For the murder of a freeman, companion, or leud of the king, killed in his palace by an armed band 1800 A duke--among the Bavarians, a bishop 960 A relation of a duke 640 The king's leud, a count, a priest, a judge 600 A deacon 500 A freeman, of the Salians or Ripuarians 200 A freeman, of the other tribes 160 The slave--a good workman in gold 100 The man of middle station, a colon, or good workman in silver 100 The freedman 80 The slave, if a barbarian--that is, of the conquering tribe 55 The slave, a workman in iron 50 The serf of the Church or the king 45 The swineherd 30 The slave, among the Bavarians 20
Distinctions of dress pointed out still more clearly the difference of rank and station. The principal variety, however, was the method of wearing the hair. The chieftain among the Franks considered the length and profusion of his locks as the mark of his superiority. His broad flowing tresses were divided up the middle of his head, and floated over his shoulders. They were curled and oiled--not with common butter, like some other nations, says an author quoted by Chateaubriand; not twisted in little plaits, like those of the Goths, but carefully combed out to their full luxuriance. The common soldier, on the other hand, wore his hair long in front, but trimmed close behind. They swore by their hair as the most sacred of their oaths, and offered a tress to the Church on returning from a successful war. From this peculiar consideration given to the hair arose the custom, still prevalent, of shaving the heads of ecclesiastics. They were the serfs of God, and sacrificed their locks in token that they were no longer free. When a chief was dishonoured, when a king was degraded, when a rival was to be rendered incapable of opposition, he was not, as in barbarous countries, put to death: he was merely made bald. No amount of popularity, no degree of right, could rouse the people in support of a person whose head was bare. When his hair grew again, he might again become formidable; but the scissors were always at hand. A tyrannical king clipped his enemies' hair, instead of taking off their heads. They were condemned to the barber instead of the executioner, and sometimes thought the punishment more severe. The sons of Clothilde sent an emissary to her, bearing in his hand a sword and a pair of scissors. "O queen," he said, "your sons, our masters, wish to know whether you will have your grandchildren slain or clipped." The queen paused for a moment, and then said, "If my grandchildren are doomed not to mount the throne, I would rather have them dead than hairless."