PA"FRON, in its most general sense, signifies one that specially countenances and supports another, or lends his aid to advance the interests of some underta king ; as a patron of the Fine Arts ; the patrons of a charitable institution, &c.— Patron. (patronus,) among the Romans, was an appellation given to any per son in power, under whose protection a few inferiors put themselves, under cer tain conditions of obedience and personal service. The persons protected were called clients. The duty of the patrons was to be their clients' counsellors in difficult cases, their advocates in judgments, their advisers in matters of doubt, and their overseers in all their affairs.—Patron was also a title conferred on a master who had freed his slave ; the relation of pa tron commencing when that of master ex pired. The patron was legal heir to his freedmen, if they died intestate, or with out lawful issue born after their freedom commenced. By the Papian law, if afreed
man's fortune amounted to ten thousand sesterces and he had three children, the patron was entitled to a chill's portion.— Patron in the English canon and common law, a person who, having the ad vowson of a pa-sonage, vicarage, or other spiritual promotion belonging to his manor, has the gift and disposition of time benefice, and may present to it whenever it be. comes vacant.—Pairon, in the church of Home, a guardian or saint, whose name a person bears, or under whose pro tection he is placed, and whom he in vokes : or a saint, in whose name a church or order is founded —Lag-patron age is 11 right attached to a person either as founder or as heir of the founder, or tie possessor of the see to which the pa tronage is annexed.—Ecclesiastical pa tronage is that which a person is entitled to by virtue of some benefice which he holds.