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109 - What the king ordered to be done to the men who took the hay, and how Villalobos was captured
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 January 2024
Summary
Because of what had happened, and because the mist caused the men to get separated from each other, no hay came to the camp that day, as it should have done. On account of the shortage of hay, and likewise because it was rumoured that the men of the town would be proposing terms the next day, when it was about noon, a shout began to spread without any order from the king, which they uttered to one another: ‘Forward to the hay, to the hay! The town has agreed to surrender.’ When they began to say this, lads, muleteers and foot soldiers made their way to the moat and, very quickly, all the hay there was taken away. The king was extremely vexed by this and ordered the arrest of all those they could find to have taken the hay. Indeed, six boys guilty of this were seized and brought before him.
Hearing that the king had ordered their arrest, and fearing ill might follow from such an act, the count hurried to the king's tent. Yet he could never make strong enough arguments or appeals for the king's clemency to persuade him not to have their hands cut off. When he realised this, the count left without a word, his face sad and woeful. He went straight to his tent and lay prone on his bed. Although he tried to hold back his tears, he could not hide his sorrow so well that those who were nearby did not hear him weep copiously and sob loudly over such a punishment. Likewise, a squire and criado of the king, who had served him well in the war, earnestly besought the king for pity's sake not to order one of these lads, who was his brother, to be mutilated. Although he pleaded fervently, he could not move the king to grant this to him. He renounced his loyalty to the king and went to Castile, and ever after opposed him.
At this point, the men of the town seeing that the king did not have siege engines that could do them much harm, and also that the hay had all been removed, and it would take a long time to bring as much again, gathered the courage to defend themselves and refused to offer terms.
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- Information
- The Chronicles of Fernão LopesVolume 4. The Chronicle of King João i of Portugal, Part II, pp. 245 - 248Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2023