A DECLARATION Against Wigs or Periwigs. Phil. 3.3. Jer. 22.24. Wigs not Peri-Wigs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, [Peri] in composition signifies [Excellency,] as well as [about] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent cut, as well as cut about. SEveral Testimonies having been given by Friends against Pride in Apparel relating to Women; 'tis considerable whether Women being reflected on may not reasonably reflect on Men, their artificial frizzled Hair; for women's Hairs on men's Heads swarm like one of Egypt's Plagues, and creep in too much upon and among Christians. And a Nehemiah is desirable, that might pluck off this strange Hair of strange Women lusted after, Nehem. 13.25. And the Heathen may rise up against us, for an Ambassador coming before a Senate with false Hair, a Grave Senator said, What credit is to be had to him whose very Locks do lie? And if upon necessity the Locks of any amongst us do lie, 'tis fit they should lie to purpose, viz. so as not to be discerned from native Locks: For to seek to deceive, so as to be perceived, argues as much want of Wit as of Sincerity; and a want of an endeavour in it not to be perceived, argues a want of Humility and Moderation. Isocrates, a Famous, Wise, Virtuous Grecian, seeing his Neighbour wear his Hair of another colour than Natural, because in Fashion, gave this ironical excuse for him, viz. That it was lest any should ask Counsel of him; intimating that none should seek Wisdom in so Fantastical a Head. Philip King of Macedon, put a Courtier of his out of his Office, because he wore Hair of another colour than Natural; saying, He would not be true to the Public, that was treacherous to his own Hairs. And the Emperor Titus thrust one form him, because he smelled of Purfume, saying, He had rather he had smelled of Garlic; and denied him his Suit. Plato, in the Tyrant Dionysius' Court, said, He would not wear women's Attire. Then, What wonder Women wear Gay Gold and Pearls, When Men Religious wear Gold Locks of Girls? Should Christian Guides affect a Whorish Guise, Which Heathen tempt by Tyrant did despise? I have read in our Chronicles (I think it was about the twelfth Age) that the Clergy wore Periwigs of a light Colour, as our Priests and others do now; though I have heard that of late the Bishop of Exeter, censured his Priests, in his Visitation, for wearing them. The Physician is but a course Covering, as if wearing of Gold and shaving of Heads were Wholesome: This pretence for Pride, is no better than that which is for Drunkenness and Whoredom; for they will say, 'Tis Physic to be Drunk once a Month: And Oxford Scholars had half a Crown a Month allowed to go to a Whore, ad purgandos ●enes. But the Protestants of Bohemia disputing at the Council of Basil, about Fifty Days on Four Questions, one of them was, That no Sin should be Tolerated to prevent a greater: Then much less to prevent a bodily Infirmity, which may be done by other lawful means, and not by working Confusion in wearing women's Cover, Deut. 22.5. 1 Cor. 11.15. Some say, Shaving is to prevent the Pox; Small honour to Wigwearers to incur such a suspicion of it, or of any Infirmity or Defect. If Heat cause Headache, sure a Wig under a Hat is not a means to cure it. The Prophet Elisha likely had neither, when Bethel Boys cried, Abald Head. Polling of Heads came first in Fashion, by occasion of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, his being troubled with the Headache; whose Example all his Court followed, and all Europe theirs; (see ye the force of Example, and the abuse of it) yet they wore no Wigs: Insomuch, that a Russian with long Hair, meeting Earl Cromwell, and excusing himself that he had a Vow for it, the Earl told him, He should lie in Prison till 'twas ended. One would think, that they that have for wearing Wigs the most excuse, should have most care to stop the abuse coming by Example, that it may not produce the taking of an Ell, through the allowance of an Inch; and that they should stir up Sober, Virtuous People to take notice how far they that wear them are necessitated thereto; and if so, what Modesty they used therein. This as cold Water to dash them, expects something a coming hotter than a Crisping-Iron to burn them. John Mulliner, a Friend about Northampton, a Wig-Maker, left off his Trade, and was made to burn one in his Prentice's sight, and Print against it. John Hall, a Gentleman of Northumberland, being Convinced, sitting it a Meeting, was shaken by the Lord's Power, plucked off, and threw down his Wig; so 'tis considerable whether care may not be taken, Calvus bald. that conceited conterfit Calvinists may not continue amongst us, nor that any of the People of God make themselves bald for Pride now, as they did of old for Sorrow, Levit. 