E'OHIP'PUS. See HYRACOTHERIUM ; and IloOsE. FOSSIL.
ClIARLES n' A French diplomatist, commonly known as the Chevalier d'Eou. Ile was born at Tonnerre, Burgundy, and in early life practiced as an advocate in Paris. his essay on the finances of France attracted much attention, and in 1755 he was sent by Louis XV. on a diplo matic mission to Russia, where he assumed the dress of a woman, gained the favor of the Empress Elizabeth, and negotiated an advantageous treaty. After serving with the French army in Germany in 1759 lie was made minister plenipotentiary to London (1763), but was superseded shortly after the death of Louis XV. On his return to France (1777) the Government, for reasons which have never been made known, required him to assume the female dress, which he wore for the remainder of his life. This fact gave rise to doubts as to his sex, which were not settled until his death. On the outbreak of the French Revolution he offered his services to the French nation, but they were declined, and he passed the rest of his days in poverty in England. The Chevalier d'Eon was the author of many historical and political es says which were published under the title of Loisirs du Chevalier d'Eon (1775). The ME moires attributed to him and edited by Gaillar det (Paris, 1836) are not genuine. Consult Tel fer, The Strange Career of the Chevalier d'Eon de Beaumont (London, 1885).
EON, or EU'DO DE STEL'LA, or EON DE L'ETOILE, :VON' de A religious fanatic of noble birth, who lived in Brittany in the twelfth century, and claimed to be the final judge of mankind. He is said to have applied to him
self the pronoun earn, in the familiar liturgical formula, per qui venturus est fudieare virus et rnortuos, "through Him who will come to judge the quick and the dead," whence his name, Eon. He opposed the hierarchy of the Church, al though he did not hesitate to construct a new one of his own, ordaining his followers as bishops and archbishops, in complete disregard of canon law, for lie was himself a layman. Ilis enthusiastic adherents went forth to plunder and destroy churches and monasteries. In Eon himself mirac ulous powers were believed to reside. He was publicly opposed at Nantes by the cardinal legate, Alberie. and Hugo, Archbishop of Rouen. wrote a book against him, Dogmatum Ch-ristialur Fidei. In 1148 he was seized, along with some of his leading adherents, and brought before a synod at Rheims for trial. He was adjudged insane, and thus escaped execution, but he was imprisoned for the rest of his life, and some of his followers were burned at the stake. His sect soon died out. There is little ground for the commonly accepted opinion that Eon belonged to the Cathari. Con suit: H. C. Lea, nistory of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages. vol. i. (New York, ISSS) ger, Beitriige zur Sektengesehichte des Mittelal ters, vol. i. (Munich, 1890).