Both Sides the Border: A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower

In Short

G. A. Henty’s Both Sides the Border: A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower is a historical adventure set during the turbulent opening years of the fifteenth century. It follows Oswald Forster, a young Northumbrian borderer who enters the service of Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur). As King Henry IV faces revolts in Wales and Scottish raids along the English frontier, Oswald carries messages, executes dangerous escapes, and engages in deadly skirmishes. His loyalty and tactical cunning earns him knighthood and a place amid the great political shift that culminates in the Battle of Shrewsbury. The book endures as an active, detailed depiction of late medieval warfare.

The Story

The story opens in the rugged borderland between England and Scotland, where local feuds, cattle raiding, and castle holds define daily life. Young Oswald Forster lives among hard-bitten borderers who must constantly defend their strongholds against rivals like the Bairds and Scottish raiders. Desiring to advance himself, Oswald enters the household of Sir Henry Percy, better known as Hotspur. To prepare for service, he trains in swordsmanship and, unusually for a man-at-arms, learns to read and write under the tutelage of Friar Roger, a massive, combat-ready monk who becomes his steadfast companion.

Oswald’s intellectual quickness and physical agility set him apart. When Welsh leader Owen Glendower rises against English rule, Oswald is sent west to Ludlow Castle and into the marches. He takes part in border clashes against Glendower's forces, including raids on Glendower's estate at Sycharth. During these campaigns, Oswald demonstrates extraordinary courtesy by freeing Glendower's captured daughters without demanding ransom—a noble act that later yields unexpected goodwill.

As northern tensions flare, Scottish invaders under Earl Douglas pour over the border. Oswald fights with distinction in the ensuing campaign, which culminates in the decisive English victory at the Battle of Homildon Hill, where Douglas is defeated and captured. However, peace is short-lived. Discontent brews between King Henry IV and the powerful Percy family over uncompensated expenses and the king's refusal to ransom Sir Edmund Mortimer, Hotspur's brother-in-law, who remains Glendower's captive.

Tasked with delicate missions, Oswald slips through enemy-infested forests to deliver vital letters. He infiltrates Glendower’s stronghold, where he meets both the Welsh leader and the imprisoned Mortimer. Oswald facilitates a secret alliance between Hotspur, Mortimer, Glendower, and Douglas to overthrow King Henry IV. For his courage and intelligence on these dangerous journeys, King Henry initially bestows a knighthood upon Oswald before the full extent of the northern plot explodes into open rebellion.

The conflict reaches its climax at the Battle of Shrewsbury, where the royal forces engage the rebel army before Glendower can join them. Hotspur falls in battle, ending the primary coalition. Oswald survives the rout, returning home to Northumberland. When the Earl of Northumberland makes subsequent attempts at rebellion, Oswald wisely refrains from joining the final fatal rising at Branham Moor. He settles down at Yardhope, marries his cousin Janet, and fortifies his ancestral holdings, living out his days in peace alongside his loyal friend Roger.

How It Unfolds

The borderer's training Oswald grows up amid violent livestock feuds between neighboring border families. He enters Hotspur’s household and seeks out Friar Roger, a towering monk who teaches him to read, write, and fight.

Into the Welsh Marches Dispatched to support Sir Edmund Mortimer, Oswald joins raids against Owen Glendower's estate at Sycharth. He protects Glendower's daughters from imprisonment, earning a debt of honor from the Welsh rebel.

Victory at Homildon Hill When ten thousand Scots invade northern England, Oswald returns home to aid the Percys. The campaign ends in a crushing victory over Earl Douglas at Homildon Hill, filling the English camp with Scottish captives.

A dangerous message Growing political rift divides Hotspur and King Henry IV over unpaid debts and Mortimer’s captivity. Oswald undertakes a perilous foot journey through Welsh wilderness to carry secret letters between the conspirators.

Knighted by the King After evading Welsh scouts and delivering crucial dispatches, Oswald is knighted for his exceptional bravery. He uses his position to secretly negotiate terms between Glendower and Mortimer.

Clashing at Shrewsbury The grand coalition falls apart when royal troops arrive early at Shrewsbury. Hotspur is killed in the brutal fighting, shattering the rebellion and forcing Oswald to retreat north.

A quiet ending Oswald avoids the disastrous final northern risings. He marries his cousin Janet, expands his estate at Yardhope, and lives in peace with his former monk companion, Roger.

The People

• Oswald Forster: A young Northumbrian borderer who wants to earn advancement as a knight. He overcomes his initial lack of formal training through agility, martial discipline, and literacy, eventually becoming Hotspur's most trusted squire and messenger.
• Friar Roger: A giant, weapon-wielding monk who prefers armor to prayer robes. He acts as Oswald's tutor, companion, and muscle, using his quarterstaff and strength to rescue Oswald from endless tight spots.
• Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur): A fiery, renowned northern commander who seeks glory and justice for his family's sacrifices. His growing resentment against King Henry IV drives him into a dangerous coalition with his former enemies.
• Owen Glendower: The charismatic Welsh prince leading a fierce war of independence. He seeks to restore Welsh sovereignty and balance his ruthless guerilla warfare with personal honor and hospitality to those who treat his family well.
• Sir Edmund Mortimer: Hotspur's brother-in-law, captured by Glendower and abandoned by King Henry IV. His sense of betrayal transforms him from a loyal defender of the realm into an active co-conspirator against the English crown.

In Its Own Voice

"I carry it as if it were a spear, and I have seen already three or four people smile, as we passed them."

Friar Roger reluctantly accepts his disguise as a traveling companion, grumbling that riding without a spear makes him feel out of place outside his monastic walls.

"They will throw themselves down on the ground, leap up as you pass over them, stab your horses from below, seize your legs and try to drag you from your saddles..."

Sir John warns his armored horsemen about the ferocious and unconventional tactics of Welsh foot soldiers hiding in the terrain.

"Reading certainly came in mightily useful, there."

Roger grudgingly admits that learning to read Latin texts saved his and Oswald's lives during a delicate spy mission behind enemy lines.

What It's Really About

Both Sides the Border examines the fluid, unstable nature of allegiance during periods of civil strife. In a world where border feuds are inherited like property, loyalty is rarely simple. The novel argues that true nobility requires both physical courage and moral intelligence; Oswald succeeds not merely because he can wield a sword, but because he can read dispatches, respect his enemies, and keep his head when political alliances shift overnight. It highlights how political neglect by a monarch can instantly transform devoted defenders into dangerous rebels, showing that honor often forces men to walk a tightrope between treason and self-preservation.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy fast-paced historical fiction with an emphasis on tactics, military strategy, and border lore will find much to admire in Henty's narrative. The story moves cleanly from local skirmishes to historical battles, making the late medieval borderlands feel immediate and perilous. The relationship between the quick-witted Oswald and his massive, reluctant-monk companion Friar Roger provides a steady core of warmth and light humor that balances the constant threat of violence.

The book does present period challenges. Modern readers must navigate nineteenth-century prose structures, occasional archaic phrasing, and localized Scottish and Welsh dialect choices. Additionally, the text reflects Victorian narrative conventions where high-born characters routinely demonstrate idealized bravery and chivalry. Yet for those interested in the actual mechanics of medieval travel, frontier defense, and the famous revolt of Hotspur and Glendower, it remains an engaging, thoroughly detailed ride through a turbulent era of English history.