BARONET. This which is the diminutive of baron, is the lowest degree of hereditary honor in the united kingdom. Baronets were instituted, for the first time, by king James I., on the 22d 31av, 1611. The ostensible object was to promote the plantation of 'Ulster, in Ireland, with English and Scottish settlers; but the real aim was to raise money. Each B. was bound to maintain 30 soldiers in Ireland for 3 years, at the rate of 8d. per diem for each man; the wages of one whole year to be paid into the exchequer on the passing of the patent The sum thus exacted, with the fees of honor due to the amounted to upwards of £1000 on each patent. It is a striking proof of the passion for hereditary distinction, that 200 persons were willing to accept the honor on such terms. It was part of the bargain that no title should be created between a B. and a baron, and that the number of the former should be permitted to diminish as the families of the original 200 died out, thus enhancing The value of the title to those 'that remained. Bat the latter stipulation was very speedily departed trout, and a new com mission was appointed to fill up the vacant places, and even to treat with new applicants. Such was the origin of English baronets. From the date of the union, in 1707, those created in England and Scotland were baronets of Great Britain. Irish baronets were created until 1800. since which period all baronetcies are of the'united kingdom. There is no limit to the creation of baronets but the will of the sovereign. At investiture there is no ceremony. The rank is communicated by patent or writ, issued under authority of the crown; the fees of office being considerable. There are differences in the terms on which the honor descends (suggested, perhaps, by the recipient according to family circumstances). Sometimes, according to the patent, the rank is confined to direct heirs male; sometimes it embraces heirs-male collateral; and sometimes, in default of direct 'male heirs, it passes to the husbands of lieirs-female. For the style and privileges of
baronets, in matters of ceremony, see Burke's Peerage and Baranetage. Baronets have precedence of all knights, except those of the garter, bannerets made under the royal banner in open war, and privy-councilors. They are entitled to have .sir prefixed to their name, along with II. as an affix. The wife of a B. is legally styled dame; but in common speech she is called lady, and addressed as "your ladyship." The rank of B. does not raise a person above the degree of commoner; but many baroneteies have, in course of time, been heritably acquired by peers, which lessens the ostensible number.
Baronets of Scotland and Nova Scotia originated in a project of James I.; but were hot instituted till 162•, by Charles I. The professed object was to encourage the settle ment of Nova Scotia in North America; and a grant of a certain portion of land in that province, to be held of sir Alexander, afterwards earl of Stirling, who was then his majesty's lieutenant In Nova Scotia, actually accompanied the title—the grants of land being of course illusory, for their very designations were a fiction: The first person who received the honor of a Nova Scotian baronetcy was Robert GOrtion of Gordonstone.
a yotinger son of the earl of Sutherland, whose patent bears date May 28, 1625. There Are no new additions to this branch of the baronetage; the latest creation havino. been in. 1707, the year of the union of Scotland and England. In point of title and popular recognition, there is no distinction between these and other baronets.