A Letter Giving an Account of One Henry Jenkins a Yorkshire Man, Who Attained the Age of 169 Years, Communicated by Dr. Tancred Robinson F. of the Coll. of Physitians, et R. S. with His Remarks on It

I. A Letter giving an Account of one Henry Jenkins a Yorkshire Man, who attained the Age of 169 Years, Communicated by Dr. Tancred Robinson F. of the Coll. of Physicians, &c. R. S. with his Remarks on it. SIR, Mr. Robinson tells me you desire the Relation of Henry Jenkins's, which is as followeth: When I came first to live at Bolton it was told me, there lived in that Parish a Man near an Hundred and fifty Years Old, that he had Sworn as Witness in a Cause at York to an Hundred and twenty Years, which the Judge reproving him for, he said, he was Butler at that time to Lord Conyers; and they told me, that it was reported his Name was found in some old Register of the Lord Conyers's Meaneal Servants; but truly it was never in my thoughts to enquire of my Lord Darcy, whether this last particular was true or no; for I believed little of the Story for a great many Years; till one day being in my Sisters Kitchin, Henry Jenkins coming in to beg an Alms, I had a mind to examine him; I told him he was an Old Man, who must suddenly expect to give an Account to God, of all he did or said; and I desired him to tell me very truly how Old he was, and he paused a little, and then said, that to the best of his Remembrance he was about One hundred sixty two or three; and I asked him what Kings he remembered, he said Henry VIII; I asked what Publick thing he could longest remember, he said Flowden-field; I asked whether the King was there, he said no, he was in France, and the Earl of Surry was General; I asked him how old old he might be then, he said, I believe I might be between Ten and Twelve; for, says he, I was sent to Northallerton with a Horse Load of Arrows, but they sent a bigger Boy from thence to the Army with them: I thought by these Marks I might find something in Histories, and looked in an Old Chronicle that was in the House, and I did find that Flowden field was an Hundred fifty two Years before; so that if he was Ten or Eleven Years Old, he must be One hundred sixty two Years, or three, as he said when I examined him. I found by the Book, that Bows and Arrows were then used, and that the Earl he named was then General, and that King Henry VIII. was then at Tournay so that I don't know what to Answer to the Consistencies of these things, for Henry Jenkins was a poor Man could neither Write nor Read: There were also Four or Five in the same Parish, that were reputed all of them to be an Hundred Years Old, or within two or three Years of it, and they all said he was an elderly Man ever since they knew him; for he was born in another Parish, and before any Register were in Churches, as it is said; he told me then too, that he was Butler to the Lord Conyers, and Remembred the Abbot of Fountains-Abby very well, who used to drink a Glass with his Lord heartily, and that the Dissolution of the Monasteries he said he well remembred. Ann Savile. This Henry Jenkins departed this Life the Eighth day of December, 1670. at Ellerton upon Swale. The Battle of Flowden-field was Fought upon the Ninth day of September, in the Year of our Lord 1513. Henry Jenkins was Twelve Years old when Flowden-field was Fought, so he lived one hundred sixty nine Years. Old Parre lived One hundred fifty two Years nine Months; so that Henry Jenkins outlived him by Computation Sixteen Years, and was the oldest Man born upon the Ruines of this Postdiluvian World. This Henry Jenkins in the last Century of his Life was a Fisherman, and used to wade in the Streams; his Diet was Coarse and Sower; but towards the latter end of his Days he begged up and down; he hath Sworn in Chancery and other Courts, to above 140 Years Memory, and was often at the Assizes at York, whither he generally went a-foot: And I have heard some of the Country Gentlemen affirm, that he frequently swum in the Rivers after he was past the Age of One hundred Years. 'Tis to be wished that particular Enquiries were made, and answered, concerning the Temperament of this Man's Body, his manner of Living, and all other Circumstances, which might furnish any useful Instructions to those who are curious about Longevity.