Palatine

Palatine (from Lat. palatium, 'palace'). A Comes Palatinus, or Count Palatine, was, under the Frankish kings of France, a high judicial officer (see COUNT), his district being called a palatinate or county palatine. There were long three counties palatine in England—Lancaster, Chester, and Durham—the two last of which were, no doubt, made separate regalities on account of their respective proximity to the frontiers of Wales and of Scotland. Chester and Durham became palatine under William I., Lancaster not till 1451. Chester had not merely its own courts, judges, constable and steward, but a parliament, and was not represented in the national parliament till 1549. At various dates Kent, Shropshire, Pembrokeshire, the Isle of Ely, and Hexhamshire, were counties palatine, but had lost their special rights by the 16th century. Cheshire was assimilated by Henry VIII. Durham ceased to be a county palatine under its bishop in 1836; and Lancaster (see LANCASTER, DUCHY OF) yielded its jurisdiction in 1873 to the High Court of Justice. In very early times there were a number of similar privileges in Scotland, the most important of which was that of the Earls Palatine of Strathearn.