a degree of nobility next below a viscount, and above a baronet. It is probable that formerly all those were barons who had lordships with courts-baron, and soon after the conquest all such sat in the house of peers; but they being very numerous, it grew an order and custom, that none should sit but such as the king thought fit to call up by writ, which ran pro hac vice tantum. This state of nobility being very precarious, they at length obtained of the king letters patent; and these were called barons by patent, or creation, the only way now in use of making barons, unless when the son of a lord, in his ancestor's life-time, is summoned by a writ.

On solemn occasions, barons wear a coronet, represented in Plate LI. fig. 19.

Baron by tenure, one who held certain territories of the king, who still retained the tenure in chief to himself.

Barons of the exchequer, the four judges to whom the administration of justice is committed, in causes between the king and his subjects, relating to matters concerning the revenue. They were formerly barons of the realm, but of late are generally persons learned in the laws. Their office is also to look into the accounts of the king, for which reason they have auditors under them. See AUDITOR.

Barons of the cinque-ports are members of the house of commons, elected by the five ports, two for each port. See the article CINQUE-PORTS.

Baron and Feme, in our law, a term used for the husband in relation to his wife, who is called feme; and they are deemed but one person; so that a wife cannot be witness for or against her husband, nor he for or against his wife, except in cases of high treason.

Baron and Feme, in heraldry, is when the coats of arms of a man and his wife are borne per pale in the same escutcheon, the man's being always on the dexter side, and the woman's on the sinister; but here the woman is supposed not an heiress, for then her coat must be borne by the husband on an escutcheon of pretence. See PALE and ESCUTCHEON of pretence.

Prendre de Baron. See PRENDRE.