114 - How King Fernando asked those who were privy to him for advice on how he could wage war against the King of Castile, and the reply they gave him on the matter

Summary

Although exertion and the habitual use of arms give courage to noblemen and improve their capacity to bear the toil and the hardships that they may have to deal with, this was not the purpose of King Fernando in his next war when he decided to wage it, but rather to avenge the wrongs and great dominance that King Enrique had shown towards him, in the burning of Lisbon as well as in other things which are not fitting to be further described here, as they have each been written about in full in their own place.

For that reason, he continued talking to the English, as covertly as possible, knowing that at some point in time he would need their help. Having conjectured that King Enrique had carried out such deeds, owing to good luck and the stars, rather than because of his courage and valour, even though he was a very good and courageous knight, King Fernando decided to wage war against the latter, despite the agreements he had made with King Enrique during his life and would later with King Juan his son. He believed that luck would not be on King Juan's side and would not come to his aid as it had come to the king his father.

Accordingly, he convened the members of his Royal Council, to speak to them about this matter, and, after they had assembled in the town of Santarém, where King Fernando was at that juncture, the king on a certain day outlined his proposition to them all and in the following words:

I had you all come here to talk to you about things I wish to do, so that you may advise me whether you think it appropriate. You know the grief and losses that King Enrique has made me endure and which have never escaped my mind, being ever desirous of avenging them whenever I have the opportunity to do so properly. Although I made peace and agreements with him, I did so more because I was driven by misfortune than because I wanted to do it, for it seemed to me that this man had been fated at birth to distinguish himself among all his peers, more due to the stars and good fortune than through any superior qualities of chivalric virtue.