102 - How the prince arrived at Alcanhões where the king was and concerning the message that Dona Maria received that he was coming

Summary

The prince left with this decision imprinted in his heart and took the road to Alcanhões, where the king and queen then were with their whole household. The Count of Barcelos and other great lords and nobles present at Court came to greet the prince, and that day the count invited him to dinner. The next day, the prince's first cousin Dona Isabel, the daughter of Count Álvaro Pérez de Castro, invited him to the houses near the palace where she was staying as a member of the queen's household, and caused him to spend a very pleasant time during dinner and an afternoon's entertainment. To that entertainment came the Count of Barcelos, a high-spirited and joyful man who was in love, so rumour said, with Dona Isabel de Castro. Many people from the Court and a few foreigners joined them there, as much to admire her beauty as to accompany the prince. That day in the late afternoon, after they had danced and had wine and fruit, the count sent for a very elegant coat of mail, a well-furnished dagger, in baselard style, and a very beautiful knife that had been brought to him from England, and gave them all to the prince. Then the prince and Dona Isabel left for the palace with many knights, squires and many of her ladies and maidens. On arriving at the palace where the king and queen were, they were very well received by them. On that occasion, the prince and the count stood aside with the queen, and they talked separately from the others for a very long time. Then they took leave of her and also of the king and his Court. The prince stayed with the count that night in order to leave the next day.

As soon as it was day, the prince left, taking the road for Tomar. Although the Master of Christ, Dona Maria's son, was not there, he sent a request to the prince that if he would do him the honour of being his guest he would come to him straight away. The prince, who had little intention of owing him a dinner, did not want to accept his invitation.