Unfortunately, he meets with but little resistance, for the castles have, for the most part, been suffered to get into a bad state; since, for a hundred years, it has seemed that they would no longer be required against the Welsh, who appeared to have become as peaceful as the people in our own counties.

Many of the knights have built themselves more convenient houses, and have let the castles become almost ruins.
"Then, too, the garrisons, where garrisons are kept, are for the most part composed of Welshmen.

These can be no longer trusted, and it is no easy matter to obtain Englishmen in their places, for so great is the terror caused by the slaughter, by Glendower, of those who fall into his hands, that few even of adventurous spirit would, at present, care to leave their homes beyond the Severn, to take up such desperate service.

Glendower's movements are so rapid that there is no notice of his coming, and it is not until he and his band suddenly appear, burning and slaughtering, that any know of his approach." "Surely it must be difficult to victual so large a force, on the summit of a mountain ?" "It would assuredly be so, only he keeps but a hundred and fifty chosen men with him.

But, were his beacon fires to be lighted, there would in a few hours be ten thousand men on the mountain.