Had not the king perjured himself, we should not have been
led into this error; for, before we assisted him, he swore a great oath
that he had no intention of gaining the throne, but only to regain his
own dukedom of Lancaster. It was on that ground that we lent him our
aid; and now, forsooth, this perjured usurper treats us, who made him,
as dirt under his feet!
"We are resolved to suffer it no longer; and since we may not ransom
Mortimer, we will secure his freedom in other ways, and for this you
may give us your aid."
"Assuredly, Sir Henry, and my Lord Earl," Oswald, who was deeply
indignant at the unworthy treatment of his lords, replied hotly. "My
life is at your service."
"I expected nothing else," Hotspur said, warmly. "The matter stands
thus. Owen Glendower was a warm partisan of King Richard, and was one
of the few who remained faithful to the end; thereby incurring the deep
hostility of Henry, and of his adherent Lord Grey. It was for this his
lands were unjustly seized, for this that Henry's parliament refused to
accede to his complaints, and so drove him to take up arms. Thus, then,
in an enterprise against Henry, Glendower is our natural ally; and we
intend to propose to him that alliance, undertaking that, if he will
give us aid, his claim to the crown of Wales shall be acknowledged, and
that he shall govern his country without interference from England.
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