The superior position in which the _Boaire_ was placed towards the other members of the tribe, his more extensive stock, and the exclusive possession of his homestead, must have naturally led to a desire to retain the same land in his family, instead of being subjected to annual change; and the larger his possession the more easily he would obtain this, which was an inevitable step to the introduction of rights of private property in the land of the tribe. When the same family had retained possession of land for three generations it came at length to constitute a right of property, and thus a class of territorial lords was created whose position as _Aires_ was based upon property in land. This right of property and all the privileges connected with it was termed _Deis_, and they formed a superior class of territorial magnates, who were termed _Flaith_ or chieftains, and constituted an order termed the _Grad Flaith_, in contradistinction to the _Grad Feine_ or inferior order. In the division of these respective orders, if not in the actual introduction of an individual right of property in land, we can again trace the influence of the Christian Church. In one of the tracts forming the collection of laws termed the Brehon, but not one of the most ancient, the following account of these divisions is given:—‘How many divisions are there of these?—Seven. What is the division of the grades of a Tuath derived from?—From the similitude of ecclesiastical orders, for it is proper that for every order which is in the Church there should be a corresponding one in the Tuath.’ But this number of seven is purely arbitrary, for we are told that the grades of the Tuath consist of the ‘Fer Midba, the Boaire, the Aire desa, the Aire ard, the Aire tuise, the Aire forgaill, and the Ri or king. If it be according to the right of the Feinechus law, it is in such manner these seven grades are divided.’ But then follows—‘What is the division if it be not the Boaire with his eight divisions?’ that is, if the ‘Grad Feine,’ or inferior order consisting of eight divisions, is excluded; and the answer is—‘The Aire desa, the Aire echta, the Aire ard, the Aire tuise, the Aire forgaill, the Tanaist of the Ri or king, and the Ri or king.’ Here the number of seven is made up by adding to the Grad Flaith an Aire echta and the Tanaist.[164] [Sidenote: The _Ceile_ or tenants of a chief.]