Butfashion，whichattimesitispossibletomovewithawisp，standsfirmagainstalever；andmenpreferredtoruntheriskofdamnationtopartingwiththesuperfluityoftheirhair。InthetimeofHenryI，Anselm，ArchbishopofCanterbury，founditnecessarytorepublishthefamousdecreeofexcommunicationandoutlawryagainsttheoffenders；but，asthecourtitselfhadbeguntopatronizecurls，thefulminationsofthechurchwereunavailing。HenryIandhisnoblesworetheirhairinlongringletsdowntheirbacksandshoulders，andbecameascandalummagnatumintheeyesofthegodly。OneSerlo，theKing’schaplain，wassogrievedinspiritattheimpietyofhismaster，thathepreachedasermonfromthewell-knowntextofSt。
　　Paul，beforetheassembledcourt，inwhichhedrewsodreadfulapictureofthetormentsthatawaitedthemintheotherworld，thatseveralofthemburstintotears，andwrungtheirhair，asiftheywouldhavepulleditoutbytheroots。Henryhimselfwasobservedtoweep。Thepriest，seeingtheimpressionhehadmade，determinedtostrikewhiletheironwashot，and，pullingapairofscissorsfromhispocket，cuttheking’shairinpresenceofthemall。Severaloftheprincipalcourtiersconsentedtodothelike，and，forashorttime，longhairappearedtobegoingoutoffashion。Butthecourtiersthought，afterthefirstglowoftheirpenitencehadbeencooledbyreflection，thattheclericalDalilahhadshornthemoftheirstrength，and，inlessthansixmonths，theywereasgreatsinnersasever。
　　Anselm，theArchbishopofCanterbury，whohadbeenamonkofBec，inNormandy，andwhohadsignalizedhimselfatRouenbyhisfierceoppositiontolonghair，wasstillanxioustoworkareformationinthismatter。ButhispertinacitywasfarfrompleasingtotheKing，whohadfinallymadeuphismindtowearringlets。Therewereotherdisputes，ofamoreseriousnature，betweenthem；sothatwhentheArchbishopdied，theKingwassogladtoberidofhim，thatheallowedtheseetoremainvacantforfiveyears。Stillthecausehadotheradvocates，andeverypulpitinthelandresoundedwithanathemasagainstthatdisobedientandlong-hairedgeneration。Butallwasofnoavail。Stowe，inwritingofthisperiod，asserts，ontheauthorityofsomemoreancientchronicler，“thatmen，forgettingtheirbirth，transformedthemselves，bythelengthoftheirhaires，intothesemblanceofwomankind；“andthatwhentheirhairdecayedfromage，orothercauses，“theyknitabouttheirheadscertainrollsandbraidingsoffalsehair。“Atlastaccidentturnedthetideoffashion。
　　Aknightofthecourt，whowasexceedinglyproudofhisbeauteouslocks，dreamedonenightthat，ashelayinbed，thedevilspranguponhim，andendeavouredtochokehimwithhisownhair。Hestartedinaffright，andactuallyfoundthathehadagreatquantityofhairinhismouth。Sorelystrickeninconscience，andlookinguponthedreamasawarningfromHeaven，hesetabouttheworkofreformation，andcutoffhisluxurianttressesthesamenight。Thestorywassoonbruitedabroad；ofcourseitwasmadethemostofbytheclergy，andtheknight，beingamanofinfluenceandconsideration，andtheacknowledgedleaderofthefashion，hisexample，aidedbypriestlyexhortations，wasverygenerallyimitated。MenappearedalmostasdecentasSt。Wulstanhimselfcouldhavewished，thedreamofadandyhavingprovedmoreefficaciousthantheentreatiesofasaint。But，asStoweinformsus，“scarcelywasoneyearpast，whenallthatthoughtthemselvescourtiersfellintotheformervice，andcontendedwithwomenintheirlonghaires。“Henry，theKing，appearstohavebeenquiteuninfluencedbythedreamsofothers，forevenhisownwouldnotinducehimasecondtimetoundergoacroppingfrompriestlyshears。
　　Itissaid，thathewasmuchtroubledatthistimebydisagreeablevisions。Havingoffendedthechurchinthisandotherrespects，hecouldgetnosoundrefreshingsleep，andusedtoimaginethathesawallthebishops，abbots，andmonksofeverydegree，standingaroundhisbed-side，andthreateningtobelabourhimwiththeirpastoralstaves；whichsight，wearetold，sofrightenedhim，thatheoftenstartednakedoutofhisbed，andattackedthephantomsswordinhand。
