant surroundings in which he dwelt, and to his simple country ways. Throughout his long life, he had worked hard, eaten a wholesome diet of brown bread, unripened cheese, and onions, avoided strong alcohol and worry, and slept well.