Good wholesome labour was his exercise, <br />Down with the lamb, and with the lark would rise: <br />In mire and toiling sweat he spent the day, <br />And to his team he whistled time away: <br />The cock his night-clock, and till day was done, <br />His watch and chief sun-dial was the sun. <br />He was of old Pythagoras' opinion, <br />That green cheese was most wholesome with an onion; <br />Coarse meslin bread, and for his daily swig, <br />Milk, butter-milk, and water, whey and whig: <br />Sometimes metheglin, and by fortune happy, <br />He sometimes sipped a cup of ale most nappy, <br />Cycler or perry, when he did repair <br />T' Whitson ale, wake, wedding, or a fair; <br />Or when in Christmas-time he was a guest <br />At his good landlord's house amongst the rest: <br />Else he had little leisure-time to waste, <br />Or at the ale-house huff-cap ale to taste; <br />His physic was good butter, which the soil <br />Of Salop yields, more sweet than candy oil; <br />And garlick he esteemed above the rate <br />Of Venice treacle, or best mithridate. <br />He entertained no gout, no ache he felt, <br />The air was good and temperate where he dwelt; <br />While mavisses and sweet-tongued nightingales <br />Did chant him roundelays and madrigals. <br />Thus living within bounds of nature's laws, <br />Of his long-lasting life may be some cause.<br /><br />John Taylor<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-olde-olde-very-olde-man-or-the-age-and-long-life-of-thomas-parr/
