properly denotes the hereditary governor of a castle, or fortified town, chiefly in Germany. The word is compounded of burg, town, and graf or grave, count. The bargraves were originally the same with what we otherwise call castellans, or comites castellani; but their dignity was considerably advanced under Rudolph of Hapsburgh: before his time they were ranked only as counts, and below the princes, but under him began to be esteemed on a footing with princes. In some parts, the dignity is much degenerated, especially in the palatinate. There were formerly, according to Leti, 15 families who enjoyed