Reading the Regency

Viscounts

The word viscount, meaning "deputy of a count or earl," came from the Old French visconte and from the Medieval Latin vicecomes. The Anglo-Saxon equivalent was Shire Reeve, or Sheriff, who helped an earl to administer a shire, or county.

In English, the letter 's'  in viscount is silent, so the word is pronounced as: vy-count.

In France, particularly Normandy, the title of viscount was in use from the 11th century. Yet it was not until 1440 that the title was created in the English peerage, making it the youngest of the five ranks.

King Henry VI, as crowned King of England and France, wanted to consolidate the titles of the two countries. He therefore created John Beaumont, who was then Baron Beaumont, the titles of Viscount Beaumont in England and Viscount Beaumont in France.

This new title in the English peerage was conceived as a way of advancing barons without making them earls, but it did not become popular until the 17th century, and was always considered a somewhat foreign title. Viscountcies were most commonly given within the Irish peerage.

The wife of a viscount, or a woman holding a viscountcy in her own right, was known as a viscountess.

Creating a viscount

Viscounts have always been created by letters patent, and in most cases the title would be passed to "the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten". This means any legitimate male descended from the original title holder.

A viscount's title could come from a place name, a family surname, or a combination. The titles based on a place name are styled: "Viscount...(placename)". The family did not have to live in, or have any connection to, the location, but it was often the name of a county, town or even a village where they held property.

In the peerage of Scotland, all territorial viscounts are known as "Viscount of...(placename)". A small number of Irish viscounts also use "Viscount of ...(placename)".

A few viscountcies were not territorial, but were family surnames. These were styled "Viscount...(surname)", such as Admiral Samuel Hood, created Viscount Hood in 1796.

A third type of viscountcy combined surname with placename, and were styled "Viscount...(surname) of (placename)". These were less common during the Regency period, but were particularly useful if a viscountcy already existed under a common surname. The Viscounts Howard of Morpeth (created 1661) might have wished to differentiate themselves from the Viscounts Howard of Bindon. (created 1558)

The oldest surviving viscountcy in England is the Viscount Hereford. The title was created in 1550, for Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers, and given by the young Edward VI. Although the family later received an earldom, that title became extinct, leaving the viscountcy as their highest title.

Between 1795 and 1820 there were over 330 viscountcies within England, Scotland and Ireland. Of those, thirty-six became extinct or dormant before 1820. Thirty-one were newly created in the peerage of the United Kingdom between 1801 and 1820.

Order of Precedence

Viscounts ranked below all earls, and above all barons. They also had their own "order of precedence" within their own rank. Their place in the order was decided based on when the viscountcy was created, and what part of the country it came from.

At the top of the list were all the viscounts created in England before the Act of Union in 1707, in order of creation. The oldest surviving viscountcy (not including subsidiary titles of dukes, marquesses and earls) was the Viscount Hereford, and he was considered the Premier Viscount of England.

Below them were the viscounts in the Peerage of Scotland, before the Act of Union, in order of creation. After that came those who had been created in England and Scotland after 1707, and then the viscounts of Ireland.

Beneath all those were the thirty-one viscounts created after the Union with Ireland in 1801 - the viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

The last viscountcy created during the Regency period was that given to the Viscount Loudoun in February 1817. The same peer was also the newest marquess, being granted the Marquessate of Hastings at the time time.

Homage Fees

Although his elevation might have been an honour granted by the king, there were fees involved for receiving or succeeding to a viscountcy.

A newly created viscount would pay £159 for the privilege of becoming a viscount. When he was introduced to the House of Lords he would pay a further £12, which would have covered the cost of the ceremony and the paperwork involved. All subsequent heirs would also pay for their introduction into the House of Lords.

Even if he was already a peer, he would still have to pay the same for his 'promotion'. The new viscount would also have the further expense of buying the robes appropriate for his rank.

Robes of a Viscount

When a king or queen is crowned, a viscount will attend in his ceremonial robes, which differ very slightly for each rank. The mantle and surcoat for a viscount is crimson velvet, lined with white taffeta. The mantle (a kind of elbow length cape) is covered with ermine fur, and has three rows of spots on the right side and two on the left. The coronet for a viscount is a gold band, set round with sixteen pearls.

A viscount's parliamentary robes, worn on other state occasions, are of fine scarlet cloth, lined with taffeta and doubled with two and a half bands of ermine and gold lace, set at equal distances apart. It is tied with a white ribbon. His cap is crimson velvet, lined with ermine, with a gold tassel on the top.

A new set of robes was very expensive, and they were often handed down to the heir where possible. Parliamentary robes were worn on state occasions, but the coronation robes were only used at the coronation of the monarch, which might not happen during a peer's lifetime.

Addressing a viscount

[Our example here will be the 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Henry Addington. He had no subsidiary title]

A viscount and viscountess would be announced as:

The Viscount Sidmouth.

The Viscountess Sidmouth.

The Viscount and Viscountess Sidmouth.

If you were speaking to them face to face, you would address them as "Lord Sidmouth" and "Lady Sidmouth". After that, you could call them "my lord" and "my lady".

Even if Viscount Sidmouth had a subsidiary title, such as a barony, his eldest son could not use it as a courtesy title. Courtesy titles were only used for earl's sons and above.

Instead, all children of a viscount, both male and female, were given the style of "Honourable", as in The Honourable Mr. Addington, or The Honourable Miss Addington.

However, the word "honourable" was never used in speech. It was only used in written form when addressing envelopes or invitations. The eldest son would have been announced as Mr. Addington and you would address him as "Mr. Addington". The eldest daughter was announced as Miss Addington, and you would address her as "Miss Addington".

Younger brothers and sisters would be addressed the same, except with the addition of their christian name, so they might be Mr. Charles Addington, or Miss Henrietta Addington.

~~~

[Image: A viscount in his Parliamentary robes, taken from "A book explaining the ranks and dignities of British society", by Charles Lamb, published 1805. [Public Domain]]