Chapter 166 - How the Master left Almada and went to attack Alenquer

Summary

While the Master was in Almada as we have said, there arrived a message from certain people in Alenquer with whom he had been discussing matters, urging him to leave immediately to besiege it, if he thought this to be in his interest, and asking him to go before dawn if he could. That same evening immediately after supper, he embarked with those he had with him on board thirty-five vessels, both barges and cutters. The Archbishop [of Braga], Afonso Furtado and others went by land. Although the tide was coming in, and thus favourable for reaching Alenquer more quickly, since the wind was against them they took all night to arrive at a place called Piquete, between Vila Nova and Castanheira, about a league from Alenquer. There the Master disembarked with those he had brought with him and set off on foot fully armed, in the bright morning sunshine. When they got close to Alenquer, the townspeople saw them and, ringing the bells, came out immediately through the gate as far as the stockades.

When the Master arrived at a church called Santo Espírito, which is on a level field next to the river that runs around the town, he collected his men around him. They then went up a long paved street and found lodging at the Monastery of São Francisco. There the Master sent a message to Vasco Peres [the town governor] setting out all the good reasons why he thought he should bring himself to hand the town over; the latter's final answer after long exchanges was that he did not intend to do so.

The Master then sent to Lisbon for cannons and two siege engines, which were brought to him by barges up to where he had disembarked; then they were drawn by oxen to the town. When they arrived in the outskirts, where the oxen could go no further, men took ropes to drag them to where they were to be set up. As the shaft attached to one of the engines was very heavy, and they could not make much headway with it, no matter how hard they pulled, the Master then spoke out, ‘My friends! Make an effort, in God's name, and pull hard.