　　Grimbalde，hisphysician，who，likemostofhisfraternityatthatday，wasanecclesiastic，neverhintedthathisdreamsweretheresultofabaddigestion，buttoldhimtoshavehishead，bereconciledtotheChurch，andreformhimselfwithalmsandprayer。Buthewouldnottakethisgoodadvice，anditwasnotuntilhehadbeennearlydrownedayearafterwards，inaviolentstormatsea，thatherepentedofhisevilways，cuthishairshort，andpaidproperdeferencetothewishesoftheclergy。
　　InFrance，thethundersoftheVaticanwithregardtolongcurlyhairwerehardlymorerespectedthaninEngland。LouisVII。however，wasmoreobedientthanhisbrother-king，andcroppedhimselfascloselyasamonk，tothegreatsorrowofallthegallantsofhiscourt。HisQueen，thegay，haughty，andpleasure-seekingEleanorofGuienne，neveradmiredhiminthistrim，andcontinuallyreproachedhimwithimitating，notonlytheheaddress，buttheasceticismofthemonks。Fromthiscause，acoldnessarosebetweenthem。Theladyprovingatlastunfaithfultohershavenandindifferentlord，theyweredivorced，andtheKingsofFrancelosttherichprovincesofGuienneandPoitou，whichwereherdowry。ShesoonafterbestowedherhandandherpossessionsuponHenryDukeofNormandy，afterwardsHenryIIofEngland，andthusgavetheEnglishsovereignsthatstrongfootinginFrancewhichwasforsomanycenturiesthecauseofsuchlongandbloodywarsbetweenthenations。
　　WhentheCrusadeshaddrawnallthesmartyoungfellowsintoPalestine，theclergydidnotfinditsodifficulttoconvincethestaidburgherswhoremainedinEurope，oftheenormityoflonghair。
　　DuringtheabsenceofRichardCoeurdeLion，hisEnglishsubjectsnotonlycuttheirhairclose，butshavedtheirfaces。WilliamFitzosbert，orLong-beard，thegreatdemagogueofthatday，reintroducedamongthepeoplewhoclaimedtobeofSaxonoriginthefashionoflonghair。HedidthiswiththeviewofmakingthemasunlikeaspossibletothecitizensandtheNormans。Heworehisownbeardhangingdowntohiswaist，fromwhencethenamebywhichheisbestknowntoposterity。
　　TheChurchnevershoweditselfsogreatanenemytothebeardastolonghaironthehead。Itgenerallyallowedfashiontotakeitsowncourse，bothwithregardtothechinandtheupperlip。Thisfashionvariedcontinually；forwefindthat，inlittlemorethanacenturyafterthetimeofRichardI，whenbeardswereshort，thattheyhadagainbecomesolongastobementionedinthefamousepigrammadebytheScotswhovisitedLondonin1327，whenDavid，sonofRobertBruce，wasmarriedtoJoan，thesisterofKingEdward。Thisepigram，whichwasstuckonthechurch-doorofSt。PeterStangate，ranasfollows——
　　“Longbeardsheartlesse，Paintedhoodswitlesse，Graycoatsgracelesse，MakeEnglandthriftlesse。“
　　WhentheEmperorCharlesV。ascendedthethroneofSpain，hehadnobeard。Itwasnottobeexpectedthattheobsequiousparasiteswhoalwayssurroundamonarch，couldpresumetolookmorevirilethantheirmaster。Immediatelyallthecourtiersappearedbeardless，withtheexceptionofsuchfewgraveoldmenashadoutgrowntheinfluenceoffashion，andwhohaddeterminedtodiebeardedastheyhadlived。
　　Soberpeopleingeneralsawthisrevolutionwithsorrowandalarm，andthoughtthateverymanlyvirtuewouldbebanishedwiththebeard。Itbecameatthetimeacommonsaying，——
　　“Desdequenohaybarba，nohaymasalma。“
　　Wehavenolongersoulssincewehavelostourbeards。
　　InFrance，also，thebeardfellintodisreputeafterthedeathofHenryIV，fromthemerereasonthathissuccessorwastooyoungtohaveone。SomeofthemoreimmediatefriendsofthegreatBearnais，andhisministerSullyamongtherest，refusedtopartwiththeirbeards，notwithstandingthejeersofthenewgeneration。
