sb. Also 6–7 viceroye, 6 wize roy, vizeroye (7 -roy), 6–7 vizroy; 6–7 pl. -roies. [a. older F. vice-roy, visroy (F. viceroi), f. vice- VICE- + roi king. So It. viceré, Pg. vicerei, Sp. virey.
Formerly freq. written or printed with hyphen and occas. as two words.]
1. One who acts as the governor of a country, province, etc., in the name and by the authority of the supreme ruler; a vice-king.
α. 1524. Chron. Calais (Camden), 34. The xxiiij. of February Frauncis the Frenche kynge was taken prisoner … by the vice-roy of Naples.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 103. Inacus Iopez Mendocius,… viceroye of Granata.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man, III. (1603), 241. The part rather of a tyrant then of a vice-roy.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 135. The custome being in Persia, that in the necessary absence of the Prince in State, the Heire apparent was Vice-roy.
1698. J. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 151. A long Gallery, hung round with the Pictures at length of all the Vice-Roys that had been in East India down to the present Vice-Roy.
1737. Gentl. Mag., VII. 685/2. His Catholick Majesty’s … dispatching all the necessary Orders to his Vice-Roys, Governors, and other Officers.
1787. A. Hamilton, Wks. (1886), VII. 15. The government lately established in Canada—the splendid title of Viceroy—seems to look beyond the dreary regions of Canada and Nova Scotia.
1808. Pike, Sources Mississ., III. App. 4. The whole political government of the vice-roy of Mexico.
1877. W. R. Cooper, Egyptian Obelisks, xi. (1878), 61. This obelisk … was presented to the late Duke of Northumberland … by the Viceroy of Egypt.
1880. Encycl. Brit., XII. 768/1. The supreme authority over all British India … is vested … in the viceroy or governor-general-in-Council.
β. 1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. lxxvi. 156 b. And so they remained untill the comming of the Vizeroye Don Francisco de Almeda.
1590. Webbe, Trav. (Arb.), 24. These 60 Kings are all his Wize Royes in seuerall places.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 236. The vizeroies of that huge tract do acknowledge him for their soueraigne and supreme gouernour.
1620. Dekker, His Dream, Wks. (Grosart), III. 20. About him, round (Like petty Viz-royes), Spirits (me thought) all-Crownde.
2. transf. One having authority or rank comparable to that of a viceroy.
c. 1590. Greene, Friar Bacon, 178. Now Maisters of our Academicke State, That rule in Oxford, Vizroies in your place.
1591. Lambarde, Archeion (1635), 97. The King … is within his owne Kingdome the Vice-roy of God.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., i. (1634), 21. God creates man whom He constitutes His Vice-roy in the world.
1644. [H. Parker], Jus Populi, 45. The Judges were Gods Vice-Roys, in regard they did transact affairs by direction from Gods own mouth.
1676. Grew, Anat. Pl., Exper. Luct., 238. For what Dominion a Prince hath over the Moral, that a Physician hath, as one of God Almighty’s Vice-Roys, over the Corporeal World.
1818. Lady Morgan, Autobiog. (1859), 279. When Barras reigned, and the beautiful Madame Tallien reigned viceroy over him.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canongate, iii. Christie Steele was my mother’s body servant, her very right hand, and … something like a viceroy over her.
attrib. 1656. Cowley, Chronicle, Wks. (1905), 41. But in her place I then obey’d Black-ey’d Bess, her Viceroy-Maid; To whom ensu’d a Vacancy.
3. Ent. An American species of butterfly, Basilarchia Archippus, distinguished by handsome red-and-black coloring.
1881. S. H. Scudder, Butterflies, vii. 103. The caterpillar of the Viceroy signifies its displeasure at any disturbance by tossing the head upward.
Hence Viceroy v. (with it), to rule as or like a viceroy.
1821. Examiner, 596/1. They, forsooth, may viceroy it over authority with propriety.
