cess
loves Pal'adore (3 _syl_.), a Briton. Bireno has a mistress named
Alin'da, whom he induces to personate the princess, and in Paladore's
presence she casts down a rope-ladder for the duke to climb up by.
Bireno has Alinda murdered to prevent the deception being known, and
accuses the princess of unchastity--a crime in Lombardy punished by
death. As the princess is led to execution, Paladore challenges the
duke, and kills him. The villainy is fully revealed, and the princess
is married to the man of her choice, who had twice saved her
life.--Robert Jephson, _The Law of Lombardy_ (1779).

BIRMINGHAM POET (_The_), John Freeth, the wit, poet, and publican, who
wrote his own songs; set them to music, and sang them (1730-1808).

BIRON, a merry mad-cap young lord, in attendance on Ferdinand king of
Navarre. Biron promises to spend three years with the king in study,
during which time no woman is to approach his court; but no sooner has
he signed the compact, than he falls in love with Rosaline. Rosaline
defers his suit for twelve months and a day, saying, "If you my favor
mean to get, for twelve months seek the weary beds of people sick."

A merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal.
His eye begets occasion for his wit:
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expositor)
Delivers in such apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished.

Shakespeare, _Love's Labor's Lost_, act ii. sc. 1 (1594).

_Biron_ (_Charles de Gontaut due de_), greatly beloved by Henri IV. of
France. He won immortal laurels at the battles of Arques and Ivry, and
at the sieges of Paris and Rouen. The king loaded him with honors: he
was admiral of France, marshal, governor of Bourgoyne, duke and peer
of France. This too-much honor made him forget himself, and he entered
into a league with Spain and Savoy against his country. The plot was
discovered by Lafin; and although Henri wished to pardon him, he was
executed (1602, aged 40).

George Chapman has made him the subject of two tragedies, entitled
_Biron's Conspiracy_ and _Biron's Tragedy_ (1557-1634).

_Biron_, eldest son of count Baldwin, who disinherited him for
marrying Isabella, a nun. Biron now entered the army and was sent to
the siege of Candy, where he fell, and it was supposed died. After the