rt 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.

"There is none who could carry out this negotiation so well as
yourself, since you can, by virtue of that ring he gave you, pass
unarmed to him; while any other knight would be assuredly slain. You
will bear a letter, signed by the earl and myself, offering him our
friendship and alliance, on those terms; and explain to him, more
fully, the manner in which we have been driven to throw off Henry's
authority. You can tell him that we shall proclaim the Earl of March
lawful king; and if he agrees to join in our project, which would be
clearly both to his liking and advantage, it would be as well that he
should, as soon as we move, which may not be for some time yet, release
Sir Edmund Mortimer; who, as the boy's uncle, will assuredly raise his
vassals on his behalf, now that Henry has shown such animosity against
him."

"I will gladly undertake the mission, my lord; and all the more gladly,
since it may lead to the liberation of Sir Edmund Mortimer, who treated
me with the greatest kindness and condescension, during my stay at
Ludlow."

"Prepare to start tomorrow, then," the earl said. "The letter shall be
ready for you tonight; and beyond what my son has told you, you can
tell Glendower that we have good hopes of large help from Scotland;
with whom, it is said, he is already in alliance."

The next morning Oswald started, taking no one but Roger with him. He
had, the evening before, to