My
force is sufficient to hold the town against any attacks, but I cannot
spare so many men as would be required to convoy the cattle. I told the
king so, before he went on; but he said that no Welshman would dare
show himself, when the army had once passed on; and that every Welsh
house and village would be destroyed, and all within them put to the
sword, so that I should have no difficulty in sending forward cattle,
and other supplies.
"That the villages have been destroyed I have no doubt, for the
messengers who came in from Llanfair told me that, as they passed over
the hills, they could see smoke rising from the forests in all
directions; but whether the inhabitants remained, quietly awaiting the
arrival of the troops, is more than doubtful. There were beacon fires
on all the hills, the night before the army left Shrewsbury, and again
on the next night. Since then, we have seen no more from here, but
those who came from Llanfair told us that they were burning, on every
hill, the night they got there; so I have no doubt that the old men,
women, and children were at once sent off, probably to shelter in the
Plinlimmon district, or mayhap in the forests of Cader Idris. At any
rate, we may be sure that very few will be found at their villages.
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