(Comes), a nobleman who possesses a domain erected into a county. See VISCOUNT.

English and Scottish counts we distinguish by the title of earls; foreign ones still retain their proper name. The dignity of a count is a medium between that of a duke and a baron. According to the modern use, most plenipotentiaries and ambassadors assume the title of counts, though they have no county; as the count d'Avaux, &c.

Anciently, all generals, counsellors, judges, and secretaries of cities under Charlemagne, were called counts; the distinguishing character of a duke and count being this, that the latter had but one town under him, but the former had several.

A count has a right to bear on his arms a coronet, adorned with three precious stones, and surmounted with three large pearls, whereof those in the middle and extremities of the coronet advance above the rest.

Counts were originally lords of the court, or of the emperor's retinue, and had their name comites, a comitando, or a commendo: hence those who were always in the palace, or at the emperor's side, were called counts palatine, or comites a latere. See PALATINE.

In the times of the commonwealth, comites among the Romans was a general name for all those who accompanied the proconsuls and proprietors into the provinces, there to serve the commonwealth; as the tribunes, praefects, scribes, &c.

Under the emperors, comites were the officers of the palace. The origin of what we now call counts seems owing to Augustus, who took several senators to be his comites, as Dion observes, i.e. to accompany him in his voyages and travels, and to assist him in the hearing of causes; which were thus judged with the same authority as in full senate. Gallienus seems to have abolished this council, by forbidding the senators being found in the armies; and none of his successors re-established it.

These counsellors of the emperor were really counts, comites, i.e. companions of the prince; and they sometimes took the title thereof, but always with the addition of the emperor's name whom they accompanied: so that it was rather a mark of their office than a title of dignity. Constantine was the first who converted it into a dignity; and under him it was that the name was first given absolutely. The name once established, was in a little time indifferently conferred, not only on those who followed the court, and accompanied the emperor, but also on most kinds of officers; a long list whereof is given us by Du Cange.

Eusebius tells us, that Constantine divided the counts into three classes; the first bore the title of illustres; the second that of clarissimi, and afterwards spectabilis; the third were called perfectissimi. Of the two first classes was the senate composed: those of the third had no place in the senate, but enjoyed several other of the privileges of senators.

There were counts who served on land, others at sea; some in a civil, some in a religious, and some in a legal capacity; as comes ararii, comes sacrarum largitionum, comes sacri confessorii, comes curiae, comes copelae, comes archiaratorum, comes commerciorum, comes vestiariorum, comes horrarum, comes opsoniorum or annone, comes domesticonum, comes equorum regiorum or comes fabuli, comes domorum, comes excubitorum, comes notariorum, comes legum or professor in jure, comes luminum or marcarum, comes portus Roma, comes patrimonii, &c. The Franks, Germans, &c., passing into Gaul and Germany, did not abolish the form of the Roman government; and as the governors of cities and provinces were called counts, comites, and dukes, duces, they continued to be called so. They commanded in time of war; and in time of peace they administered justice. Thus, in the time of Charlemagne, counts were the ordinary judges and governors of the cities.

These counts of cities were beneath the dukes and counts who presided over provinces; the first being constituted in the particular cities, under the jurisdiction of the latter. The counts of provinces were in nothing inferior to dukes, who themselves were only governors of provinces. Under the last of the second race of French kings, they got their dignity rendered hereditary, and even usurped the sovereignty when Hugh Capet came to the crown; his authority was not sufficient to oppose their encroachments; and hence it is they date the privilege of wearing coronets in their arms; they assumed it then, as enjoying the rights of sovereigns in their particular districts or counties. But, by degrees, most of the counties became reunited to the crown.

The quality of count is now become very different from what it was anciently; being now no more than a title, which a king grants upon erecting a territory into a county, with a reserve of jurisdiction and sovereignty to himself. At first there was no clause in the patent of erection intimating the reversion of the county to the crown in default of heirs male; but Charles IX. to prevent their being too numerous, ordained that duchies and counties, in default of heirs male, should return to the crown.

The point of precedence between counts and marquises was formerly much controverted: the reason was, that there were counts who were peers of France, but no marquises: but the point was given up, and marquises took place; though anciently, when counts were governors of provinces, they were on a level even with dukes.

William the Conqueror, as is observed by Camden, gave the dignity of counts in fee to his nobles; annexing it to this or that county or province, and allotting for their maintenance a certain proportion of money, arising from the prince's profits in the pleadings and forfeitures of the provinces. To this purpose he quotes an ancient record, thus: Hen. II. Rex Anglice his verbis comitem creavit; scilicet nos fecit Hugonem Bigot comitem de Norf, i.e., de tertio denarii de Norwich et Norfolk, fuit aliquis comes Anglie, &c.

The Germans call a count, graaf, or graff; which, according to a modern critic, properly signifies judge; and is derived from gravius or graffio, of γραφω I write. They have several kinds of these counts or graffs; as landgraves, marchgraves, burg-graves, and palz-graves, or counts palatine. These last are of two kinds: the former are of the number of princes, and have the investiture of a palatinate; the others have only the title of count palatine without the investiture of any palatinate. Some assert, that by publicly professing the imperial laws for twenty years, the person acquires the dignity of a count palatine; and there are instances of professors in law who have assumed the title accordingly; but there are others who question this right.

Law, denotes the original declaration in a real action; as the declaration is in a personal one: the libellus of the civilians answers to both. Yet, count and declaration are sometimes confounded, and used for each other; as, count in debt, count in appeal, &c.

Count-Wheel, in the striking part of a clock, a wheel which moves round once in 12 or 24 hours. It is sometimes called the locking-wheel. See Clock-Making.