Chapter 119 - How the men of Oporto went forth from the city to fight with the Galicians

Summary

When the men of Oporto learned that the Castilians were in that place, and the intention with which they had come, they all found themselves in agreement, saying to each other: ‘Those men who are there are many and able, and they come with the intention of besieging this city, and taking it if they can. If we are besieged by them, either we will let ourselves stay penned up here, like cattle in a corral, and will not get out, or we will challenge them to a battle. If we do not go out, this will bring us dishonour and reproof, so we ought to go forth in any way we can. Otherwise, how could we bear our shame? Are we to see our city besieged by our enemies, who want to win honour at our expense and test our mettle, and we not care about it, and stand here watching from the wall like women? For these reasons we should not allow them to win such glory at our expense and let the shame fall on us, letting them arrive here as they please. Instead, let us go out to meet them by all means, and let no one be afraid, for God will be there to help us.’

Having come to this agreement and finished the council [meeting], they all strove to arm themselves as quickly as they could; from the oldest to the smallest who could take up arms, there was no one who did not arm himself to go forth as soon as they were ready. Of these, the principal was the aforementioned Count Pedro, with 15 well-armed squires of his and 40 foot soldiers with them. There came also Aires Gonçalves da Feira, who held the castle of Gaia, with 40 well-drilled squires, and another nobleman called Martim Correia; and other good squires with their men, so that there were in all, with the men of the city, around 700 men-at-arms, 300 crossbowmen, and 1,500 foot soldiers.

There was also in this company Gonçalo Peres, clerk of the crown in the chancery, who was the father of Luís Gonçalves and Pero Gonçalves, who was called Malafaia, whom we will mention later on. The Master before this had sent him in a barge with João Ramalho and Nicolau Domingues, honourable men of that city, to attend to matters in his service.