With the spring and the fine weather, when the rivers fell and the ground dried, he roused himself out of his lair, and with his galloglasse and kerne, and a few hundred harquebussmen, he dashed suddenly down upon the Red-shanks, and broke them utterly to pieces.
Six or seven hundred were killed in the field, James M'Connell and his brother, Sorleyboy, were taken prisoners, and, for the moment, the whole colony was swept away.

James M'Connell, himself badly wounded in the action, died a few months later, and Shane was left undisputed sovereign of Ulster.' Primate Daniel announced to the Queen this 'glorious victory over a malicious and dangerous people' who were gradually fastening on the country; and Sir Thomas Cusack urged that now was the time to make O'Neill a friend for ever, an advice which was backed up by the stern Arnold.

'For what else could be done?
The Pale,' he pleaded, 'is poor and unable to defend itself.

If he do fall out before the beginning of next summer, there is neither outlaw, rebel, murderer, thief, nor any lewd nor evil-disposed person--of whom God knoweth there is plenty swarming in every quarter among the wild Irish, yea and in our own border too--which would not join to do what mischief they might.' But Shane did not wait for further royal overtures.

He saw that with the English Government might was right, and that the justice of his cause shone out more brightly in proportion to the increase of his power.