(M58) In the ancient laws of Wales it rests with great-grandsons to make the final division of their inheritance and start new households. Second cousins may demand redivision of the heritage descending (and perhaps already divided up in each generation between) from their great-grandfather. After second cousins no redivision or co-equation can be claimed.(132) In the meanwhile the oldest living parents maintained their influence in family matters. In the story of Kilhwch and Olwen, in the _Mabinogion_, the father of Olwen, before betrothing her to Kilhwch, declares that “her four great-grandmothers and her four great-grandsires are yet alive; it is needful that I take counsel of them.”(133) (M59) Even when feudalism refused to acknowledge other than an individual responsibility for a fief, it was unable to overcome the tribal theory of the indivisibility of the family, which maintained its unity in some places even under a feudal exterior. But as generations proceeded, and the relationships within the family diverged beyond the degree of second cousin, a natural breaking up seems to have taken place, though in the direction of subinfeudation under the feudal enforcement of the rule of primogeniture, instead of the practice, more in accordance with tribal instincts, of equal division and enfranchisement. It may however be surmised that the subdivision and subinfeudation of a holding in the occupation of such a group of kinsmen would be carried out by the formation of further similar groups. (M60) In the _Coustumes du Pais de Normandie_ mention is made of such a method of land-holding, called _parage_. It consists of an undivided tenure of brothers and relations _within the degree of second cousins_. The eldest does homage to the capital lord for all the _paragers_. The younger and their descendants hold of the eldest without homage, until the relationship comes to the _sixth degree inclusive_ (_i.e._ second cousins). When the lineage is beyond the sixth degree, the heirs of the cadets have to do homage to the heirs of the eldest or to whomsoever has acquired the fief. Then _parage_ ceases.(134) The tenure then becomes one of subinfeudation. As long as the _parage_ continued, the share of a deceased _parager_ would be dealt with by redivision of rights, and no question would arise of finding heirs. But when it became a question of finding an heir to the group, failing heirs in the seventh degree inclusive, that is, son of second cousins—looked upon as son to the group—failing such an heir, the estate escheated to the lord. (M61) There is an interesting passage in the Ancient Laws of Wales ordaining that the next-of-kin shall not inherit as heir to his deceased kinsman, but as heir to the ancestor, who, apart from himself, would be without direct heir, _i.e._ presumably their common ancestor.