222 CHESTER. while the case of Duihiam is anomalous, though its Palatine organization remained complete till transferred to the Crown in 1886. The Earldom of Shropshire and the Earldom of Kent (under the Conqueror) have been claimed as Palatine Honours, ono for Roger de Montgomery, and the other for Odo, Bishop of Bayeux : even Hereford and Northumberland were i/uasi Palatinate, at that early period, and Cumberland may have been a Palatine Honour, {tnnp. Hen. T) when in the hands of Kanrlf le Meschin. It will be observed that all these counties are border districts forming n defence against Wales, Scotland, or France." Ex inform. J. Horace Hound. " In England thoro were two Counties Palatini', of which tlio Lonh were EarU, Chester and Lancasteb, and ono in Wales, Pembboke.— Durham, although made a County afterwards, strictly speaking, was not a County Palatine, hut a Palatine Honour of which the Bishop was [not Comet, the Earl, hut, only, Dominus] the Lord." See an article by Sir W. Betham, "Ulster," on Palatine Honours in Ireland."] Earldom. GiiEimoD, a Fleming, High Steward of the Abbey of St, I 1070 Bertiu, received on the dismemberment of Herein, early in 1070, a large portion of that district, together with the city of Chester, the said portion being formed into a County Palatine (under the name of Cheshirel whereby he became EARL OK CHESTER, He returned, shortly after- wards, into his native country, where he was taken prisoner at the battle of Cassel, 1071, and kept captive for a long period, never coming hack to England. II. 1071. 1. Huon D'Avraxches, styled by his contemporaries "Vbas," or "Le Gbos" (the Fat) and, in after age (from his rapacity) " Lurus " (the Wolf), was s. and h. of Richard (Lk Goz), Vicomtk D'Avranches, i.e., in Normandy (sou of Tluirstan Go/.), by Emma, da. of Herluin DE Conteville and Herleve (or Harlotta) his wife, who (by Robert, Duke of Normandy) was mother of William " the Conqueror." He is generally supposed to have been present at the battle of Hastings (1000), when, at the utmost, he would have been but 1!> years old,(') anyhow, not long afterwards, in 1071, he received from the King, his maternal uncle, the whole of the county palatine of Cheshire (excepting the Episcopal lands) " to hold as freely by the Sword as he [the King] himself held the Kingdom of England by the Crown," becoming thereby Count Palatinc{ h ) thereof, as EAUL OF CHESTER. He sue. his Father, who was living as late as 10S2, as Vicomtk D'Avranches, &c. in Normandy. In the rebellion (1090) against King Wflliam II, he stood loyally by his Sovereign, but his career was chiefly notorious for gluttony, prodigality and profligacy. He hi. Ermentrude, da. of Hugh, Count of Clermont in Beanvoisis, by Margaret (db Rouci), da. of Hilduiu, Count of Montdidieii. Having founded the Abbeys of St. Sever in Normandy and St. Werburg at Chester (besides largely endowing that of Whitby, co. York) he became a monk on the 23, and d. the 27 July 1101 at St. Warburg's afsd. (») See " The Conqueror and his companions " by J. R Planche, Somerset Herald, Vol. ii, pp. 16-21. (>>) As such he had his hereditary Barons, who (besides one Robert de Rhuddlan Gen- eral of his forces, who d. 3 July 1088, many years before him and of whose issue nothing is known) are generally considered to have been eight, as under, viz. (1) Eustace rfc Montalt, Babon of Hawabden, co. Flint, Hereditary Steward ; (2) William Fit:- Nirjell, Babon of Halton, Hereditary Constable and Marshall, whose descendants took the name of De Lnnj and became EarLs of Lincoln in 1232. (3) William Aid- bank, Babon of Nantwich, or Wicii-Malbank, whose issue male ended with his grandson. (1) Robert Fitz Hugh, Babon of Malfas, who d. s.p.m., but appears to have been sue. (in Earl Hugh's lifetime) by David Lc Clerk (or Bclward) said to Lave been his son-in-law. (o) Hamou Masse;/, Babon of Dunha.m-Mas.sey whose repre- sentation (thro' Fitton, Venables and Booth), passed to Grey, Earls of Stamford and Warrington. (6) Richard Vernon, Babon of Shitbrooice. (7) William VcmiUa, Baron of Kindkbton whose issue male continued till 1076, and (8) Robert Stockport Rahon of Stockport whose existence is somewhat questionable. After, however, 1265, when the Earldom of Chester was, by Henry III, annexed to the Crown the dignity of these Barons became merely titular.
