120 - How the officers of the marches in the Alentejo joined together to fight the Master [of Santiago], and why that did not ensue

Summary

Before this gathering, when the officers of the marches were each still in their own territory, King Fernando sent for Nuno Álvares, who was in the Minho and who was the brother of Pedro Álvares, the Prior of the Hospitallers. The king informed him in his letter that he had ordered officers of the marches to be placed in the Alentejo and had commanded Prior Pedro Álvares and his brothers to be in Portalegre: he therefore ordered him to go immediately to join them. As soon as he saw the king's message, and without further delay, Nuno Álvares made all necessary preparations and took with him twenty-five men-at-arms and thirty foot soldiers bearing shields, all of them worthy and valiant. He reached Portalegre, where he was well received by his brothers and others who were pleased at his arrival.

This Nuno Álvares was the son of Prior Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, whose lineage and deeds we intend to deal with in due course, when it is appropriate for us to write about the great and noble deeds of the Master of Avis who later became King of Portugal and in which deeds this Nuno Álvares was a distinguished and wonderful companion to him.

When Nuno Álvares had joined these great lords, they ordered their advance as follows: they distributed certain captains to take the vanguard, Gonçalo Vasques de Azevedo going with them. As they believed they could still go as far as Elvas without hindrance from the enemy, they ordered all the foot soldiers and baggage train to follow the direct route ahead of the vanguard, so deployed and so organized as to face anything that might occur. Thus they left on the Monday.

On their way, on reaching a grove of cork-oaks that stands between Vila Viçosa and Elvas, on this side of the tract of land where Vila Boim lies, Nuno Álvares left the path and headed through the cork-oaks to ponder his own thoughts. Going along, thinking, he looked ahead along the path towards some villages higher up near Vila Boim and saw the baggage train and the foot soldiers on the slopes, moving along in an orderly fashion, as befitted them.