Pacion
09-19-2004, 11:02 AM
Apparently a true story
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thomas Parr lived for 152 years and 9 months through the reigns of ten
monarchs and was buried in Westminster Abbey by order of King Charles I.
The inscription on his small white marble gravestone in the centre of the
South Transept reads:
THO: PARR OF YE COUNTY OF SALLOP. BORNE
IN AD: 1483. HE LIVED IN YE REIGNES OF TEN
PRINCES VIZ: K.EDW.4. K.ED.5. K.RICH.3.
K.HEN.7. K.HEN.8. K.EDW.6. Q.MA. Q.ELIZ.
K.JA. & K.CHARLES. AGED 152 YEARES.
& WAS BURYED HERE NOVEMB. 15. 1635.
Most of the information about the life of this agricultural labourer who
found fame because of his longevity is recorded in John Taylor's pamphlet
printed in 1635 entitled The Old, Old, Very Old Man or the Age and Long
Life of Thomas Parr. He was the son of John Parr of Winnington near
Shrewsbury in the county of Shropshire. Thomas married his first wife
Jane Taylor when he was about 80 years old and they had a son and
daughter, both of whom died in infancy.
At the age of 100 he did penance by standing draped in a white sheet in
the parish church for being unfaithful to his wife and having an
illegitimate child by Katherine Milton. Ten years after Jane's death he
married Jane Lloyd but they had no children.
A diet of green cheese, onions, coarse bread, buttermilk or mild ale
(cider on special occasions) and no smoking kept Thomas healthy. His
recipe for long life was reputed to be "Keep your head cool by temperance
and your feet warm by exercise. Rise early, go soon to bed, and if you
want to grow fat [prosperous] keep your eyes open and your mouth shut".
In 1635 Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, was visiting one of his
Shropshire estates and he heard all about the incredible man known
as "Old Parr", then said to be 152 years old. The Earl decided to take him
to London to see King Charles I, and Thomas left Shropshire never to
return. The journey was made in easy stages, as Thomas had been blind
for twenty years, and the Earl provided a jester for his entertainment. He
was presented at Court and on seeing the old man Charles I asked
him "You have lived longer than other men. What have you done more
than other men?".
Parr replied "Sire, I did penance when I was a hundred years old".
Thomas was treated with kindness and crowds came to see him. His
portrait was painted and there is a copy in the National Portrait Gallery in
London showing him with dark brown eyes, and white shaggy eyebrows,
moustache and whiskers. But, as shown by the post mortem carried out
by the eminent physician Dr William Harvey, the change in diet, with rich
wines, and the pollution of the City were too much for Old Parr and he
died within a few weeks of arriving in London.
The King ordered his burial in the Abbey and his grave has been pointed
out to visitors ever since.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thomas Parr lived for 152 years and 9 months through the reigns of ten
monarchs and was buried in Westminster Abbey by order of King Charles I.
The inscription on his small white marble gravestone in the centre of the
South Transept reads:
THO: PARR OF YE COUNTY OF SALLOP. BORNE
IN AD: 1483. HE LIVED IN YE REIGNES OF TEN
PRINCES VIZ: K.EDW.4. K.ED.5. K.RICH.3.
K.HEN.7. K.HEN.8. K.EDW.6. Q.MA. Q.ELIZ.
K.JA. & K.CHARLES. AGED 152 YEARES.
& WAS BURYED HERE NOVEMB. 15. 1635.
Most of the information about the life of this agricultural labourer who
found fame because of his longevity is recorded in John Taylor's pamphlet
printed in 1635 entitled The Old, Old, Very Old Man or the Age and Long
Life of Thomas Parr. He was the son of John Parr of Winnington near
Shrewsbury in the county of Shropshire. Thomas married his first wife
Jane Taylor when he was about 80 years old and they had a son and
daughter, both of whom died in infancy.
At the age of 100 he did penance by standing draped in a white sheet in
the parish church for being unfaithful to his wife and having an
illegitimate child by Katherine Milton. Ten years after Jane's death he
married Jane Lloyd but they had no children.
A diet of green cheese, onions, coarse bread, buttermilk or mild ale
(cider on special occasions) and no smoking kept Thomas healthy. His
recipe for long life was reputed to be "Keep your head cool by temperance
and your feet warm by exercise. Rise early, go soon to bed, and if you
want to grow fat [prosperous] keep your eyes open and your mouth shut".
In 1635 Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, was visiting one of his
Shropshire estates and he heard all about the incredible man known
as "Old Parr", then said to be 152 years old. The Earl decided to take him
to London to see King Charles I, and Thomas left Shropshire never to
return. The journey was made in easy stages, as Thomas had been blind
for twenty years, and the Earl provided a jester for his entertainment. He
was presented at Court and on seeing the old man Charles I asked
him "You have lived longer than other men. What have you done more
than other men?".
Parr replied "Sire, I did penance when I was a hundred years old".
Thomas was treated with kindness and crowds came to see him. His
portrait was painted and there is a copy in the National Portrait Gallery in
London showing him with dark brown eyes, and white shaggy eyebrows,
moustache and whiskers. But, as shown by the post mortem carried out
by the eminent physician Dr William Harvey, the change in diet, with rich
wines, and the pollution of the City were too much for Old Parr and he
died within a few weeks of arriving in London.
The King ordered his burial in the Abbey and his grave has been pointed
out to visitors ever since.