a dignity or degree of honour next beneath a baron, and above a knight; having precedence of all knights excepting those of the Garter, and being the only knighthood that is hereditary.

The dignity of baronet is given by patent, and is the lowest degree of honour that is hereditary. The order was founded by King James I. at the suggestion of Sir Robert Cotton, in 1611, when 200 baronets were created at once; to which number it was intended they should always be restrained: but it is now enlarged at the king's pleasure, without limitation.

They had several considerable privileges given them, with an habendum to them and their heirs male. They were allowed to charge their coat with the arms of Ulster, which are, in a field argent, a sinister hand, gules; and that upon condition of their defending the province of Ulster in Ireland against the rebels, who then harassed it extremely: to which end they were each to raise and keep up 30 soldiers at their own expense for three years together, or to pay into the exchequer a sum sufficient to do it; which, at 8d. per day per head, was 1095l. So that, including fees, the expense of this dignity may be about 1200l. sterling. To be qualified for it, one must be a gentleman born, and have a clear estate of 1000l. per annum.

Baronets take place according to the dates of their patents; by the terms of which no honour is to be erected between barons and baronets. The title Sir is granted them by a peculiar clause in their patents, though they be not dubbed knights: but both a baronet, and his eldest son, being of full age, may claim knighthood.—The first baronet who was created was Sir Nicholas Bacon of Redgrave in Suffolk, whose successor is therefore styled Primus Baronetorum Anglic.

Baronets of Scotland, called also Baronets of Nova Scotia. The order of knights baronets was also designed to be established in Scotland in the year 1621, by king James I. for the plantation and cultivation of the province of Nova Scotia in America; but it was not actually instituted till the year 1625 by his son Charles I. when the first person dignified with this title was Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstone, a younger son of the earl of Sutherland. The king granted a certain portion of land in Acadia or New Scotland, to each of them, which they were to hold of Sir William Alexander (afterwards earl of Stirling), for their encouragement who should hazard their lives for the good and increase of that plantation, with precedence to them, and their heirs-male for ever, before all knights called equites curati, and all lesser barons called lairds, and all other gentlemen, except Sir William Alexander his majesty's lieutenant in Nova Scotia, his heirs, their wives and children; that the title of Sir should be prefixed to their Christian name, and Baronet added to their surname; and that their own and their eldest sons wives should enjoy the title of Lady, Madame, or Dame. Dame.—His majesty was so desirous of adding every mark of dignity to this his favourite order, that, four years after its institution, he issued a royal warrant, granting them the privilege of wearing an orange ribbon and a medal; which last was presented to each of them by the king himself, according to the words of the warrant. All the privileges of the order, particularly this of wearing the medal, were confirmed at the king's request by the convention of estates in the year 1630; and in order to establish them on the most solid foundation, they were again confirmed by an act of the parliament of Scotland in the year 1633. This mark of distinction fell to the ground with all the other honours of Scotland during the usurpation of the long parliament and of Oliver Cromwell. It continued in general, though not total, disuse after the Restoration. There have been former meetings of the order to revive the use of it, one in the year 1721, and another in 1734. These meetings proved ineffectual, because the proper steps towards its revival were not taken; but, under the auspices of our illustrious monarch George III., such measures were concerted in the year 1775 as have effectually established this honourable dignity.

Baronets of Ireland. This order was likewise instituted by King James I. in the 18th year of his reign, for the same purpose and with the same privileges within the kingdom of Ireland, as he had conferred on the like order in England; for which the Irish baronets paid the same fees into the treasury of Ireland. The first of that kingdom who was advanced to this hereditary dignity was Sir Francis Blundell, then secretary for the affairs of Ireland. Since his time several have been created, no number being limited.

Baroni, Leonora, a celebrated singer and composer, was born at Naples, but spent the greatest part of her life at Rome. She was daughter of Adriana Baroni of Mantua, baroness of Pian-caretta; a lady also distinguished for her musical talents, and for her beauty surnamed the fair. Leonora had less beauty than her mother; but excelled her in her profound skill in music, the fineness of her voice, and the charmingness of her manner. She is said by Mr Bayle to have been one of the finest singers in the world. She was, as well as her mother, celebrated by the wits, who strove to excel each other in recording her praises; and in 1639 there was published, at Bracciano, a collection of Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and French poems addressed to her, under this title, Applausi Poetici alle Glorie della Signora Leonora Baroni. Among the Latin poems of Milton are no fewer than three entitled Ad Leonoram Romanam clementem, wherein this lady is celebrated for her singing, with an allusion to her mother's exquisite performance on the lute. A fine eulogium on this accomplished woman is contained in a discourse on the music of the Italians, printed with the life of Malherbe, and some other treatises at Paris, 1672, in 12mo. This discourse was composed by M. Maugars prior of St Peter de Mac, the king's interpreter of the English language, and besides so famous a performer on the viol, that the king of Spain and several other sovereign princes of Europe desired to hear him. The character given by this person of Leonora Baroni is as follows: She is endowed with fine parts; she has a very good judgment to distinguish good from bad music; she understands it perfectly well, and even composes; which makes her absolute mistress of what she sings, and gives her the most exact pronunciation and expression of the sense of her words. She does not pretend to beauty, neither is she disagreeable or a coquet. She sings with a bold and generous modesty, and an agreeable gravity; her voice reaches a large compass of notes, and is exact, loud, and harmonious; she softens and raises it without straining or making grimaces. Her raptures and sighs are not lascivious; her looks having nothing impudent, nor does she transgress a virgin modesty in her gestures. In passing from one key to another, she shows sometimes the divisions of the enharmonic and chromatic kind with so much art and sweetness, that everybody is ravished with that fine and difficult method of singing. She has no need of any person to assist her with a theorbo or viol, one of which is necessary to make her singing complete; for she plays perfectly well herself on both these instruments. In short, I have had the good fortune to hear her sing several times above 30 different airs, with second and third stanzas composed by herself. I must not forget to tell you, that one day she did me the particular favour to sing with her mother and her sister. Her mother played upon the lute, her sister upon the harp, and herself upon the theorbo. This concert, composed of three fine voices, and of three different instruments, so powerfully transported my senses, and threw me into such raptures, that I forgot my mortality, and thought myself already among the angels enjoying the felicity of the blessed."

Baronius, Caesar, a pious and learned cardinal, was born at Sore in 1538. He studied at Rome, and put himself under the discipline of St Philip de Neri. In 1593, he was made general of the congregation of the Oratory by the resignation of the founder Philip de Neri. Pope Clement VIII. made him his confessor, and created him a cardinal in 1596. He was afterwards made librarian to the Vatican; and died in 1605, at 68 years of age. He wrote several works, the principal of which is his Annales Ecclesiastici, from A.D. 1. to 1198, in 12 vols folio; which has been abridged by several persons, particularly by Henry Spondanus, Bzovius, and Ludovicus Arelius.