hundred for his decay, and yet I thinke (for we must coniecture by
comparing, because no one man liueth to see the full age of trees) I am
within the compasse of his age, supposing alwaies the foresaid meanes of
preseruing his life. Consider the age of other liuing creatures. The
Horse and moiled Oxe wrought to an vntimely death, yet double the time
of their increase. A Dog likewise increaseth three, stanns three at
least, end in as many (or rather moe) decayes.

{SN: Mans age.}
Euery liuing thing bestowes the least part of his age in his growth, and
so must it needs be with trees. A man comes not to his full growth and
strength (by common estimation) before thirty yeeres, and some slender
and cleane bodies, not till forty, so long also stands his strength, &
so long also must he haue allowed by course of nature to decay. Euer
supposing that he be well kept with necessaries, and from and without
straines, bruises, and all other dominyring diseases. I will not say
vpon true report, that Physicke holds it possible, that a cleane body
kept by these 3. Doctors, _Doctor Dyet_, _Doctor Quiet_, and _Doctor
Merriman_, may liue neere a hundred yeeres. Neither will I here vrge the
long yeeres of _Methushalah_, and those men of that time, because you
will say, Mans dayes are shortned since the floud. But what hath
shortned them? God for mans sinnes: but by meanes, as want of knowledge,
euill gouernment, ryot, gluttony, drunkenesse, and (to be short) the
encrease of the curse, our sinnes increasing in an iron and wicked age.

Now if a man, whose body is nothing (in a manner) but tender
rottennesse, whose course of life cannot by any meanes, by counsell,
restraint of Lawes, or punishment, nor hope of praise, profet, or
eturnall glory, be kept within any bounds, who is degenerate cleane from
his naturall feeding, to effeminate nicenesse, and cloying his body with
excesse of meate, drinke, sleepe &c. and to whom nothing is so pleasant
and so much desired as the causes of his owne death, as idlenesse, lust,
&c. may liue to that age: I see not but a tree of a solide substance,
not damnified by heate or cold, capable of, and subiect to any kinde of
ordering or dressing that a man shall apply vnto him, feeding naturally,
as from the beginning disburdened of all superfluities, eased of, and of
his owne accord auoiding the causes that may annoy him, should double
the life of a man, more then twice told; and yet naturall phylosophy,
and t