Chapter 20 - Concerning the reasons which the city folk gave to the Master as to why he should not leave

Summary

The people were now riotous and busy discussing these issues, about which they had great doubts. As they recognised the Master to be a man whose great authority best befitted him to defend them, they were all anxious to have him as their lord. Talking the matter over among themselves, they declared, ‘Why are we hanging back? Let's adopt this man as our defender. So great are his discretion and fortitude that he will be capable of overcoming any dangers that might confront us.’

Then they went to see him, pleading with him not to abandon both them and the entire kingdom to the mercy of the Castilians, for the realm had been won with such sacrifice by the kings from whom he was descended. Indeed, they were quite sure that the queen had hastily summoned the King of Castile, and, were he to invade the country with a powerful army, he was bound to seize control of it, if there were none to defend it. As for them, they would suffer a wretched and miserable subjugation, and for that reason they pleaded with the Master not to leave, but to stay in the city, for they were eager to adopt him as their liege lord, to govern and rule over them in every respect.

If by any chance Prince João were to come back, and the kingdom were to be his by right, then they would accept him as king, but not otherwise. But, as matters were as everybody believed them to be, they would adopt the Master as their king and liege lord. They urged him to take immediate possession of the treasury, the customs house and the arsenal, as well as of all the other royal rights and property. They would give him possession of the castle and fortress of the city. They would write letters to be sent all over the country to explain what was happening, for they were sure that a majority in every town would be of the same mind, lest they fell under domination by the Castilians. They added that, as they had sided with the Master over the death of Count Juan Fernández and considering the events that had ensued, they were at the mercy of the queen's hatred and, on that account, unless they had someone to protect them, their lives and property were bound to be in great jeopardy.