The bishop returned to Castile and found King Enrique in Zamora. After the king had withdrawn with his Royal Council to listen to the reply brought by the bishop, the first piece of news which he gave him was that he should prepare for war. The bishop reported on everything which he had experienced from King Fernando, adding that he understood that King Fernando had no wish to be a friend of King Enrique, or to honour the peace treaty he had made with him. He had also formed the view that a number of the lords who were with him had given him exactly that advice.

On hearing this, King Enrique spoke out in the presence of them all: ‘God knows well, for He knows all things, that I have no wish to have a war with King Fernando and that I would much rather have peace and friendly relations with him. Since, however, I am compelled to go to war, I have no wish to hold back any longer but wish to begin at once. Therefore, let each and every one of you state what is your opinion and how things can best be done.’

Having listened to the answer brought back by the bishop and to the wishes expressed by the king, all the members of the Royal Council agreed that they should go to war and that the king should invade Portugal with all his might. Nevertheless, this should not be carried out immediately and for the following reasons: first of all, the king's forces were not yet ready, nor had he the money needed to pay their wages and provide them with the necessary supplies; secondly, winter was coming on. For these and other reasons which each counsellor advanced for delaying matters, they were all agreed that the king should postpone this war till the following summer and that meanwhile he should make all necessary preparations with a view to concluding the war with his honour and best interests more enhanced.

When he saw that they were all of one mind, and that nobody dissented, the king answered as follows: ‘Either you’re all drunk, or fools, or traitors!’

‘Not I, sire,’ said the bishop, ‘I’m not red-haired.’

‘My lord bishop,’ said the king, ‘do you say that on my account?’ For the king was light of skin and red-haired.