BIRON, Armand de Gontault, a baron and marshal of France, and a celebrated general, who signalized himself by his valour and conduct in several sieges and battles in the 16 th century. He was made grand master of the artillery in 1569, and commanded at the siege of Rochelle, and in Guienne. He was one of the first who declared for Henry IV.; he brought a part of Normandy under his subjection, and dissuaded him from retiring to England or Rochelle. Biron was killed by a cannon-ball at the siege of Epernay, July 26, 1592. He was a man of considerable literary attainments, and used to carry a pocket-book, in which he noted everything that appeared remarkable. This gave rise to a proverb at court, when a person happened to say anything uncommon, “You have found that in Biron’s pocket-book.”

BIRON, Charles de Gontault, son of the above and born in 1562, created duke of Biron and admiral of France by Henry IV., was a man of great intrepidity, but fickle and treacherous. In 1601 he was sent as ambassador to the court of queen Elizabeth to announce his royal master’s marriage with Maιy of Medici; but being discovered in a treasonable correspondence with Spain, he was beheaded in the Bastille at Paris, July 31, 1602. The extent to which he had carried his treason was not great, and Henry by sparing his life would not have shown undue clemency.