died; doubtless Livia was an excellent actress, who could so well suit a dissembled obedience to her husband, with her power and authority to her son. She was an affable, matronal, busy lady, and tenacious of power. Junia, wife to Caius Cassius, and sister to Marcus Brutus, lived also to ninety; for she survived the battle of Philippi sixty four years; she was a woman of courage, happy in wealth, but afflicted with the calamity of her husband, relations, and a long widowhood; though still honoured and regarded.

The seventy-sixth year of our Saviour, happening in the time of Vespasiau, is a remarkable year, wherein we find a kind of chronicle of long lives; for in this year there was a taxation, which is a thing that affords the most authentic and just information, as to the ages of men: and in that part of Italy which lies betwixt the Appennines and the Po, there were found a hundred and twenty four men of a hundred years old and upwards; viz. fifty four of a hundred, fifty seven of a hundred and ten, two of a hundred and twentyfive, four of a hundred and thirty; again, four of a hundred and thirty five, or thirty seven, and three of an hundred and forty years old. Besides these, Parma in particular afforded five; three whereof were each a hundred and twenty, and two a hundred and thirty years old; Bruxella

afforded one of a hundred and twenty-five; Placentia, one of a hundred and thirty-one; Faventia, one woman of a hundred and thirty-two; and a town then called Velleiacium, situate on the hills about Placentia, afforded ten, six whereof were aged a hundred and ten, and four a hundred and twenty. Lastly, Ariminum afforded one aged a hundred and fifty, whose name was Marcus Aponius.

To shorten this history, we have here produced, and shall go on to produce no example of an age under eighty. We affix to each person, a very concise and just character or elogy, of the kind that, in our judgment, has some relation to long life, is not a little regulated by men's manners and fortunes. This relation to life is of two kinds; and intimates either that such persons generally prove long lived; or that such, though less disposed thereto, may yet sometimes live long.

Among all the Roman and Grecian emperors, together with those of Gaul and Germany, down to our own age, containing a list of about two hundred princes, there are found but four who arrived at the age of eighty. To these may be added, the two first emperors, Augustus and Tiberius; the latter whereof lived to seventy-eight, and the former to seventy-six; though both of them perhaps might have lived to eighty, but for

Livia and Caius. Augustus, was a man of a moderate temper, though earnest in the dispatch of business; in other respects, calm and serene; temperate in his diet, but profuse in venery, and happy in all things. In the thirtieth year of his age, he suffered a severe and dangerous illness, insomuch that his life was despaired of; but Antonius Musa, his physician, when the rest had applied hot remedies for the distemper, cured him by the application of cold ones; which, perhaps, was of service in prolonging this emperor's life. Tiberius was a man of slow jaws, as Augustus called him, being slow, though powerful in speech: he was cruel, a drinker, and made lust a part of his regimen; yet took great care of his health, and was used to call that man a fool, who after thirty consulted a physician. Gordianus the elder, lived eighty years, and at last died a violent death, before he was well seated in the empire; a couragious, magnificent, learned man, and a poet; and till the time of his death enjoyed a constant course of happi

ness.

The emperor Valerian lived seventy six years, before he was taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia; after his captivity he lived seven years in the midst of reproaches, and at length died a violent death; a man of an ordinary capacity, effeminate, but lifted up by popular breath and failing in performance. Anastasius, sir

named Dicorus, lived eighty years; a man of a peaceable mind, but abject, superstitious and timorous. Anicius Justinianus, lived eighty-three years; a man desirous of glory, yet indolent in his own person, but happy and eminent in the conduct of his leaders; he was uxorious, not his own master, but led about by others. Helena Britanna, the mother of Constantine the Great, lived to eighty; a woman that intermeddled little in civil affairs, neither in the reign of her husband or son, but given wholly to religion; yet of a great mind, and always happy. Theodora the empress lived to above eighty; a woman of business, that delighted in governing: she was exceeding fortunate, and thence credulous.

To proceed from secular princes, to the heads of the church. St. John the apostle, and beloved disciple, lived ninety three years, and is thence justly denoted by the emblem of the eagle, (breathing nothing but what is divine, and appearing like a seraph) among the apostles, by reason of his fervent charity. St. Luke the evangelist lived eighty four years, an eloquent man, and a traveller; the inseparable companion of St. Paul, and a physician. Simeon the son of Cleophas, called the brother of our Lord, and bishop of Jerusalem, lived an hundred and twenty years; and then too cut short by martyrdom ; he was a couragious and constant man, full of

good works. Polycarp a disciple of the apostles, and bishop of Smyrna, seems to have lived above a hundred years, though taken off by martyrdom; a man of a great soul, heroic patience, and indefatigable diligence. Dionysius the Areopagite, who was contemporary with St. Paul, seems to have lived ninety years; he was called the bird of heaven, from the high flight of his theology; and was as remarkable for works as for contemplation. Aquila and Priscilla, first the entertainers, and afterwards the assistants of St. Paul, lived together in happy and memorable wedlock, to the age of at least a hundred; for they were surviving under Xystus the first; a noble pair, and of diffusive charity. St. Paul the hermit, died at a hundred and thirteen: he lived in a cave upon such simple and coarse diet, as should seem scarce able to support life; he spent his whole time in contemplation and soliloquy; though he was not illiterate but learned. St. Anthony the first founder, or, as some say, the restorer of the order of monks, lived to a hundred and five; a devout contemplative man, yet versed in civil affairs; his kind of life was austere and hard, though he lived in no inglorious solitude, nor without some sway; having his monks under him, and receiving the visits and homage of christians and philosophers. St. Athanasius lived to above eighty; a man of in