HISTORY OF :M 



sea with a part of his forces; and retiring into 

 the castle waited for the remainder of his army to 

 follow. In his passage he lost many waggons and 

 other carriages loaded with victuals, which had 

 been intercepted by the Welsh ; who, in great 

 multitudes, came down from the mountains, and 

 invested the castle on the side of the land. A 

 sudden rise in the Conwy, preventing his troops 

 from passing the river, and affording him any 

 assistance, rendered Edward's situation exceeding- 

 ly alarming ; he was in great want of provisions, 

 was cut off from his army, and was surrounded on 

 every side by water and the enemy. The distress 

 of the garrison was so great with respect to pro- 

 visions, that Edward, in common with the soldiers, 

 was obliged to eat salted meat, and the coarse 

 bread which was found in the castle, and to use 

 water likewise for his drink mixed with honey. 

 In this perilous state, when any moment might 

 have been fatal, Edward's usual good fortune 

 attended him. The Conwy suddenly subsiding, 

 his forces were enabled to cross the water and 

 come to his relief. The Welsh then abandoned 

 the siege, and retired to the mountains of Snowdon. 

 The English king, on the enemy 's retreat, passed 



