_Of the Right of Wearing a large Head of Hair peculiar to
the Royal Family._
It will not be amiss in this Place to give some Account of a Custom of
our Ancestors, relating to the Hair worn by the Royal Family: For 'tis
recorded, that our Forefathers had a particular Law concerning it;
_viz._ That such as were chosen Kings by the People, or were of the
Regal Family, shou'd preserve their Hair, and wear it parted from the
Forehead, on both Sides the Head, and anointed with sweet Oyl, as an
Ornament and peculiar Mark of their being of the Royal Family; whilst
all other Persons, how nobly born soever, had no right to wear a large
Head of Hair; but were obliged to go with their Heads shorn or shaved,
upon the Account (as 'tis probable) that they shou'd be more ready and
expedite in their continual military Exercises, as the _Roman_ Histories
tell us of _Julius Cæsar_, and several others. _Aimoinus_ lib. I cap. 4.
says--"The _Franks_ chusing for themselves a King, according to the
Custom of other Nations, raised, _Pharamond_ to the Throne, to whom
succeeded his Son Clodio crinitus; For at that Time the Kings of the
_Franks_ wore large Heads of Hair. Also lib. 3. cap. 61. _Gundoaldus_
being brought up by his Mother after the regal Manner, wore a long Head
of Hair, according to the Custom of the ancient Kings of the _Franks_."
In like Manner _Agathius_, lib. de Bell. Goth. I. where he speaks of
_Clodoveus_, one of our Kings, who was taken in Battel by the
_Burgundians_, (he calls him _Clodamirus_). "As soon (says he) as his
Horse had thrown him, the _Burgundians_ espying his large Head of Hair,
which fell back over his Shoulders, presently knew him to be the Enemy's
_General_; for 'tis not lawful for the Kings of the _Franks_ to cut off
their Hair, but even from their Childhood they remain untrimm'd, and
always keep a large Head of Hair hanging low down upon their Backs." And
we have many Instances that it was our Ancestors Custom, whenever they
either deprived any one of the Crown, or took away all Hopes of
obtaining the Kingdom, to cut off his Head of Hair. _Aimoinus_ in the
same Place--"He earnestly beholding him, commanded his Hair to be cut
off, denying him to be his Son.--Also--Having caused his Hair to be cut
off a second Time, he put him in Prison at _Cologne_; from whence making
his Escape, he fled to _Narses_, and suffer'd his Hair to grow again,
&c." Which Story _Gregory_ of _Tours_, lib. 6. cap. 24. likewise
records. Also _cap._ 44. where he speaks of King _Theodorick_.--"The
Franks (says he) rose up in Arms against him, and cast him out of the
Kingdom, and cut off his Head of Hair by Force." But there is a very
remarkable, or rather horrible Story related by _Gregory_ of _Tours_,
concerning _Crotilda_, the Queen Mother; who chose rather to have the
Heads of her two Grandsons cut off than their Hair. 'Tis in his 3d Book,
_cap._ 18.--"Our Mother (says the King to his Brother) has kept our
Brother's Sons with her, and intends to advance them to the Throne; we
must concert what Measures ought to be taken in this Affair; whether we
shall order their Hair to be cut off, and to reduce them to the State of
common Subjects; or whether we shall cause them to be put to Death, and
afterwards divide the Kingdom between us: Then they sent _Archadius_
with a Pair of Scissars in one Hand, and a naked Sword in t'other to the
Queen; who approaching her, showed them both to her, and said, Your
Sons, most Glorious Queen, have sent me to know your Pleasure, what
Destiny you are pleased to allot to these two Youths; whether by
suffering their Hair to be cut off, you will have them to live; or
whether you had rather have both their Throats cut. Whereupon She chose
rather to see them both kill'd, than to have their Hair cut off." I
further observe, that it was the Fashion when our Kings went to single
Combat, to have their long Hair tied up in a large Knot a-top of their
Helmets like a Crest; and that was their Cognizance or Mark in all their
Fights. Therefore _Aimoinus_, lib. 4. cap. 18. where he speaks of the
dreadful Combat between King _Dagobert_ and _Bertoaldus_, Duke of the
_Saxons:_ "The King (says he) having his Hair, together with a Part of
his Helmet, cut off with a Blow of a Sword on his Head, sent them by his
Esquire to his Father, desiring him to hasten to his Assistance."
Now when I consider what might be the Reasons of this Institution, I can
find none but this. That since it had been the ancient Custom of the
_Gauls_ and _Franks_ to wear their Hair long (as it was also of the
_Sicambri_, and of most others in those Parts) our Ancestors thought fit
to continue, and in Process of Time to appropriate this Ornament, and
Mark of Distinction to the Regal Family. No Person, tho' but
indifferently learn'd, needs any Proof that the _Gauls_ wore their Hair
long, especially when he calls to mind that of the Poet _Claudian_, ex
lib. in Ruffin. 2.
_Inde truces flavo comitantur vertice_ Galli
_Quos_ Rhodanus _velox_, Araris _quos tardior ambit_,
_Et quos nascentes explorat gurgite_ Rhenus.
Now that the _Franks_ did so too, whom we have shewn to be descended
from the _Chauci_ or _Chaiici_, that single Passage of the Poet _Lucan_
is sufficient to confirm.
_Et vos_ Crinigeros _bellis arcere_ Chaycos
_Opposui, petitis_ Roman, &c.
Which being so, we may easily comprehend the Reason why Strangers, who
were ill affected towards our Nation, contumeliously called our Kings,
who wore so great a Head of Hair, _Reges setatos, bristled Kings_; and
not only so, but (tho' Bristles and long Hair be common to Lyons, Horses
and Swine, all which are therefore called _Setosi_, or _Setigeri_) they
stretched the Contumely so far, as to say, they had Hogs Bristles. From
whence arose that filthy Fiction and foul Name, [Greek: trichorachaton]
of which _Georgius Cedrenus_ writes thus in his History, [Greek:
"Helegonto de hoi ek tou genous hekenou katagomenoi kristatoi ho
hermêneuetai trichorachai heichon gar kata tês racheôs autôn trichas
ekphuomenas hôs choiroi"] that is, "They who were of the Kingly Race
were called _Cristati_, which may be interpreted _Bristleback'd_;
because they had all along their Back bones, Bristles growing out like
Swine"--, Which Passage of _Cedrenus_, I believe, is corrupted, and
instead of the Word [Greek: kristatoi], ought to be [Greek: setatoi], or
perhaps both. For as some Persons called them pleasantly _Christati_ by
Reason of their large erected Bunch of Hair upon the Tops of their
Helmets; so their Ill-Willers called them upbraidingly _Setati_, or
_Setigeri_. If _Cedrenus_ had not been so very plain in this Passage,
and the Appellation of _Cristati_ be to be retained, I shou'd rather
have thought they might have been called [Greek: trichocharaktoi], as
being remarkable for their large Heads of Hair.
* * * * *