THE president's ADDRESS. 15 



Celtic Christianity built up on the ruins of Druidism, than, as 

 though according to time-honoured custom, the surrender of 

 the first-born to the ecclesiastical tribe became usual, and was 

 recognised as a legal institution. 



This does not mean that a son given up to the saint became 

 of necessity a monk, but that he passed into vassalage to the 

 saint, instead of being subject to the secular chief. 



In certain cases an even more liberal grant was made to the 

 Church, as in Leinster where, as the "Colloquy of the Ancients" 

 informs us, "The province of Leinster dedicated to the saint 

 (Patrick) a third of their children, and a third of their wealth."* 



The land given up for ecclesiastical purposes was a gift to 

 a saint personally. It was not a conveyance to a community or 

 corporation. The successor of the saint was his comarh, his 

 vicegerent, or steward. But the saint himself was the owner, 

 whether he were in heaven or on earth. 



The appointment to the abbacy, that is to say to the head- 

 ship of the ecclesiastical tribe, rested with the chief of the 

 secular tribe, or his successor, from whom had come originally 

 the grant of land. In default of anyone being eligible from 

 that family then, and then only, did the appointment pass to the 

 fine minach or monastic family. 



This is laid down in the Brehon laws, " Any fit person in 

 the tribe of the patron saint was eligible, even if only a psalm 

 singer." If no such person was found there, then one of the 

 occupants of the monaster}'' might be chosen, and if there were 

 no one there suitable, then any stranger might be elected. f 



Consequently, jurisdiction was a tribal and family preroga- 

 tive entirely independent of ecclesiasticaA status. In Ireland, in 



* " Silva Gadelica," London, 1892, ii, 218. 



^QorusBescna. "Ancient Laws of Ireland" (Rolls Series, iii, 73.) See 

 also "Tripartite Life" ii, 339. Feth Fio gave his land to Drum Lias " That the 

 race of Feth Fio should inherit it, if any of them, of the class, should be good, 

 devout, and conscientious. If there were not, then it should be seen if there 

 were found one of the monastic community. If not, then any one of Patrick's 

 community." 



