Judge Dodaridge, his law of nobility and peerage wherein the antiquities, titles, degrees, and distinctions, concerning the peeres and nobility of this nation, are excellently set forth : with the knights, esquires, gentleman, and yeoman, and matters incident to them, according to the lawes and customes of England.

The Definition or Descripti∣on of a Baron.

IT is a rule in Law, that definitions in Jure sunt peri∣culosissimae rarium est enim ur non subverti possunt. And therefore I do not often finde any definition or a descrip∣tion of a Baron delivered by writers. Neverthelesse in this our Common-wealth of England, me thinks that a Baron may be described in a generalty, answerable to every kinde thereof in this manner.

A Baron is a dignity of Nobility and Honour, next under the Vicount above the Banneret and Valvafor, a∣dorned with the title of Lord, holding with us the same place, as did the Patricii or Senators amongst the Ro∣mans. The Books of Law do make difference between Dukes, Earls, Ma••quesses, and Vicounts, which are al∣lowed names of dignity, and the Baron: For they affirm that Baron needs not to be named Lord or Baron by his Writ; But the Dukes Marquesses, Earls, or Vicounts ought to be named by their names of dignity, 8. H. 6.10.32. H. 6.3. Cook 8. parts 53. b. a. part. Pigot, Lambert. l. 4.488. Cambden fol. saith, that our common Lawyert do not allow a Baron to be one of the degrees of the Nobility: Neverthelesse, I do take the Books are to be understood of the Barons by Tenure, or Barons by

Writ only: For the title of a Baron by Patent, is in his Letters Patents, under the great Seal adorned and named by the stile of Status gradus & dignitas; and therefore as requisit to be named, as such dignities are a parcell of the Name of the poss••ssor, as well as the Stile and Title of a Duke, Marquesse, Earl, and Vicount, &c.

And although there may be conceived this difference last mentioned between the Baron by Tenure or Writ, and the Baron by Patent; yet they being all Members of the higher House of the Parliament, they are thereby made equally Noble, Honorable, and Peers of the Realm as they are Barons only, without any other distinction that I have observed; and thus much concerning the three degrees of Barons within this Realm may suffice to be said in generall upon this occasion for the better understanding and direction of the rest to be handled.