who all played at the Comedie Francaise.

See George Monval, _Un Comedien amateur d'art_ (1893); also the Abbe
d'Allamial's _Lettres a mylord XXX. sur Baron et la demoiselle Lecouvreur_,
in F. G. J. S. Andrieux's _Collection des memoires sur l'art dramatique_
(1822).

BARON. This word, of uncertain origin, was introduced into England at the
Conquest to denote "the man" (_i.e._ one who had done him "homage") of a
great lord, and more especially of the king. All who held "in chief"
(_i.e._ directly) of the king were alike _barones regis_, bound to perform
a stipulated service, and members, in theory at least, of his council.
Great nobles, whether earls or not, also spoke of their tenants as
"barons," where lesser magnates spoke of their "men" (_homines_). This was
especially the case in earldoms of a palatine character, such as Chester,
where the earl's barons were a well-recognized body, the Venables family,
"barons of Kinderton," continuing in existence down to 1679. In the
palatinate of Durham also, the bishop had his barons, among whom the
Hiltons of Hilton Castle were usually styled "Barons of Hilton" till
extinct in 1746. Other families to whom the title was accorded,
independently of peerage dignity and on somewhat uncertain grounds, were
"the barons of Greystock," "the barons of Stafford," and the Cornwalls,
"barons of Burford." Fantosme makes Henry II. speak of "mes baruns de
Lundres"; John's charter granting permission to elect a mayor speaks of
"our barons of our city of London," and a London document even speaks of
"the greater barons of the city." The aldermen seem to have been loosely
deemed equivalent to barons and were actually assessed to the poll-tax as
such under Richard II. In Ireland the palatine character of the great
lordships made the title not uncommon (_e.g._ the barons of Galtrim, the
barons of Slane, the barons of the Naas).

As all those who held direct of the crown by military service (for those
who held "by serjeanty" appear to have been classed apart), from earls
downwards, were alike "barons," the great difference in their position and
importance must have led, from an early date, to their being roughly
divided into "greater" and "lesser" barons, and indeed, under Henry II.,
the _Dialogus de Scaccario_ already distinguishes their holdings as
"greater" or "lesser" baronies. Within a century of the Conquest, as we
learn from Becket's case (1164), there arose the practice of sending to the