Chapter 123 - Concerning the message that the people of Oporto sent to Count Gonçalo, and the reply he gave to them

Summary

This having been agreed, they wrote their letter of credentials to the count, and gave it to Dom Martim Gonçalves, the Abbot of Paço [de Sousa], who afterwards became Bishop of the Algarve. He arrived in Coimbra where the count was, and was well received by him, because he had been protected by him and had obtained his post as abbot through him. The count asked him publicly what had brought him to those parts. ‘My lord’, he said, ‘what made me come here is a message that I bring you from the worthy men of Oporto.’

Then they withdrew alone and, when the letter of credentials had been read, the abbot said: ‘My lord, those worthy men of the city of Oporto, and likewise the captain of the fleet that has arrived there from Lisbon, with all the men who are in it, send you their greetings. They say that you well know how this kingdom, for our sins, is split into two parts, so that the coming of the Antichrist could not cause greater division than that in which this country is at present. For all the Castilians are against Portugal, and the greater part of the Portuguese, as you can plainly see. But this notwithstanding, the Master with all his heart is dedicating himself fully to defending the kingdom, enduring great toil and danger in the process, since there is no other who will protect it. He is in Lisbon, about to be besieged, as you will have heard already; and the King of Castile is moving against the city with all his troops and fleet. The Master is very fearful of the great harm that he could suffer from the Castilian fleet, if it takes the control of the river from him, so that he cannot obtain the supplies and aid he could otherwise get from certain towns in the Alentejo, because he has been blockaded by water. Therefore he sent several galleys to Oporto to join forces with the naos and galleys that are there. All of them duly armed, they will go and do battle with the Castilian fleet, in order to break the blockade of the river, and relieve the city on that side.