patronus

PATRONUS, Roman civil law. This word is a modification of the, Latin word 
pater, father; a denomination applied by Romulus to the first, senators of 
Rome, and which they always afterwards bore. Romulus at first appointed a 
hundred of them. Seven years afterwards, in consequence of the association 
of Tatius to the Romans, a hundred more were appointed, chosen from the 
Sabines. Tarquinius Priscus increased the number to three hundred. Those 
appointed by Romulus and Tatius were called patres majorum gentium and the 
others were called patres minorum gentium. These and their descendants 
constituted, the nobility of Rome. The rest of the people were called 
lebeians, every one of whom was obliged to choose one of these fathers as 
his patron. The relation thus constituted involved important consequences. 
The plebeian, who was called (cliens) a client, was obliged to furnish the 
means of maintenance to his chosen patron; to furnish a portion for his 
patron's daughters; to ransom him and his sons, if captured by an enemy, and 
pay all sums recovered against him by judgment, of the 'courts. The patron, 
on the other hand, was, obliged to watch over the interests of his client, 
whether present or absent to protect his person and property, and especially 
to defend him in all, actions brought against him for any cause. Neither 
could accuse or bear testimony against the other, or give contrary votes, 
&c. The contract was of a sacred nature,; the violation of it was a sort of 
treason, and punishable as such. According to Cicero, (De Repub. II. 9,) 
this relation formed an integral part of the governmental system, Et habutit 
plebem in clientelas principum descriptum, which he affirms was eminently 
useful. Blackstone traces the system of vassalage to this. ancient relation 
of patron and client. It was, in fact, of the same nature as the feudal 
institutions of the middle ages, designed to maintain order in a rising 
state by a combination of the opposing interests of the aristocracy and of 
the common people, upon the principle of reciprocal bonds for mutual 
interests, Dumazeau, Barreau Romain, Sec. III. Ultimately, by force of 
radical changes in the institution, the word patronus came to signify 
nothing more than an advocate. Id. IV