(Vice Comte), was anciently an officer under an earl, to whom, during his attendance at court, he acted as deputy to look after the affairs of the country. But the name was afterwards made use of as an arbitrary title of honour, without any shadow of office pertaining to it, by Henry VI.; when, in the 18th year of his reign, he created John Beaumont a peer by the name of viscount Beaumont; which was the first instance of the kind.

A viscount is created by patent as an earl is; his title is Right Honourable; his mantle is two doublings and a half of plain fur; and his coronet has only a row of pearls close to the circle.