100 - How Prince João fell in love with Dona Maria, the sister of the queen, and married her secretly

Summary

Living a happy life of pleasure in this way, the prince came to desire a lady called Dona Maria, the sister of Queen Leonor. This Dona Maria had been the wife of Álvaro Dias de Sousa, a great nobleman of the lineage of kings, a virtuous and very honourable knight. According to what some state in their writings, King Pedro of Portugal had a mistress with whom Álvaro Dias was accused of sleeping. Fearing that the king's great anger at this would lead to some dishonourable and dangerous action against him, he left the kingdom and having been away for a while died of natural causes. Dona Maria, left a widow quite early in her youth, was beautiful, elegant and very gracious. She enjoyed the company of many of her noble relatives and any others who were worthy, and she honoured them very much as each deserved, showing them her great hospitality. She had a large household of ladies, maidens, maids-inwaiting and other middling sorts, as well as squires and many office-holders; she was generous and kind to all. She had the resolve and resources to do this because the office of Master of the Order of Christ had been given to her for her son, Dom Lopo Dias, and its income had been placed in her power, as well as a considerable inheritance of property and goods and many favours from her sister the queen.

The prince, who saw her often, observing her beauty and status and how it was much enhanced by her grace in the judgement of all, began to love her very deeply. Pondering often on this thought, he sent secretly to her to make his love known, but there were many obstacles to prevent him from fulfilling his desire because the lady was very prudent, wise, discreet and well-guarded, and she sent him her refusal in well-chosen and courteous words. The prince, whose mind was troubled by constantly fancying such affection, could not help following her frequently, to the point where, in reaction to his close attentions, she decided to ask of him something that she otherwise would not dare to do.