Chapter 167 - Concerning the battle between those in the siege camp and those in the town, a battle in which Afonso Enríquez and others were killed
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 December 2023
Summary
On this day after their meal, the men from the town came out to dismantle and cut down a bridge of thick poles over which the assailants crossed the stockade ditch, and where they had previously tried to set the gates on fire. When those in the camp saw this, they sought to prevent them from cutting it down, and many troops went there to this purpose. Those from the town came out to the stockade to defend their men, and there was great uproar and fighting, to the extent that from skirmishing they began to battle in earnest. At this, Alfonso Enríquez the Younger, who was with the Master in the monastery, on hearing the great clamour, asked permission to put on the Master's armour as he was not at his lodgings. The Master said this pleased him, and Alfonso Enríquez armed himself with a coat of plates mounted on green silk cloth by which the Master was recognised whenever he wore it. Then he went to the gate of the stockade where they had started to fight and, arriving there, he went forward and struck the town gate with his lance to show his boldness. One of the many stones which hailed down from the towers above the gate struck him, and he fell dead to the ground. Those from the town saw him fall and recognising the arms he wore as those of the Master they thought it was he. They then set themselves to throw many more stones at him until he was completely covered.
When Aires Gonçalves who was present saw this, he took a pavise from the stockade to shield himself from the stones as best he could, seized Alfonso Enríquez by a small part of his leg that was visible and dragged him out of there by force, despite all the stones that were thrown at him. In this way Alfonso Enríquez died, carrying out brave deeds that did nobody any good, and at whose death the Master showed himself to be saddened because, according to what he led him to believe, Alfonso Enríquez had been very keen to serve him.
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- The Chronicles of Fernão LopesVolume 3. The Chronicle of King João I of Portugal, Part I, pp. 343 - 344Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2023