　　WhodoesnotrememberthedivisionofEnglandintothetwogreatpartiesofRoundheadsandCavaliers？Inthosedays，everyspeciesofviceandiniquitywasthoughtbythePuritanstolurkinthelongcurlytressesoftheMonarchists，whilethelatterimaginedthattheiropponentswereasdestituteofwit，ofwisdom，andofvirtue，astheywereofhair。Aman’slockswerethesymbolofhiscreed，bothinpoliticsandreligion。Themoreabundantthehair，themorescantthefaith；andthebalderthehead，themoresincerethepiety。
　　Butamongalltheinstancesoftheinterferenceofgovernmentswithmen’shair，themostextraordinary，notonlyforitsdaring，butforitssuccessisthatofPetertheGreat，in1705。Bythistime，fashionhadcondemnedthebeardineveryothercountryinEurope，andwithavoicemorepotentthanPopesorEmperors，hadbanisheditfromcivilizedsociety。ButthisonlymadetheRussiansclingmorefondlytotheirancientornament，asamarktodistinguishthemfromforeigners，whomtheyhated。Peter，howeverresolvedthattheyshouldbeshaven。Ifhehadbeenamandeeplyreadinhistory，hemighthavehesitatedbeforeheattemptedsodespoticanattackuponthetime-hallowedcustomsandprejudicesofhiscountrymen；buthewasnot。Hedidnotknoworconsiderthedangeroftheinnovation；heonlylistenedtothepromptingsofhisownindomitablewill，andhisfiatwentforth，thatnotonlythearmy，butallranksofcitizens，fromthenoblestotheserfs，shouldshavetheirbeards。Acertaintimewasgiven，thatpeoplemightgetoverthefirstthroesoftheirrepugnance，afterwhicheverymanwhochosetoretainhisbeardwastopayataxofonehundredroubles。Thepriestsandtheserfswereputonalowerfooting，andallowedtoretaintheirsuponpaymentofacopeckeverytimetheypassedthegateofacity。Greatdiscontentexistedinconsequence，butthedreadfulfateoftheStrelitzeswastoorecenttobeforgotten，andthousandswhohadthewillhadnotthecouragetorevolt。Asiswellremarkedbyawriterinthe“EncyclopediaBritannica，“theythoughtitwisertocutofftheirbeardsthantoruntheriskofincensingamanwhowouldmakenoscrupleincuttingofftheirheads。Wiser，too，thanthepopesandbishopsofaformerage，hedidnotthreatenthemwitheternaldamnation，butmadethempayinhardcashthepenaltyoftheirdisobedience。Formanyyears，averyconsiderablerevenuewascollectedfromthissource。Thecollectorsgaveinreceiptforitspaymentasmallcoppercoin，struckexpresslyforthepurpose，andcalledthe“borodovaia，“or“thebearded。“Ononesideitborethefigureofanose，mouth，andmoustachios，withalongbushybeard，surmountedbythewords，“DeuyeeVyeatee，““moneyreceived；“thewholeencircledbyawreath，andstampedwiththeblackeagleofRussia。Onthereverse，itborethedateoftheyear。Everymanwhochosetowearabeardwasobligedtoproducethisreceiptonhisentryintoatown。
　　Thosewhowererefractory，andrefusedtopaythetax，werethrownintoprison。
　　Sincethatday，therulersofmodernEuropehaveendeavouredtopersuade，ratherthantoforce，inallmatterspertainingtofashion。
　　TheVaticantroublesitselfnomoreaboutbeardsorringlets，andmenmaybecomehairyasbears，ifsuchistheirfancy，withoutfearofexcommunicationordeprivationoftheirpoliticalrights。Follyhastakenanewstart，andcultivatesthemoustachio。
　　Evenuponthispointgovernmentswillnotletmenalone。Religionasyethasnotmeddledwithit；butperhapsitwill；andpoliticsalreadyinfluenceitconsiderably。Beforetherevolutionof1830，neithertheFrenchnorBelgiancitizenswereremarkablefortheirmoustachios；but，afterthatevent，therewashardlyashopkeepereitherinParisorBrusselswhoseupperlipdidnotsuddenlybecomehairywithrealormockmoustachios。DuringatemporarytriumphgainedbytheDutchsoldiersoverthecitizensofLouvain，inOctober1830，itbecameastandingjokeagainstthepatriots，thattheyshavedtheirfacescleanimmediately；andthewitsoftheDutcharmyasserted，thattheyhadgatheredmoustachiosenoughfromthedenudedlipsoftheBelgianstostuffmattressesforallthesickandwoundedintheirhospital。