Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/133

§. 4. , as fully as the king hath in his palace; , as Bracton exprees it. They might pardon treaons, murders, and felonies; they appointed all judges and jutices of the peace; all writs and indictments ran in their names, as in other counties in the king’s; and all offences were aid to be done againt their peace, and not, as in other places, . And indeed by the antient law, in all peculiar juridictions, offences were aid to be done againt his peace in whoe court they were tried; in a court leet, '; in the court of a corporation, '; in the eriff’s court or tourn, . Thee palatine privileges were in all probability originally granted to the counties of Cheter and Durham, becaue they bordered upon enemies countries, Wales and Scotland; in order that the owners, being encouraged by o large an authority, might be the more watchful in it’s defence; and that the inhabitants, having jutice adminitered at home, might not be obliged to go out of the county, and leave it open to the enemies incurions. And upon this account alo there were formerly two other counties palatine, Pembrokehire and Hexhamhire, the latter now united with Northumberland: but thee were abolihed by parliament, the former in 27 Hen. VIII, the latter in 14 Eliz. And in 27 Hen. VIII likewie, the powers before-mentioned of owners of counties palatine were abridged; the reaon for their continuance in a manner ceaing: though till all writs are witneed in their names, and all forfeitures for treaon by the common law accrue to them.

thee three, the county of Durham is now the only one remaining in the hands of a ubject. For the earldom of Cheter, as Camden tetifies, was united to the crown by Henry III, and has ever ince given title to the king’s eldet on. And the county palatine, or duchy, of Lancater was the property of Henry of Bolinbroke, the on of John of Gant, at the time when he wreted the