The Pope sat silent or muttering his anathemas with bated breath.

The Guises had work enough on hand at home to heed the _Irish wolf_, whom the English, having in vain attempted to trap or poison, were driving to bay with more lawful weapons.' His own people, divided and dispirited, began now to desert the failing cause.

In May, by a concerted movement, the deputy with the light horse of the Pale overran Tyrone, and robbed the farmers of 3,000 cattle, while the O'Donels mustered their forces for a great contest with Shane, now struggling, almost hopelessly, to maintain his supremacy.

The O'Neills and O'Donels met on the banks of the Foyle near Lifford.

The former were superior in number, being about 3,000 men.