Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/19

 2 mSTOEY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. Raine, the historian of Auckland Castle, seems to think that the Bishops of Durham have had a residence here from a period not much, if at all, posterior to the Norman Conquest ; and further states that it was the opinion of the late Greneral Hodgson, — ^a distinguished native of Bishop Auckland, who had frequently examined the peninsular upon which the Castle stands, with a military eye, and who, from long experience, was entitled to give an opinion on such a subject — ^that it had fonneriy been a fortified outpost, subsidiary to the great Roman Camp at Binchester, on the opposite hill ; and that the ruins of the fort had furnished materials for the construction of the Bishop's first mansion.* The appellation first given to this mansion seems to have been that of " HaU." It afterwards became that of " Manor House," and during the latter part of the fourteenth century, Bishop Sherwood calls it his " Manor House or Castle." A few words here in explanation of the power and position of the Bishops of Durham in those early times, may be necessary by way of illustrating much of our subsequent history. The Bishops in those days were called Counts Palatine,t a title said to have been given them by William the Conqueror, and which conferred upon them as much power in the bishopric as the T^JTig exercised out of it. By it they had power to levy taxes, make truces with the Scots, and raise defensible men between the ages of sixteen and sixty, within the bishopric. They could call a parliament, and create barons to sit in it, of whom the Prior of Durham, Hilton of Hilton, Conyers of Sockbum, Buhner of Brancepeth, and Hansard of Evenwood, are said to have formed some of the earliest. There is stiU amongst the old rolls of Durham an account of the parliaments, and the subsidies granted by them, with several acts of their council. Although the ecclesiastical canons forbid any clergyman to be present when judgment of blood was given, the Bishops of Durham could sit in their purple robes in giving judgment of deatL They had a mint, and power to coin money. The courts, which in other parts of England were held in the King's name, were held in the Bishop's, at which time he could make justices of assize, of oyer and terminer, and of the peace ; and aU writs went out in lus name. He had his courts of chancery and common pleas, and copyhold or halmote court held by his stewards. Most of the lands in the Palatine belonged to him, as Lord paramount " in capite," and by several other tenures, as the lands in other parts were held by the King. AU the moors and wastes in the county, to which no other person could make a title, belonged to him, and could not be enclosed without a grant from hitn, neither could freehold lands be alienated without his leave ; and, if any were, they were obliged, upon discovery, to sue him for his patent and pardon, which he could grant for all intrusions, trespasses, &c. He had viUans and bondsmen whom he manumitted when he pleased, and made them free. The goods and chattels of such as committed treason were forfeited to the Bishop, as were also those of such as were convicted of outlawries and felonies. He gave license to build chapels, found charities and hospitals, made boroughs and incorporations, and granted markets and fairs, but, strange to say, we have no record which prelate conferred that privilege upon the town of Bishop Auckland. He also appointed clerks of the markets in all towns, borough3, and cities within the Palatinate. He also created several great oflScers under hitn, viz., a chancellor, constable of Durham Castle, chamberlain, secretary, steward, treasurer, comptroller of his household, prothonotaries, clerks of his chancery, supervisors of lus Lordship's castles, of which he had many, viz., at Durham, Middleham, and Stocjcton ; Craike and Norham in Northumberland ; and Manor Houses at Auckland, Evenwood, Darlington, and human bones, which, in some degree, confirms the above opinion. t The term '* Palatinate" has its root in a Latin word, "Palatium," a palace. In the decline of the Eastern Boman Empire it . — virtually ndep^dent, and the chief of which only paid a sort of ceremonious feudal homage to the head of the Empire, became styled a " Prince," or " Count Palatine." Digitized by Google
 * I^ 1767, at the bpildipg of a bridge in the Park over the Gaanlees, a Boman nm of greyish clay was discovered filled with earth