Arrangements were made for the despatch of messengers, by those nearest to the frontier, with news of any Welsh raid.

Points were fixed upon where each should assemble, with what force he could gather; thence to march to any threatened place, or to assemble at Ludlow Castle, Mortimer being the warden of the marches along that line of the border.
On the following day Sir Edmund rode, with two of his knights, to hold council with Lord Grey, at Ruthyn.

The distance was considerable, and he was absent six days from his castle.

Before he returned, an event happened that showed Glendower was in earnest, and intended to maintain his pretensions by the sword.
At daybreak, on the third day after Mortimer had left, a messenger arrived at the castle; with news that a large body of Welsh had, the evening before, entered Radnor by the road across the hills from Llanidloes, and were marching towards Knighton, burning the villages as they went, and slaying all who fell into their hands.
The horn was at once sounded, and Sir John Wyncliffe and the other knights hastily assembled in the courtyard.

Here, after a short consultation, it was determined that a mounted party should be, at once, despatched to endeavour to harass the advance of the Welsh; the troop consisting of Alwyn's men-at-arms, twenty men of the garrison, and fifty mounted men who formed part of the new levy.