He therefore changed his direction, and made for Shrewsbury, towards which place Glendower was marching.
Percy's array had swollen as he went south.

He had been joined by a number of archers, from Cheshire, and by other adherents of the late king; these regarding the war as an attempt, not to place the Earl of March upon the throne, but to overthrow the usurper who had dethroned their king.
Oswald rode with sixty spearmen from his own estate; while his father, with thirty men from Yardhope, rode in his company.

Both regarded the failure of Glendower to come to the place appointed as a serious misfortune.
"Of course," Oswald said, "if he joins us at Shrewsbury, before the king comes up, it will not matter much; and indeed would be, in one respect, the better.

Mortimer with his force will be coming on; and though he is scarce likely to arrive at Shrewsbury in time for the battle, for he could not leave Wales, to summon his levies to the field, until the Prince of Wales had drawn off his force and marched to join his father; his reinforcement, afterwards, will fill up the gaps in our ranks, and be a great assistance, should Henry be able to rally another army in the Midlands.

He cannot hope to do so before we reach London." "That sounds fairly, Oswald, but 'tis always better to carry out the plans you have made; and this absence of Glendower, at the point arranged, to my mind augurs ill." Henry was an able general.