Tonsure (Lat. tonsura, shaving) is a name given to the distinguishing mark of the clergy of the Koniish Church, formed by shaving off some of the hair. The custom is said to have been introduced at the end of the 5th century. At an earlier period it was censured as unbecoming spiritual persons, on the ground of its being among the tokens of penance. Albaspinaeus notes, " It was customary to use shaving even to bald- ness, and sprinkling the bead with ashes, as signs of sorrow and rejientance; but the ])riests of God were not to be thus treated;" which shows that the ancients then knew nothing of this as a ceremony belonging to the ordination or life of the clergy. The ancient ton- sure, therefore, was not a shaven crown, for Jerome, Ambrose, and others, ecjually inveigh against this as a ceremony of the priests of Isis ; it was only an obli- gation on the monks and clergy to wear decent and short hair, as is evident from all the canons that ap- point it. The tonsure in early times was called corona clericalis, and the clergy coronati, not, however, from their shaven crowns, but from the form of the ancient tonsure, which was made in a circular tigure by cutting away the hair a little from the crown of the head and leaving a circle hanging downwards. At first the low- est church servants wore their hair short as a mark of servitude, and the monks, out of humility, imitated them, and in the 6th century the clergy adopted the fashion.
'lihefoiin of the tonsure varied in different churches, and the varieties of it are of some historical interest. That of the Koman Church, called the "Tonsure of Peter," consisted of shaving the crown as well as the back of the head, so that there remained a circular ring or crown of hair. This was the form in use iu Italy, Gaul, and Spain. In the Scottish (or Irish) tonsure, which was in use in Ireland, in North Britain, and in those parts of Germany in which the Irish missionaries had preached, the entire front of the head was shaved, leaving it bare as far back as the line from ear to ear. This tonsure was called " the tonsure of James," and sometimes of " Simon the Magician." The (ireeks and other Orientals shaved the whole head. The supposed derivation of the Irish form of tonsure from the apos- tolic times led to its being held botii in Ireland and Britain, as well as other churches of Irish foundation, to be of the most vital im|)(irtance, insomuch that the introduction of the lioman form was almost the occa- sion of a schism.
As to the signification of the tonsure, the catechism of the Council of Trent says that it was intended to sig- nify that the ministers of religion are in all things so to comport themselves as to carry about them the figure and likeness of Christ. Anthony, archbishop of Flor- ence, says, '• The shaving on the u|)per part of the head signifies that they ought to have a mind free for the contemplation of <livine things. The tonsure over the ears denotes that they ought not to have dull senses, or be involved in worldly matters, which are designated by the hair. But tiie cut of the hair iu form of a circle designates the royal dignity which they have, and be- cause they ought to regulate themselves aiui others ac- cording to the virtues." The circle formed at the back of the head by the tonsure is eidarged as the per.son rises in ecclesiastical dignity. Originally the tonsure was merely a part of the ceremonial of initiation in or- ders, and was oidy performed in the act of administer- ing the higher order ; but about the 7th century it came to be used as a distinct and independent cere- monial; and a question has been raised whether it is to be considered in itself as an order, and to be added to the list of what are called " minor orders." The now received opinion of Catholic writers is that tonsure is not an order, but only a preparation for orders. Con- cealment had already been forbidden in Edgar's canon, and by Anselm, in 1102; and Peckham, in 1281. com- plains that the clergy covered it out of sight with hair laces. See Bingham, Christ. Antiq. bk. vi, ch. iv, § 16,.
TOOKE
487
TOOTH
17 ; vii, iii, § 6 ; Walcott, Sac. A rchwol. s. v. ; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lex. s. v.
Tooke, John Horne, an English clergyman, the son of John Horne, was born in Westminster, June 25, 1736, and was educated at Westminster and Eton schools and St. John's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1758. He became an usher in a school at Black- heath, took orders, and served as curate in Kent. In 1760 he received priest's orders, and for three years had charge of the cliapelry of New Brentford. After going to France as travelling tutor to the son of Jlr. Elvves, of Berkshire, he returned in 1767 and took an active inter- est in politics, laboring to secure the election of his friend Wilkes from Middlesex. He became (17G9) one of the founders of the " Society for Supporting the Bill of Rights," but quarrelled with Wilkes and was attacked by Junius, but successfully defended himself. In 1773 he formally resigned his living, designing to study law; and, rendering great assistance to a Mr. Tooke of Pur- ley, in Surrey, was made by him his heir. He changed his name to Tooke in 1782, and received £8000 from the property. He opposed the American war, and, ac- cusing the king's troops of barbarously murdering the Americans at Lexington, was convicted of libel, and sentenced to one year's imprisonment and a fine of £'200. When released, he applied for admission to the bar, but was rejected on the ground of being a cler- gyman. In 1790 he was defeated as a candidate for Parliament, and in 1794: was tried for high-treason, but was acquitted. Defeated again in 1796, he succeeded in 1801 in being elected to the House of Comtnons for the borough of Old Sarum ; and retained his seat till the dissolution in 1802, the decision of Parliament (that no one in priest's orders could be a member) disqualify- ing him from sitting again. He retired to Wimbleton, wiiere he died, INIarch 18. 1812. Mr. Tooke published, The Petition of an Eiu/lishman (17()o) : — Sermon (before 1773) : — Letter to John D/inniiif/ (1778, 8vo) : — Letter to Lord Ashburton (1782, 8vo) : — "Eivta Wrtpoti'Ta, or the Diversions of Purle;/ (1786, 8vo) :— and other pam- phlets. See AUibone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A uthors, s. V. ; Chalmers, Bioff. Diet. s. v.