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Henry's Queen Eleanor had been previously the wife of
Louis VII, of Trance, who having been persuaded by his
Priests to shave off his Beard, so disgusted Eleanor that
she obtained a divorcee-
Richard the Lion-hearted was Bearded like a lion, and
though he was so absorbed in the Crusades that he did
not redress, yet he acknowledged the justice of the com-
plaints of the celebrated Longbeard, "Earl of London
and King of the Poor," who did honor to his Beard by
resisting oppression, and perished, after an heroic struggle,
the victim of cowardice and treachery. The monuments
of Roger, Bishop of Sarum, and Andrew, Abbot of Peter-
borough, shew that Bishops wore the Beard, and Abbots
and Monks shaved in this reign.
John had what was called <ca Judas' Beard," of which
his actions were every way worthy. Fortunately, the bold
more sincere admirer than myself of the manly way in which he
maintains his opinions on all occasions, and the humorous kindness
of disposition which renders hini beloved in private and in public.
I should always esteem him as a public man, were it only for his
long and single-handed fight against that economical iniquity—
that suicidal tax on prudence and foresight, and bounty on impro-
vidence—the Fire Insurance Duty !
* " She had," says D'lsraeli, "for her marriage dower the rich
province of Poitou and G-uyenne; and this was the origin of those
wars which for 300 years ravaged France, and cost the French three
million of men. All which probably had never occurred had Loius
VII not been so rash as to crop his head and shave his Beard, by
which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen Eleanor."
