There are extant several surveys of parts of Ireland of that date in which are to be recognised arrangements of homesteads almost precisely similar to those of the Welsh Codes. And further, the names of the tenants being given, we can see that they were blood relations like the Welsh tribesmen, with a carefully preserved genealogy guarding the fact of their relationship and consequent position in the tribe.
The best way to realise this fact may be to turn to actual examples.
According to an inquisition[275] made of the county of Fermanagh in 1 James I. (1603), the county was found to be divided into seven equal baronies, the description of one of which may be taken as a sample.
Clusters of taths or tyddyns.
'The temporal land within this barony is all equally divided into 712 ballybetaghes [literally victuallers' towns,[276] or units for purposes of the food-rents like the Welsh trevs], each containing 4 quarters, each of those quarters containing 4 tathes [corresponding with the Welsh tyddyns], and each of those tathes aforesaid to be 30 acres country measure.'
Of 'spiritual lands' there are two parish churches, one having 4 quarters, the other 1 quarter.
Also there are 'other small freedoms containing small parcels of land, some belonging to the spiritualty, and others being part of the mensal lands allotted to Macgwire (the chief).'
This exactly corresponds with the arrangement for the purposes of the gwestva of the Welsh tyddyns in groups of 4 and 16, as in the Venedotian Code. [p216]
There is also a Survey of County Monaghan in 33 Elizabeth[277] (1591), in which the names of the holders of the tates in each bailebiatagh, or group of 16, are given. Thus, again, to take a single example,—
Example in Co. Monaghan.