We need not attempt to discuss the details of this hierarchy of chieftains. It is enough that, throughout, the lower chieftain takes stock from and pays food-rents to the higher chieftain, or the Ri-tuaithe, as the case may be. So that the grades of tribal rank were connected by the link formed by the receipt of an allotment of stock from, and the payment of food-rent to, the next superior grade. * * * * * Concentrating attention now on the ‘fine’ or group dependent upon a single flaith or chief, we have seen that it consisted not only of his kindred, but also of other dependents. [Sidenote: The other tenants of a chieftain.] We have seen that the chief had both _giallna_ and _saer_ tenants, and that he supplied these tenants with stock, and received food-rent and services in return. In the second volume of the Senchus Mor[72] are two chapters on _Saer-raith_ and _Daer-raith_. And the two kinds of tenancy are explained somewhat as follows. [Sidenote: Effect of continuance of tenancy for three lives.] In the _saer_-raith the stock is given without any pledge, and the return for it is one-third in value as food-rent every year, and the tenant has to perform what is translated as homage, and to do service on the dun-fort, at harvest time, and on military expeditions, but he does no manual labour. The saer tenant cannot separate from his own hereditary tribal chieftain, or refuse to take stock from him, and to that extent he seems to be _adscriptus glebæ_. But if he chooses to receive stock from another chief he can give it up when he likes, unless not having returned it _for three lifetimes_, he has let the chief get a permanent hold on him, but this must not be so as to rob his own tribe of their innate rights (p. 219). This freedom to take stock from other chieftains does not, therefore, seem to alter his position or that of his successor as permanent tenants of their own hereditary chieftain. And this applies both to his higher chieftain of _kingly_ rank, and his own lesser chieftain of _flaith_ rank. He cannot separate from his own king (ri) at any time, either in _saer_-rath or _daer_-rath, unless the chief be indigent.… His own _aire_ of the _flaith_ grade is in the same position as his own _king_ (p. 211). On the other hand, whilst in the case of stock taken from another chieftain the contract can be ended on either side (except after three lives), the hereditary king or chieftain cannot, without good reason, withdraw the stock from the tenants. If he be his own king he can never take away either his _saer_ stock or _daer_ stock unless the tenant be indigent, and there are no life separations between the tenant and his own hereditary king unless either of them act illegally, &c.…