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. 1 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 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.

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.

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, τριχοραχάτον of which Georgius Cedrenus writes thus in his History, "Ἐλέγοντο δὲ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ γένους ἐκείου καταγόμενοι κριστάτοι, ὅ ἑρμηνεύεται τριχοραχάτοι' εἶχον γὰρ κατὰ τῆς ῥάχεως αύτῶν τρίχας ἐκϕυομένας ὡς χοῖροι" 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, κριστάτοι ought to be Σέτάτοι 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 τριχοχάρακτοι, as being remarkable for their large Heads of Hair.