Butfashion，whichattimesitispossibletomovewithawisp，standsfirmagainstalever；andmenpreferredtoruntheriskofdamnationtopartingwiththesuperfluityoftheirhair。InthetimeofHenryI，Anselm，ArchbishopofCanterbury，founditnecessarytorepublishthefamousdecreeofexcommunicationandoutlawryagainsttheoffenders；but，asthecourtitselfhadbeguntopatronizecurls，thefulminationsofthechurchwereunavailing。HenryIandhisnoblesworetheirhairinlongringletsdowntheirbacksandshoulders，andbecameascandalummagnatumintheeyesofthegodly。OneSerlo，theKing’schaplain，wassogrievedinspiritattheimpietyofhismaster，thathepreachedasermonfromthewell-knowntextofSt。
Paul，beforetheassembledcourt，inwhichhedrewsodreadfulapictureofthetormentsthatawaitedthemintheotherworld，thatseveralofthemburstintotears，andwrungtheirhair，asiftheywouldhavepulleditoutbytheroots。Henryhimselfwasobservedtoweep。Thepriest，seeingtheimpressionhehadmade，determinedtostrikewhiletheironwashot，and，pullingapairofscissorsfromhispocket，cuttheking’shairinpresenceofthemall。Severaloftheprincipalcourtiersconsentedtodothelike，and，forashorttime，longhairappearedtobegoingoutoffashion。Butthecourtiersthought，afterthefirstglowoftheirpenitencehadbeencooledbyreflection，thattheclericalDalilahhadshornthemoftheirstrength，and，inlessthansixmonths，theywereasgreatsinnersasever。
Anselm，theArchbishopofCanterbury，whohadbeenamonkofBec，inNormandy，andwhohadsignalizedhimselfatRouenbyhisfierceoppositiontolonghair，wasstillanxioustoworkareformationinthismatter。ButhispertinacitywasfarfrompleasingtotheKing，whohadfinallymadeuphismindtowearringlets。Therewereotherdisputes，ofamoreseriousnature，betweenthem；sothatwhentheArchbishopdied，theKingwassogladtoberidofhim，thatheallowedtheseetoremainvacantforfiveyears。Stillthecausehadotheradvocates，andeverypulpitinthelandresoundedwithanathemasagainstthatdisobedientandlong-hairedgeneration。Butallwasofnoavail。Stowe，inwritingofthisperiod，asserts，ontheauthorityofsomemoreancientchronicler，“thatmen，forgettingtheirbirth，transformedthemselves，bythelengthoftheirhaires，intothesemblanceofwomankind；“andthatwhentheirhairdecayedfromage，orothercauses，“theyknitabouttheirheadscertainrollsandbraidingsoffalsehair。“Atlastaccidentturnedthetideoffashion。
Aknightofthecourt，whowasexceedinglyproudofhisbeauteouslocks，dreamedonenightthat，ashelayinbed，thedevilspranguponhim，andendeavouredtochokehimwithhisownhair。Hestartedinaffright，andactuallyfoundthathehadagreatquantityofhairinhismouth。Sorelystrickeninconscience，andlookinguponthedreamasawarningfromHeaven，hesetabouttheworkofreformation，andcutoffhisluxurianttressesthesamenight。Thestorywassoonbruitedabroad；ofcourseitwasmadethemostofbytheclergy，andtheknight，beingamanofinfluenceandconsideration，andtheacknowledgedleaderofthefashion，hisexample，aidedbypriestlyexhortations，wasverygenerallyimitated。MenappearedalmostasdecentasSt。Wulstanhimselfcouldhavewished，thedreamofadandyhavingprovedmoreefficaciousthantheentreatiesofasaint。But，asStoweinformsus，“scarcelywasoneyearpast，whenallthatthoughtthemselvescourtiersfellintotheformervice，andcontendedwithwomenintheirlonghaires。“Henry，theKing，appearstohavebeenquiteuninfluencedbythedreamsofothers，forevenhisownwouldnotinducehimasecondtimetoundergoacroppingfrompriestlyshears。
Itissaid，thathewasmuchtroubledatthistimebydisagreeablevisions。Havingoffendedthechurchinthisandotherrespects，hecouldgetnosoundrefreshingsleep，andusedtoimaginethathesawallthebishops，abbots，andmonksofeverydegree，standingaroundhisbed-side，andthreateningtobelabourhimwiththeirpastoralstaves；whichsight，wearetold，sofrightenedhim，thatheoftenstartednakedoutofhisbed，andattackedthephantomsswordinhand。