342 HISTORY OF 



perpetually flourishing. Theodora, the empress (who was 

 sister to Zoes, wife of Monomachus, and reigned alone after 

 her decease), lived above eighty years ; a pragmatical 

 woman, and one that took delight in governing ; fortunate 

 in the highest degree, and through her good fortunes cre 

 dulous. 



17. We will proceed now from these secular princes to 

 the princes in the church ; St. John, an apostle of our Saviour, 

 and the beloved disciple, lived ninety-three years. He was 

 rightly denoted under the emblem of the eagle, for his 

 piercing sight into the divinity, and was a seraph amongst 

 the apostles, in respect of his burning love. St. Luke, the 

 Evangelist, fulfilled fourscore and four years ; an eloquent 

 man and a traveller, St. Paul s inseparable companion, and 

 a physician. Simeon, the son of Cleophas, called the bro 

 ther of our Lord, and bishop of Jerusalem, lived a hundred 

 and twenty years, though he was cut short by martyrdom ; 

 a stout man, and constant, and full of good works. Poly- 

 carpus, disciple unto the apostles, and bishop of Smyrna, 

 seemeth to have extended his age to a hundred years and 

 more, though he were also cut off by martyrdom ; a man of 

 a high mind, of an heroical patience, and unwearied with 

 labours. Dionysius Areopagita, contemporary to the apos 

 tle St. Paul, lived ninety years; he was called the bird of 

 heaven for his high flying divinity, and was famous, as well 

 for his holy life as for his meditations. Aquila and Pris- 

 cilla, first St. Paul the apostle s hosts, afterward his fellow 

 helpers, lived together in a happy and famous wedlock, at 

 least to a hundred years of age apiece, for they were both 

 alive under Pope Xistus the First; a noble pair, and prone 

 to all kind of charity, who amongst other their comforts 

 (which no doubt were great unto the first founders of the 

 church) had this added, to enjoy each other so long in a 

 happy marriage. St. Paul, the hermit, lived a hundred and 

 thirteen years; now*he lived in a cave, his diet was so 

 slender and strict, that it was thought almost impossible to 

 support human nature therewithal ; he passed his years 

 only in meditations and soliloquies ; yet he was not illite 

 rate, or an idiot, but learned. Saint Anthony, the first 

 founder of monks, or (as some will have it) the restorer only, 

 attained to a hundred and five years of age ; a man devout 

 and contemplative, though not unfit for civil affairs; his 

 life was austere and mortifying, notwithstanding he lived 

 in a kind of glorious solitude, and exercised a command, 

 for he had his monks under him. And, besides, many 



