Forms: 3–6 barnage, 4 barunage, barunnage, 6 barnag, barronage, 4– baronage. [ME. barnage, a. OF. barnage, bernage:—L. type *bārōnāticum, f. barōn-em, but actually latinized in Middle Ages barnagium, baronagium, whence baronage and mod.F. baronnage.]
1. The body of barons collectively; the great vassals of the Crown; the nobles, lords, peerage.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 639. After his barnage he haþ isend.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4649. Al þat barunage, less and mare. Ibid., 8016. Bath to þe and to þi barnage.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5815. The baronage to councel went.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 269. With all hurre faderes holle barnage.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 86. All oure barnage into bandone brocht.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., V. xxv. (1597), 123. Ciuill warres betwixt the King and Barronage.
1649. Selden, Laws of Eng., I. lviii. (1739), 109. The Judges in this Court were the Baronage of England.
1738. Hist. Crt. Excheq., i. 5. The greatest Part of the Baronage was summoned to Parliament.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 317. That authority which had belonged to the baronage of England ever since the foundation of the monarchy.
1876. Green, Short Hist., ii. § 4 (1882), 71. The most turbulent baronage in Christendom.
b. fig. applied to: The angels.
1340. Ayenb., 58. Beuore god and al þe baronage of heuene.
c. ellipt. A list of the barons; a book containing such a list with historical and other particulars; a ‘Peerage.’
† 2. The domain of a baron; a barony. Obs.
1475. Bk. Noblesse (1860), 55. The governaunce of … a roiaume, dukedom, erledom, barnage, or seignourie.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cii. 84. The saxons helden the Countees, baronages, lordshippes … in maner as the britons byfore tyme had compaced hem.
3. The dignity or rank of a baron.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon. (1614), 290. All Dignities aboue Baron is included in the Baronage.
1642. W. Bird, Mag. Hon., 94. The dignity of Baronage unto them descended by women.
† 4. The relation of a baron to his lord superior; homage. Obs.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 436. By the Bond of his homage or Baronage to do all things as his Baron … to be his Liege-man, and more extraordinary Subject.
† 5. (see quot.) Obs.
1678. Phillips, Baronage, a Tax, or Subsidy of Aid, to be levied for the King out the Precincts of Baronies.
