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OF THE DRUIDS.lOlone of the chief lords to advise him, a bard to singthe jpraises of his ancestors, a chronicler to registerhis own actions, a physician to take care ofIlls health, and a musician to intertain him. Whoeverwas a]>sent, these by law must be ever present,and no fewer than the three controllers ofhis family; which decemvirate was the institutionof King Cormac. The same custom was takenup by all the nobles, whereof each had about himhis Druid, chief vassal, bard, judge, physician,and harper, the four last having lands assignedthem, which descended to their families, whereinthese professions were hereditary, as were theirmarslial, and the rest of their officers. After theintroducing of Christianity, the Druid was succeededby a bishop or priest, but the rest continuedon the antient foot, insomuch, that for a longtime after the English conquest, the judges, thebards, physicians, and harpers, held such tenures inIreland.The O Duvegans were the hereditarybards of the O Kellies, the O Clerys and the O Brodinswere also hereditary antiquaries: the O Shielsand the O Canvans were such hereditary doctors,the Maglanchys such hereditary judges, and soof the rest; for more examples, especially in thisplace, are needless: it wou'd be but multiplyingof names, without ever making the subject clearer.Only I must remark here, from the very natureof thmgs, no less than from facts, that (tho' Cesarbe silent about it) there were civil judges in Gaule