89 
Mac Terrilagh Mac Donill their attorney, for ransoming the Isles 
of Aran from James Lynch; and agreed, that all such parts, as he 
should so ransom, should belong to him and his heirs for ever.” — 
Corp. Book of Galway. A. Late in the sixteenth century, the 
O’Briens were expelled from the islands by the O’Flaherties of Iar- 
Connaught. Upon information of this transaction having been re- 
ceived by Queen Elizabeth, a commission issued, which declared, 
that the islands belonged to her Majesty in right of her crown. 
She accordingly, by Letters patent, dated 13th January 1587, 
granted the entire to John Rawson, of Athlone, gentleman, and his 
heirs, on condition of his retaining constantly on the islands, twenty 
foot Soldiers of the English nation,* On this occasion, the Cor- 
poration of Galway addressed the Queen on behalf of the O’Briens, 
but without effect. The address was signed, on the 30th of March 
1588, by John Blake, the Mayor, and Walter Martin and Anthony 
Kirrivan, bailiffs, and countersigned by Anthony Dermot, Notary ; 
whereby they testify to Queen Elizabeth in favor of Murrogh Mac 
Turlagh O’Brien, there living,—that the Mac Teiges of Aran, his 
ancestors, were, under her Majesty and her predecessors, the tem- 
poral captains or lords of the islands of Aran and their territories 
and hereditaments elsewhere,{under the name of Mac Teige O’Brien 
of Aran, time out of man’s memory; and that they had seen the 
said Murrogh Mac Turlagh authorised by all his Sept, as chief of 
that name, and in possession of the premises as his own lawful in- 
heritance, as more at large, say they, doth appear in our books of 
record, wherein he continued, until of late he was, by the usurp- 
ing power of the O’Flaherties, expulsed, from whom it is taken 
02 
® Rot. Pat. 31 Eliz. 
+ They were also Lords of the territory of Tromra, in Thomond. 
