Chapter 176 - In what way they had arranged to kill the Master and how their secrets were revealed

Summary

Despite what is said here, and which long experience teaches, some however are of the opinion that both the things we mentioned, namely desire for honour and vengeance arising from hatred, were involved in this plot. They say that Dom Pedro [de Castro] consented to this conspiracy, when he was told about it, more out of vengeance for a grudge that he had against the Master, who had had him imprisoned, than because he was greedy to increase his honour, as some write. Yet we cannot speak of what is concealed, but only of the kindnesses, favours, honour and pleasant treatment that each one of them, according to his station, received from the Master. For, although the Master imprisoned Dom Pedro for that error which the chronicles recount, he straightaway in a very few days ordered him to be released. Later, while besieging Alenquer, a little more than two months out of his prison, the Master confirmed him in the permanent grant of all the towns, villages, and castles that the kings had given to his father Count Álvaro Pérez, both by inheritance and by grant and by whatever other means, except for the property of Diogo Lopes Pacheco which King Fernando had given to the said count his father. Everything else the Master granted to him was firmly fixed in writing, as Dom Pedro had wanted it to be done. Therefore, it is hard to believe that it was through hate that he acted against a lord, from whom he had received such remarkable favours.

Well, whatever were the reasons, the plan took this form: each one of them if he could kill the Master without endangering himself would do it, but Juan Alfonso and García González were specially charged with this task and were to dash immediately and quickly into the town when the deed was done. Since Juan Duque already knew about this, he would always be keeping watch, so that when he saw tumult break out across the camp he might immediately open the gates and go out with his men to rescue those who were running away. The death was to have been in one of two ways.