The only exceptions which William made in these carefully restricted
grants were the three Counties Palatine,[1] which he created. They
bordered on Wales in the west, Scotland in the north, and the English
Channel in the southeast. To the earls of these counties of Chester,
Durham, and Kent, which were especially liable to attack from Wales,
Scotland, or France, William thought it expedient to give almost royal
power, which descended in their families, thus making the title
hereditary. (See map facing p. 436.)
[1] Palatine (from palatium, palace): having rights equal with the
King in his palace. The county of Chester is now Cheshire. Durham
bordered on Northumberland, then opposed to William. Shropshire was
practically a fourth County Palatine until Henry I. Later, Lancaster
was added to the list.
116. How William stopped Assassination; the Law of Englishry; Gregory
VII.
The hard rule of the Norman nobles caused many secret assassinations.
To put a stop to these crimes, William enacted the Law of Englishry.
It compelled the people of the district where a murder was perpetrated
to pay a heavy fine for every Norman so slain; for it was assumed that
every man found murdered was a Norman, unless proof could be brought
to the contrary.
While these events were taking place in England, Hildebrand, the
archdeacon who had urged the Pope to favor William's expedition
against England (S68), ascended the papal throne, under the title of
Gregory VII. He was the ablest, the most ambitious, and, in some
respects, he most farsighted man who had been elected supreme head of
the Catholic Church.