f 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.

117. State of Europe; Gregory's Scheme of Reform.

Europe was at that time in a condition little better than anarchy. A
perpetual quarrel was going on between the feudal barons. The Church,
too, as we have seen (SS53, 60), had temporarily lost much of its
power for good. Pope Gregory conceived a scheme of reform which he
intended should be both wide and deep.

Like Dunstan (S60), he determined to correct the abuses which had
crept into the monasteries. He resolved to have a priesthood who
should devote themselves body and soul to the interests of the Church;
he resolved to bring all society into submission to that priesthood;
finally, he resolved to make the priesthood itself acknowledge him as
its sole master. His purpose in this gigantic scheme was a noble one;
it was to establish the unity and peace of Europe.

118. The Pope and the Conqueror, 1076.

Pope Gregory looked to William for help in this matter. The
Conqueror, who was a zealous Catholic, was ready to give that help,
but with limitations. He pledged himself to aid in reforming the
English Church, which had enjoye