83 - How the kings spoke together on the River Tagus and confirmed their agreement once again

Summary

Once the peace was signed, as you have heard, it was decided that the kings should meet on the River Tagus in barges, to discuss a few matters and to confirm once again their agreement according to what each of them had conceded. Then King Enrique departed from Lisbon with all his army, heading for Santarém, although many of his men went off in the galleys, in which they took along many goods from the looting of the city and the customs house doors that we have spoken of. When King Enrique arrived in Santarém, he lodged in a palace called Valada, in a spacious field next to the river, half a league from the town. The cardinal had three small barges made ready: two for the kings, along with certain men whom they were to take with them, without any arms; and another for himself, as the arbitrator between them, and for the notaries to keep a record of all that would happen there.

Before the King of Castile came to board the barge in which he was to go out on the water, he sought advice as to whether he should speak first to King Fernando, when they encountered each other in the barges, or wait for King Fernando to speak to him first. The members of his Royal Council said that he should wait for King Fernando to speak to him first, because he was a king of greater status than King Fernando, inasmuch as he was the King of Castile and the other king was the King of Portugal, in addition to his being in the other's land with his forces; therefore, he should not speak to King Fernando first. King Enrique was of a very even disposition and courteous, and he asked the members of his Royal Council whether, by speaking first to the King of Portugal, he would diminish his honour, or maintain it. They told him that he would not diminish it, but that he should not speak first for the reasons given. To this, the king replied, ‘Since I lose nothing of my honour, I will not act wrongly if I speak first out of courtesy.’