"
"I quite understand, Sir Edmund; and for my part, I will assuredly do
my best to place this letter in the hands of the king. I shall say
that, being of Sir Henry Percy's household, and knowing that my lord
would be glad that I should have the opportunity of striking a blow
under the king's leading, I volunteered at once, when the letter
arrived, to bear it to him; and that, seeing his majesty had laid his
orders on you, to keep all your force in readiness to repel Glendower,
should he issue out in this quarter, you granted my request that I
should be its bearer."
"That will do well, Oswald. I know that the danger is by no means
small, but I trust that you may surmount it. I shall send off a letter,
today, to Hotspur. Doubtless you will, yourself, be writing to him, and
explain to him why I have suffered you to undertake so dangerous an
enterprise."
Two hours later, Oswald, having despatched the messenger to Hotspur
with his own letter, and that of Mortimer, mounted, and with Roger rode
to Shrewsbury. Here he was able to gather but little news, as to the
present position of the army. For four days no messengers had arrived
from the king.
The last news was to the effect that the army was marching forward,
through Montgomeryshire.
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