21.5. Objection, Wigs may be worn not only for Use, but Ornament. Answer, It appears very oppost to the Apostles Doctrine, and also their Practice; for not only the Apostle James, James 2.2. reproves respect to gay Clothing in general, (and is not Gay Clothing to gain Respect, as Modest is to avoid Contempt) but also in particular, the Apostles Peter and Paul forbade ornament of plaited Hair, (as ours translate, 1 Pet. 3. ●. 1 Tim. 2.9. Vulgar tortis. Lucian, Clemens, Chrysostom. Crisped or Curled as others) and the Ancients writ, that they both had Bald-Heads; and if they should have covered them with women's Hair, would they not have retorted, Was that the Cause, Peter and Paul, that you bade us leave off our Locks, that you, and such like, might get them yourselves, to make Peri-wigs of? Can any Christian believe, that Peter and Paul would run into such an absurdity? who 'tis very probable, restrained Women, not Men, expressly as needless. Solon, a Wise, Virtuous Lawgiver, made none against Parricide, as not to be supposed. It was a shame then, for Men to have long Hair naturally like Women, among the Greeks and Romans too: For Julius Caesar, ●s I remember, was by his Foes called scornfully [Puer comatus] Long haired Lad, viz. in effect, a Lass. Was it then likely they would wear long Wigs of Lasses Hair for an Ornament? Woodland a Martyr, a Deacon, taunted by a Persecuting Bishop (for his stocked Hose) saying, He was decked like a Deacon, answered, More like a Deacon, than thou like an Apostle. True, For if Deacons Wives must be Grave and Sober, and their Ornament not outward but inward, much rather the Deacons, and then much more Bishops. And most Apostles, whom Christ sent forth with Sandals, a single Coat, etc. Math. 10.10. whose Examples the famousest Primitive Christians followed. Origen went in a plain Coat, bare Footed, and that too before the Emperor, who yet admired his Majesty. Tertullian left off the Gown, and took the plain Coat, for which he wrote a Book Dopallio. Clemens wore a White Coat, and writes in defence thereof. So did John Huss the Martyr, the eminentest Preacher in Bohemia, and bequeathed his White Coat to one, his Grey Coat to an another; not his White Wig to one, his Brown Wig to another. He suffered for opposing Preachers Pride. It remains to show, That 'tis not an Ornament, but a Deformity, more than that it would Cover, as if it were not in Fashion would appear, even to the simple natural Eye. The Americans seeing one Captain Morley, take off his Wig, cried he had two Heads. And 'twere apt to affright a Child unused to it, like the horrid and hideous Head of a Snake-hair-twisted Gorgon, or cristed Bellona; as Homer says Hector did his Son with his Horse-maned Helmet. And who can refrain to fall into a Poetical Vein, and Paint it out in such sad Colours, that it may look as ugly as it doth: For a glorying in a Shame, as an Ornament, sharppens a Pen to describe it to make it appear as it is. Difficile est satyram non scribere. Metamorphoses. The manner of this Age unmannerly Is, Man unmaning, women's Hair to buy, Dub Poles and Joles Dame Venus' Knights to be, Smock-Coat and Petticoat Breech their Livery, Scarce Manlike Faced, though Woman like in Hair, As sting-tailed Locusts in the Vision were, As of Hyena's kind, Hermaprodites, Or as abused Italian Catamites; And like unto the Phrygian Ganymede, Or as Tiresias Femalized indeed, Or one that (sigh he would a Woman be) Put Period to Assyrian Monarchy. Hair in a Night turned hue, of Old 'twas said, An Old Man Young, a Boy a Girl was made; elders so now transformed to Girls appear, And Girls to Boys by their short curtailed Hair. By B●lls some seem i'th' twilight turned to Owls, As Antique Harpies or some new Night Fowls, As charming Sirens (bate their ugly Hair) Having their Arms, Necks, Breasts, Backs, Shoulders bare, Nay for their Knights rich Garters some prepare. Richard Richardson. THE END.