With this agreed by all, and settled upon in a final conclusion that raised their hopes greatly, they hastily sent a message to the people of Tuy to be strong and defend themselves boldly, for they would soon receive ample aid, as everyone would see; they also wrote to them about the manner in which the King [of Castile] wished to proceed in the matter. With that reply, the people of Tuy regained great courage, starting to express themselves in many loose and immoderate words, worse than they had uttered previously. At the same time, letters were immediately sent throughout the land to vassals, light horsemen and mounted crossbowmen, to prepare to make a sortie into Portugal with their liege lord the king, under the captains who would be sent to them. Some people in the royal council even said that it was a good idea to send a number of men-at-arms to the prelates and those holding benefices, to help to take this action forward, which was a great honour for all.

With the letters sent, it was not long before everyone was ready, with renewed rage at those they hated.

The aforesaid bastard prince Dinis immediately took the title of king, calling himself Dom Dinis, King of Portugal and of the Algarve, bearing the undifferenced arms of Portugal on his banner and seal. Martim Vasques and the other Portuguese, such as João Fernandes and João Afonso Pimentel, their own kin and that of many others came to join him, calling him their king and liege lord. With the forces that the King [of Castile] gave him, and those who had joined him, they numbered over 2,000 lances. Further companies assembled under the Master of Santiago, but authors do not mention that they achieved anything worth relating. With everyone assembled under their captains, the prince took the route to Beira, with Ruy López Dávalos, who later became Constable of Castile, and those who were to raise the siege of Tuy. Meanwhile, the rumour spread that the King of Castile was going with them.

When King João, who was besieging Tuy, ascertained this news, he did not lose heart, even though he might well have, and was heard by many people who spoke about this in his tent, to say openly, ‘Let the Castilians come when they like with as many as they can bring; they will find me here without fail.