BARON, ROBERT, a dramatic author, who lived
during the reign of Charles I. and the protectorship of
Oliver Cromwell. He received the earlier parts of his
education at Cambridge, after which he became a
member of the honourable society of Gray's Inn. Dur-
ing his residence at the university, he wrote a novel
called the Cyprian Academy, in which he introduced
the two first of the dramatic pieces mentioned below.
The third of them is a much more regular and perfect
play, and was probably written when the author had
attained a riper age. The names of them are, 1. Deo-
rum Dona, a masque. 2. Gripus and Hegio, a pasto-
ral. 3. Mirza, a tragedy. Mr Baron had a great
intimacy with the celebrated Mr James Howell, the
great traveller, in whose collections of Letters there
is one to this gentleman, who was at that time at Paris.
To Mr Howell in particular, and to all the ladies and
gentlewomen in England in general, he has dedicated
his romance.