UNIL OF Old THOMAS PARR of Wennington in Shropshire, Who lived in the Reign of Ten Kings & Queens. Pub by Alex Hogg, Paternoster-row. Oct.1-1802 M ง H. "The Condé d'Ericeyra, a nobleman of letters, and curious in natural knowledge, brought from the frontiers of this country a woman without a tongue, who yet fpeaks very well; fhe is feventeen years of age, but in stature, exceeds not one of seven or eight. I was with her at the Condé's houfe, and made her pronounce every letter of the alphabet, which the can do diftinctly. She hath not the least bit of a tongue, nor any thing like it; but the teeth on both fides of her under-jaw turn very much inward, and almost meet. She finds the greatest want of a tongue in eating; for, as others, when they eat, move their meat about with their tongue, the is forced to use her finger. She pretends to distinguish taftes very well, but I believe doth it imperfectly. Her voice, though very distinct, is a little hollow, and like that of old people who have lost half their teeth." Extraordinary Memoirs of OLD THOMAS PAR, or PARR, Who lived to the astonishing Age of 152 Years, and in the Reigns of Ten Kings and Queens. THE celebrated Thomas Par, or Parr, was one of the oldest post-diluvians, of whom we have any authentic account. In the year 1635, John Taylor, commonly called The Water Poet, from his being bred a Waterman, on the river Thames, wrote a pamphlet, entitled, "The Olde, Old, Very Olde Man: Or, The Age, and Long Life of Thomas Par, the Sonne of John Parr, of Winnington, in the Parish of Alberbury, in the County of Salopp (or Shropfhire) who was born in the reign of King Edward the IVth. and is now living in the Strand, being aged 152 years and odd monthes. His manner of life and converfation in fo long a pilgrimage; his marriages, and his bringing up to London about the end of September last, 1635." It It is confidered it will be more fatisfactory to give fome extracts from this fcarce book, in profe and verse, likewife extracts from the Rev. Mr. Granger's Biographical Hiftory of England, than to rely on any other account whatever of this extraordinary man. "The Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Arundell and Surrey, Earl Marshal of England, &c. being lately in Shrop fhire to vifit fome lands and manors, which his Lordship holds in that county; or, for fome other occafions of importance, the report of this aged man was certified to his honour; who hearing of so remarkable a piece of antiquity, his Lordship was pleafed to fee him, and in his innated noble and Christian piety, he took him into his charitable tuition and protection; commanding a litter and two horses, (for the more eafie carriage of a man fo enfeebled and worn with age) to be provided for him; alfo, that a daughterin-law of his (named Lucye) fhould likewise attend him, and have a horse for her owne riding with him; and (to cheere up the Olde Man, and make him merry) there was an antique-faced fellow, called Jacke, or John the Foole, with a high and mighty no beard, that had also a horse for his carriage. These all were to be brought out of the country to London, by eafie journies, the charges being allowed by his Lordship; and likewife one of his honour's own fervants, named Brian Kelley, to ride on horseback with them, and to attend and defray all manner of reckonings and expences; all which was done accordingly as followeth. "Winnington is a hamlet in the parish of Alberbury, neere a place called the Welsh Poole, eight miles from Shrewsbury; from whence he was carried to Wim, a towne of the Earle's aforefaid; and the next day to Shefnall, (a mannour house of his Lordship's) where they likewise staied one night; from Shefnall they came to Woolverhamp ton, OLD THOMAS PARR. 81 ton, and the next day to Brimicham, from thence to Coventry, and although Mafter Kelley had much to do, to keepe the people off that preffed upon him, in all places where he came, yet at Coventry he was moft oppreft: for they came in fuch multitudes to fee the Olde Man, that those who defended him, were almoft quite tyred and spent, and the aged man in danger to have been ftifeled; and in a word, the rabble were fo unruly, that Bryan was in doubt hee should bring his charge no further; (so greedy are the vulgar to hearken te, or gaze after novelties.) "The trouble being over, the next day they paffed to Daventry, to Stony Stratford, to Redburn, and fo to London, where he is well entertained and accommodated with all things, having all the aforefaid attendants, at the fole charge and cost of his Lordship." John Taylor afterwards fays in verse, that " John Parr, (a man that lived by husbandry) "Begot this Thomas Parr, and borne was hee The yeare of fourteen hundred, cighty three. And as his father's living and his trade, Was plough and cart, fcithe, fickle, bill and spade; d; Olde Tom hath fhew'd himself the son of John, And farther, that "Tom Parr hath liv'd, as by record appeares, Nine monthes, one hundred fifty, and two yeares. For by records, and true certificate, From Shropfbiere late, relations doth relate, That hee lived feventeen years with John his father, VOL. I. No. 2. M To To be full thirty-five; his Sire's decease John Taylor then relates the following curious anecdote of Olde Parr's craft in endeavouring to over-reach his landlord. "His three leases of fixty-three yeares being expired, hee tooke his laft lease of his landlord, (one Master John Porter) for his life, with which leafe, hee hath lived more than fifty yeares; but this Olde Man would (for his wife's fake) renew his leafe for yeares, which his landlord would not confent unto; wherefore Old Parr, (having beene long blind) fitting in his chair by the fire, his wife look'd out of the window, and perceiv'd Mafter Edward Porter, fon of his landlord, to come towards their houfe, which the told her husband; faying, hufband, our young land-lord is coming hither. Is he fo? faid Old Parr, I prithee wife lay a pin on the ground neere my foot, or at my right toe, which she did, and when Master Porter, (yet forty yeares old) was come into the houfe, after falutations between them, the Old man faid, wife, is not that a pin which lyes at my foot? Truly husband, quoth fhe, it is a pin indeede, fo fhe tooke up the pin, and Mafter Porter was half in a maze that the Old Man had recovered his fight |