New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-28
PEERING INTO THE
HISTORY OF Boards
DEGREES of Rulers Once Dictated
TIirsute Adornments-Now
Dame Fashion Decides.


One nay he we'll enough acquainted
with what St. Paul had TO say upon
the matter, and yet be quite al = loss
10 explain exactly wherein lies the
connection between sanctity and short
hair. abundance Of curls and want o.
religion: yet the belief that such an
alliance did exist had a very long and
healthy existence. Possibly II had its
origin in Europe, in fact that among
those pagan tribes which were the frat
10 come under the proselytising infu-
encc OF the early fathers Of the Chris
tian Church the wearing OF the hair
long was regarded as ono Of the SYM
bols OF manhood. And clerical dislike,
notwithstanding long hair, both on the
head and the chin, continued for many
centuries to be one OF the privileges
Of royalty and those powerful mobiles
who bore themselves as the equals OF
monarchs. The custom, through pre-
rogatvc OF royal blood. was gracious
~ permitted By It's legitimate posses
sors 10 be shared by those OF inferior
birth, and the sorrows Of the barber
fraternity may well be imagined when
things reached such a pass that even
the meancst subjects, setting all regu-
lations at defiance, allowed their hair
and boards 10 grow.
When William the Norman landed TO
assert his claim TO the English crown
he brought with him a cropped and
closely shaven army, fact so aston
ishing TO the English, who had an
abiding affection for their long hair,
that, as every schooboy knows, Har-
eld's SPIES rcnorted to their master
that the bulk Of the invaders were GER
tainly priests. But conquered, thun-
dered at By the new clergy, who came
20 take charge Of their souls, and de-
spite the example set them by their
Norman masters, the Saxons chung with
nsular stubborness to their love for
long hair. II acquired a new sgniti-
canoe, for it distinguished between
them and their conquerors. A holy
bishop and saint, as William Of
Malmesbury tells US, might rave
against a practice so Immoral, crimi-
nal and bcastly"; he might go to the
length of cutting a big lock from the
head of any man with long hair, throw
ing il in his face and threatening him
with hell fire hereafter IL he continued
obstinate; it was no use.
PRELATE THUNDERED IN VAIN.
Nor was it many years before the
hirsute Saxons found themselves re-
vcnged and By one Of their conquer
ere. Henry Beauclerc decided that he
would wear his hair long, and his court
followed the fashion royalty set, not
withs.arding the communication and
outlawry with which the Archbishop Of
&c, mo
the unfortunate BARRIERS we're in de-
spair. bereft Of occupation. Long hair
and long boards became the fashion
even among the warriors who took the
field when wolf ate wolf" and fierce
Robert Of Bclesme was overcome and
Tenchebrai was fought Defended by
their chain hauberks, these had no
reason TO share the fear Of Alexander
of Macedon, who forced his soldiers to
clip closely their boards so as TO de-
| prive determined adversary OF an adj
| vantageous handhold. According to
Stowe, "men transformed themselves
by the length Of their hsires into the
? semblance OF womsnkind." Once in a
/ fit of remorse, or in fear of the awful
torments related by his chaplain to be
suffered hereafter by all who defed
~
/ hair. Henry suffered his locks TO be
/ shorn. But, as with most pentential
fits OF the period, the duration was
brief, and not until he had almost per
/ ished in a violent storm at sea die
J the King give genuine heed to the
Pope's decree.
/ A beard more or less may seem q
/ trivial matter; none the less it was the
I Of hat
/ and shaven husband which assisted to
/ bring about the unfaithfulness OF
/ proud and gay Eleanor Of Guienne, snC
/ By bringing her wide possessions into
/ .he hands of the English King whom
! che afterward welded, paved the way
toward the long and sanguinary an.
tsgonism between England and France
The abolition of the beard which Peter
the Great decreed among his subjects
led TO more than ore instruction. Ar
Eastern race, the Russians set high
veneration upon the beard, at that
period out Of all favor in other Euro
mean countries. But masterful Peter
ACCOMPLISHED its disappearance in his
dominions, though he afterward did
consent TO permit priests and serfs to
retain their chin covering upon pay
. lltuk Ol a hOIGNh NfNAg hAiAN SANJ NH
.ered a city. The penalty for not obey
ing the royal command was more 20
tent in its effect than any that the
Roman Church had ever devised. Mer
faced the prospect Of eternal damna
ton, but few cared to suffer Peter:
alternative-the payment of fine oil
tax of one hundred roubles.
Fashion has proved more mighty
than popes' DEGREES or monarchs' com
mands. and pope and monarch of later
times have recognized the freedom o.
the ordinary man to do very much
according to his individual taste. The
only person to-day who is hardly free
agent in this matter is the foreign
! waiter.
/ A heavily bearded waiter is almost
/ unthinkable. But even walters have
! their rights, as was evidenced not very
! long ago when the attempt was made
/ in Paris to coerce restaurant attend
/ ants into complete shaving OF the face
/ Perhaps the most successful modern
/ attempt to enforce the will of one in
| dividual upon non-shsvers occurred in
! Bavaria in 1888, when the then King
issued an ordinance against the wear
/ ing Of boards by civilians. The police