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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 December 2023
Having come to the agreement that we have described, the prelates, noblemen and proctors of the town communities then together made their way to the Master and begged his favour, requesting that he be pleased to assent to the election they had made and agree to take on the title, dignity and honour of king, and take charge of the defence of the realms because God had kept them for him and had so ordained.
The Master listened to this discourse and then replied, saying that he gave many thanks to God and was very grateful to Him for having instilled in their hearts and minds the desire to elect him to such an exalted rank; and he thanked the men warmly for their goodwill towards him. However, they could well see, as indeed he felt in his heart that, it was not, nor could it be, sufficient for him to receive and uphold on himself such honour and high dignity as was the royal governance. All the more because they knew that there were certain impediments, both in the defect of his birth as well as in the profession he had made to the Order of Avis, which made it impossible for him to receive such a charge and honour such as those to which they had elected him. Consequently, he could not accept.
He also said that in his heart he could not accept for another reason. They could be in no doubt that he was ready to strive, as much as he could and for as long as he lived, for the defence of the realm and to wait for the King of Castile and all his might to do battle with him. If, as the mere knight that he was, he should defeat the king, which he hoped God would allow, then it would be a great honour for him as well as for them. If, God forbid, it should happen otherwise, it would be a greater dishonour for him to be vanquished as a king than if he were defeated as a knight. Therefore, they should make decisions about levying forces, on how to raise money to pay for them, and how the kingdom should be defended, rather than dwelling on other matters.
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