76 - How the king attacked Coria, and concerning the observations made by Rui Mendes

Summary

After the arrival of Martim Vasques and the other nobles, along with the Lisbon contingent and other troops, the king resolved to launch an attack on the town. Since it was June, with very hot weather, and since numbers of his troops were falling sick, the king accordingly moved his encampment, pitching it on the near side of the river, closer to the town, and from there he ordered his attack. Then they sent for and reassembled a ladder with no protective covering, which was not ideal for such an attack but which the king had devised for the assault on Chaves. Then they set to work.

As for Antão Vasques, he was in the spot where the king and his companions were attacking. Demonstrating his daring and shouting out his battle cry, ‘Hack them down! Hack them down!’, he got so close to the walls – which at that point had no barbican – that he struck them with his dagger as much as he pleased, not because he lacked a better weapon for the job, but because the dagger was more effective at close quarters. Similarly, his lieutenant got so near to the walls that he was assailed from above with a huge boulder, which killed him. Several men bearing shields approached the spot, much to the chagrin of those on the walls; despite the many boulders they hurled down at them, they were able to retrieve the body [of their companion] and take it away.

At another point the attack was being led by Martim Vasques da Cunha, along with other noblemen, the Lisbon contingent and other forces. As for the constable and his vanguard, they took up arms but did not participate in the attack, because the count did not agree to the attack on the town and was greatly vexed about it. He declared that since they did not have the equipment with which to mount a proper onslaught, such an assault on the walls was more likely to lead to soldiers being killed than to any honour or benefit; furthermore, he had no wish for troops to be slain pointlessly like this, except in circumstances where honour could be gained, which he felt to be impossible in this attack.