Since they had found rebels and dissidents there they had entered the country and pillaged it, and were now taking prisoners back with them.
'You will not get very far with them or the loot,' replied
João Fernandes Pacheco, 'because we will recover them from you. You have no right to roam across this land. Do you not know that we have a
king who wishes to uphold justice in his kingdom and punish thieves and brigands? Therefore, we tell you in his name to return everything you have seized and taken from the kingdom of
Portugal, or else with just cause we will fight you.'
To this
Adelantado de Toledo replied, 'We will not yield up the prisoners we have taken, but we will consider returning the loot.'
Then the seven Castilian captains consulted together and made it clear to those to whom they gave their response that on this occasion, although they had ridden to
Trancoso, they would gladly have avoided a battle. They said, after their consultation, that they would leave the cattle they were leading and the baggage train behind, but keep the men they had taken prisoner, for they were unconcerned about taking the stuff away with them, as it encumbered them rather.
'Unacceptable,' exclaimed the
Portuguese. 'We cannot allow that. Either you leave everything, or you will face a battle.'
My lord, they just could not agree. So a hard and fierce battle commenced between them. They did not spare themselves for they were all lively, strong men and the field on which they were fighting was good and flat.
The
Portuguese and
Spanish launched such huge, powerful strikes at one another with their javelins that whoever was hit, unless he was extremely well armed, was killed or seriously injured. I can tell you, many great feats and deeds of arms were performed there in a fine old struggle.
João Fernandes Pacheco fought most courageously with an axe, as did his companions
Martim Vasques da Cunha and
Gil da Cunha. Elsewhere the
Spanish fought with equal courage. The melees and clashes lasted over three hours without either side becoming weakened, and it was marvellous to behold how they could suffer wearing their armour for so long, but the great eagerness each man had to depart the field honorably was responsible for that. Then again, the
Portuguese and
Spanish are hardy men-at-arms when they see a need to rise to the occasion. They continued like this, throwing and launching javelins and shoving at each other for a long time, so that whoever saw them engaged in such combat would not be able to say who would take the advantage, nor who would gain ground that day, so well and equally did they fight. Neither, thank God, did any banner or pennant from our side fall, but theirs began to collapse and give way. Our men took heart from this and found themselves even fresher than before, yelling in unison, "St George, for
Portugal!"
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