70 "NEWTOWN TO MONTGOMERY. 



diers gallantly defended it for many days, but the 

 Welfh, having found means to undermine the walls, 

 took it by ftorm, and after puttmg the whole garri- 

 fon to the fword, levelled the fortrefs to the ground. 

 The Englifli (Iruggled ineffectually againft this hardy 

 people for near four years. At length they obtained 

 a d'^^cifive victory. The caftlc- was immediately re- 

 built by the earl of Shrewlbury ; but in little more 

 than a century afterwards was again deilroyed. 



It appears that in 1221, Henry III., in order to 

 jreftrain the predatory excurfions of the Welfh, 

 erected a caftle at Montgomery, which he granted 

 to his jufticiary, Hubert de Burgh*.— About feven 

 years fubfequent to this period, as fome of the gaf- 

 rifon's foldiers were attemptmg, with the affiftance 

 of the country people, to open a road through an 

 adjoining foreft, which had long afforded to the 

 Welfh a fecure afylum ; from whence iffuing, they 

 frequently murdered and plundered travellers through 

 the country ; they were on a fudden attacked by a 

 body of the natives, who with great flaughter com- 

 pelled them to feek refuge in the caftle. The party 

 then invefted, and laid regular fiege to it, on which 

 Hubert de Burgh, alarmed at his fituation, fent to 

 Henry for fuccour, who brought an army to his aid, 

 on the arrival of which the Welfh immediately Hedf. 



* Matt. Paris, 263. Matt. Weftm, p. ui. Holinlhed, ii. 

 20J. Carte, i. 466. 



f Powel, 284, 285. Matt. Paris, 295. Carte, ii. 357. 



in 



