The Augustins, who still wore their beards, were ashamed of not being in the fashion as usual; they sent the famous father Eustace, of the Petty Augustins of Paris, to Rome, to obtain leave to shave their chins. They say, this father Eustace made use of great address on the occasion.
There were however some true believers, faithful observers of the Levitican law and the precepts of the primitive church, people on whom fashion has no influence, who courageously preserved their beards ’till towards the middle of the reign of Lewis XIV. A very respectable rector was one of them: when the bishop visited his diocese, he appeared with a venerable beard on his chin. The prelate exclaimed greatly against his thus making himself look like a patriarch, whilst he, his bishop and lord, was shaved; and he formally ordered him to get rid of his long beard. In vain did the poor rector cite the example of the pope then living, that of St. Francis of Sales, &c.; the bishop was inexorable, and the rector did not think fit to obey. Irritated at his obstinacy, the prelate sent him a writ to banish him from his living. By a singular piece of inattention, the place of banishment was left blank; the rector filled it up with Versailles, and immediately repaired to the residence of the kings of France. He affected to throw himself continually in the way of Lewis XIV.: his long beard was at length remarked by the king, who had him called, and asked him what was his business at court, and why he had such an extraordinary beard. The parson related his adventure to his majesty, who as pleased with it so much, that he sent back this grave pastor to his flock, and highly blamed the bishop for such a ridiculous whim.[[90]]
[90]. See the 8th vol. of Causes Célébres, a canon refused for being too little. This adventure furnished matter for a little burlesque poem, intitled l’Exilé à Versailles.
Since this, beards have entirely disappeared, and have only been let grow out on the chins of the Capuchins; and religious jealousy has pursued them even to this last retrenchment: how many clamours have they not caused among the other monks! and what a number of libels and polemical productions have they had to endure![[91]] Such are the books intitled le Rasibus or le procés fait à la barbe des Capucins;[[92]] la Guerre seraphique, ou Histoire des périls qu’a courus la barbe des Capucins par les violentes attaques des Cordeliers;[[93]] les Capucins sans barbe, &c. all works of envy or vengeance, which I shall be careful how I mention on account of my great dislike to satire. Not satisfied with writing, the enemies of the Capuchins’ beards have employed the most violent and most unwarrantable means. The fatal catastrophe which happened, in 1761, to the Capuchins of the town of Ascoli, in the limits of Ancona, proves how much monkish vengeance is cruel: we read as follows in the Utrecht Gazette of that time. “Our reverend fathers, the Capuchins, have no longer any beards. One of their lay brethren, a cook in the monastery, having put a good dose of opium in their meat, unbearded all of them whilst they were asleep, and then forsook the order. The Capuchins are so ashamed of this droll adventure, that they no longer dare appear abroad.”[[94]] Is it not clear to every body that base jealousy was what prompted this wicked brother to commit this deed? And is it not easy to discern the vengeance of an Italian monk in this attack on so many respectable beards? After so many outrages, how is it possible that bearded chins can any longer stand their ground? Without the express order to wear long beards, which is in the Bullarium of the brethren of that order, they would long ere this have abandoned the sad remains of the ancient majesty of the patriarchs.[[95]] They little thought formerly, that their long beards, which they looked upon as a respectable ornament, would one day become an object of public contempt; or that it would make part of their outward humility, which they formerly made consist solely in the colour and price of their clothes; but time perverts every thing.[[96]]
[91]. Several communities of Capuchins have been reproached with having concealed their beards on certain occasions. It is said, that those of Monpellier, about the beginning of Feb. 1731, played, in the great dining-hall of the monastery, the tragedy of Polieucpe, and danced between the acts, to celebrate the arrival of the provincial; and that, in order to play the women’s parts, they put their beards in a parchment thing made like a chin-cloth, painted flesh colour. The Capuchins of the great monastery at Lyons, in 1757, likewise acted a play before their friends and their brethren of the second monastery; they played three days running les Fourberies de Scapin: the reverend father, who played the part of Scapin, did it great justice. They add, that one of these reverend gentlemen danced a Harlequin dance with much grace and suppleness, and that, to remedy the inconvenience of long beards, they put them in pink taffety bags. The Capuchins at Grenoble and Vienne likewise acted a play, and covered their beards in the same manner. We relate these anecdotes, which were formerly printed by the enemies of the Capuchins, to show, that every opportunity has been taken to attack the beards of that religions order. These friars, at present, have no occasion to be afraid of similar reproaches; they act no plays, neither do they conceal their beards, and they make themselves equally respected by the gravity of their appearance and the extent of their learning.
[92]. This is a small dialogue printed at Cologn in 1718, in 12mo.
[93]. A scarce and curious work, but badly written, on the establishment of the Capuchins, printed at the Hague, in 1740, in 12mo.
[94]. See the Utrecht Gazette of Friday 26th June, 1761; this adventure furnished the subject of a work intitled Les Capucins, sans barbe.
[95]. Ac tam illi, quam vos barbam deferre. §. vii, Bullarium Ordinis Fratrorum Minorum S. P. Francisci Capucinorum, tom i.
[96]. Quod vestimentorum vilitas attendatur in pretio pariter & colore. Bullarium idem, tom. i.