44 Ireland] Its Ancient Civilisation and Social Customs. 



King was supreme in his own territory, and the chief had the 

 power of hfe and death in the clan. The relative duties of the 

 Provincial Kings to the Ardrigh, and his relation to them, are 

 clearly set forth in a book called the "Book of Rights." The 

 tributes paid to the Ardrigh by the Provincial Kings consisted 

 of mantles, swords, spears, shields, cattle, hogs, cauldrons, and 

 also certain entertainments when making a royal progress 

 through the kingdom. The grades of society beneath the 

 kings and chiefs depended on the ownership of land in fee, or 

 the tenancy of land and the number of cattle a man owned. 

 The owner in fee of land who paid no rent, be his property 

 either large or small, had the rank of Flaith, equivalent to a 

 noble. The other grades paid rent to this order. Rent-paying 

 farmers were divided into a great many grades or classes, 

 regulated by the extent of the holding and the numbers of their 

 flocks and herds. They were called Celies, some of whom, hke 

 the middlemen of recent times, rented large tracts and sub-let 

 at a profit to those below them. The lower class of farmers 

 had special designations depending on the number of cattle they 

 owned. Below these were the free labourers, and next the bond- 

 men, or slaves, who received no wages, and were usually captives 

 taken in war or on plundering expeditions. Of the learned 

 classes, Druids, poets, and brehons, there were seven grades, and 

 their services were paid for by grants of land and special gifts. 

 The greater chiefs and kings have hereditary bards, who re- 

 corded their genealogy and history. The ranks of men in 

 those days were distinguished by the number of the colours 

 in their garments, the greatest number — seven — were worn 

 by kings. The Royal Stuart Tartan has seven colours, which 

 had its origin in this way. Before a new law was promulgated 

 it was read before an assembly of all ranks, and had to be 

 approved of by a majority. As already mentioned, the form of 

 religion was what we know as Druidical. At midsummer fires 

 were lighted on the hills, and a varied ceremonial was gone 

 through in honour of the sun god. The worship of wells also 

 was another Pagan cult, which has survived to modern times. 



