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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 January 2024
As he watched the battle, the King of Castile saw that Dame Fortune totally favoured the Portuguese, with the result that his banner had been brought down and many of his troops were in retreat and mounting what horses they could find, so as to hasten their flight. Consequently, despite his illness, he hurriedly made ready to leave at once, to avoid seeing the complete loss of the battle. He got down from the mule on which he was sitting and was placed astride a horse, on which he swiftly set off, terror-stricken and with few companions, and made his way straight along the road to Santarém.
The valiant Vasco Martins de Melo [the Younger], who had vowed to capture the King of Castile or to lay hands on him, chased after him for about a league in order to make good his promise. To reach the king, he rode on his own into the group of men accompanying him, but was recognised as a Portuguese man from his cross of Saint George and was slain for his foolhardy daring.
The king proceeded on his journey without a single stop, wore out his horse and was given another one. Having travelled for 11 and a half leagues, which is the distance to Santarém, from where he set off, he reached this town at midnight, astride the very horse on which he had entered Santarém when he had first seized it. Few of his men were with him, because their horses were exhausted. When his men banged on the castle gates for the king to be let in, Rodrigo Álvarez de Santoyo, the nephew of Diego Gómez, who had remained there as his uncle's deputy, was incredulous. He hesitated, not wanting to open up, until the king told him to open the gates because it was he, the king, though he rather wished he had never been crowned. Rodrigo Álvarez recognised the king's voice and made haste to open the gates.
The king entered with his face hidden, just as on his journey, and slumped down on a bench, exhausted, his face devoid of all pleasure. Since he was suffering from the ague and had experienced attacks of it that day, the pain heightened the sombre sadness of his countenance.
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