4 erws = 1 tyddyn. 4 tyddyns = 1 randir. 4 randirs = 1 gavael. 4 gavaels = 1 trev. 4 trevs = 1 maenol. 12 maenols and 2 supernumerary trevs = 1 cymwd (or comote). 2 cymwds = 1 cantrev (100 trevs). «The _cymwd_ or half-hundred of twelve maenols.» The _cymwd_ was thus a half-hundred, and each cymwd had its court, and so was the unit of legal jurisdiction. At its head was a _maer_ and a _canghellor_, the two officers of the chief who had jurisdiction over it. The twelve maenols in the cymwd were thus disposed:-- 1 free maenol for the support of the office of maer. 1 free maenol for the support of the office of canghellor. 6 occupied by '_uchelwrs_,' or tribesmen. ── Making 8 free maenols of 'family land,' from each of which a gwestva or _tunc pound_ was paid. The other 4 maenols were 'register land' occupied by aillts or taeogs, paying 'dawn bwyds.' ── 12 in the 'cymwd.'[251] Now, it must be admitted that all this singular system, arranged according to strict arithmetical rules, _looks_ very much like a merely theoretical arrangement, plausible on paper but impossible in practice. It will be found, however, that there is more [p201] probability, as well as reason and meaning in it, than at first sight appears. «Threescore pence of the tunc pound to each trev.» In the first place, as regards the twelve maenols making up the _cymwd_, there is no difficulty; four of them were taeog maenols and eight were free maenols. But there is an obvious difficulty in the description of the contents of each maenol. Taken literally, the description in the Venedotian Code seems to imply that every maenol was composed of four trevs, each of which contained four gavaels composed of four randirs, each of which contained four tyddyns composed of four erws. But in this case the maenol would contain nothing but tyddyns--nothing but homesteads!--there would be no arable and no pasture. This cannot be the true reading. A clue to the real meaning is found in a clause which, after repeating that from each of the eight free maenols in the cymwd the chief has a _gwestva_ yearly, 'that is a pound yearly from each of them,' goes on to say, 'Threescore pence is charged on each trev of the four that are in a maenol, and so subdivided into quarters in succession until each erw of the tyddyn be assessed.'[252] «Four gavaels or holdings in each trev.»