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Viscount

Viscount (Latin vice-comes), ranking between that of Earl and Baron, Viscount, was first introduced into England by Henry VI, who created John, Lord Beaumont, Viscount de Beaumont in 1440. Viscounties have always been created by letters patent. The title vice-comes, however, existed in England certainly as early as the Domesday survey; and in those early times it was borne by a county officer, who was deputy to the conies or earl, in accordance with the feudal system, which knew no titles independent of offices. The vice-comei, whose title from the first may fairly be translated "viscount," and who acted in the absence of the earl, may be considered to have been identical with the functionary known by the English term "shire-reeve " or " sheriff,"or, as we now should say, "high-sheriff."

In the Saxon times, next in rank to the Ealdorman was the Jligligcrere, or Shire-rere, an officiary dignity only, derived immediately from the King, and having still its representative in our High Sheriff; they were not deputies to the Earl, but held for the King's use such countries or territories as had no Ealdorman ; and in those that had, the Sheriff had the custody of whatever rights the King reserved to himself in them. In Latin documents those officers were styled Vice-cam ¿ten, but the particle fice did not then denote subordination, other than to the King, any more than it now does in the dignity we are considering.

This was introduced as a title of hereditary nobility in England, but without a shadow of official trust, by Henry VI., who found it established in his kingdom of France. In 1440, he created John, previously Baron Beaumont, Viscount Beaumont, and gave him place above the Barons ; the title became extinct by the death of the first Viscount's son, in 1507. Meanwhile this rank had been conferred on the Lords Lovel and Welles, both extinct before 1507 ; and L'Isle, which failed in 1512, when the Viscount's degree no longer existed in the Peerage, till, after an interval of twenty-one years, this title of L'Isle was revived.

It failed again in 1541, but the Earl of Hertford, afterwards Duke of Somerset and Protector, then held the title of Viscount Beauchamp, though merged in the superior rank of his Earldom. He was attainted and all his honours forfeited in 1552 ; two years prevkms to which period, Walter Devereux, Baron Ferrare of Chartley, had been created Viscount Hereford. This dignity was merged in the Earldom of Essex in 1572, from which time, for nearly fifty years, none bore the title of Viscount as their chief honour ; and the forfeiture of Robert, the celebrated Earl of Essex, in 1600, again suspended the Order, till his son was restored to his dignities in 1603 ; on his death, in 1646, the Viscounty emerged by the extinction of the Earldom of Essex -, and Hereford has since, without farther interruption, been borne as the principal title of the first English Viscount.

In 1620, three Viscounts were created, and the number was gradually increased till 1628, when they amounted to nine, the largest number this rank has ever counted, before the accession of George III. They are still not numerous as compared with Earls and Barons, but about equal with the Dukes or the Marquises.

As Henry VI. borrowed the title of Viscount from his French dominions, so, after James VI. of Scotland had ascended the throne of England, it made its first appearance in the Scottish Peerage. In 1606, the Viscounts of Fentoun and Haddington were created: the former of them was advanced, in 1619, to the Earldom of Kellie, and the latter became extinct in 1625, but not till other creations had raised the number of Viscounts (independently of such as bore superior titles) from the one which remained, in 1619, to five ; and though occasionally fluctuating, the number of this Older continued on the whole to increase, till, in the year 1700, they amounted to seventeen, besides those that were merged ; but from that period they have gradually declined, leaving ano more than four.

This class has always been comparatively large in the Irish Peerage. Early in the last century it numerically nearly doubled that of either Earls or Barons ; it was exceeded in number by each of these ranks, but was considerably more numerous than the English Viscounts.

The Viscount's style is " The Eight Honourable the Viscount ; " he is addressed as " My Lord." The robes of a Viscount are in form the same as have been described under the higher orders of the Peerage-differenced by having three rows of black spots on the right, and two on the left shoulder. His cap is the same as a Duke's. His coronet is a circlet of gold enriched with jewels, the upper rim of which is surmounted by fourteen balls set close together, as represented in the engraving above. His sons and daughters are all styled Honourable, there being no distinctive title for the eldest son.