rcy, who, though but a lad, fought with extreme bravery.

"He is with me now. Sir Henry places great trust in him, and wrote most
warmly, concerning him, to Sir Edmund Mortimer."

"We are just going to supper, sir," the earl said. "I hope that you
will join us. And I pray you, tell me where this young squire is
lodging, that I may send for him, at once; as I would fain learn, from
his lips, some closer account of the fighting, which may be of utility
to us, in our adventure."

Oswald arrived just as supper was brought in, and was introduced to the
earl, and Lord Grey, by Sir William Bastow.

"Sit down with us, young sir," the earl said, kindly. "You are an
esquire, I hear, of my good friend Sir Henry Percy. As you eat, I pray
you tell me about this fight with the Welsh. Sir Edmund himself was not
in command, I hear."

"No, my lord, he was away at the time, having ridden to Ruthyn, to hold
council with Lord Grey."

"Ah! I had not heard that he had been there," Earl Grey said.

"He arrived the day before the Welsh raid on your estate, sir. Finding
that you were absent, he intended to return home the next morning; but
the matter delayed him, for a day, as he rode out with your knights to
punish the marauders; who, however, made off before they could be
overtaken."

"When you see him, I pray you give him my thanks, for so doing; and
now, tell us what happened."

"Sir William Bastow can better inform you, sir, of what took place
until we rode away from Knighton; where he remained, with Sir Philip
Haverstone, to take command of the townspeople, in case the Welsh
should arrive before strong aid should come."

Sir William then related the measures that had been decided upon, and
the steps taken to call out the levies; and how he and his brother
knights had ridden to Knighton, with the intent to hinder, as far as
possible, the Welsh advance; until the footmen could reach the town, to
be followed, shortly afterwards, by the troops that would come in from
the castles of Radnor.

Oswald then continued the story, and gave an account of the fight in
the village, and the manner in which the Welsh were attacked, while
retiring with their booty, and completely routed.

"Their tactics have in nowise changed, then," the earl said, "since the
days of Griffith and Llewellyn. Against a direct charge they were
unable to stand; but they attacked, with fury, whenever there was an
opportunity of fighting under circumstances when o