If we leave aside the well-known contradictory accounts offered by some writers concerning the capture of this town and assert the real truth of the situation, then the means and manner by which the king recovered it were as follows:

Present in Ponte de Lima as officer of the marches was Lope Gómez de Lira, a former criado of King Fernando and chief bailiff of that judicial district. He was stationed there, with his wife and offspring, in support of the King of Castile. With him were many honourable squires, ample numbers of foot soldiers and some eighty crossbowmen, as well as numerous other troops from the town and from the surrounding area, who stood ready to defend it. Among these there were present with him Rodrigo Eanes de Araújo, Garcia Rodrigues de Ledesma, Fernão Caminha de Ruivos, Diogo Gil Sarrazinho and other well-known squires whose names we shall not bother to mention.

The town possesses a vast and beautiful bridge; it is long and wide, supported on many pillars, and crosses a river known as the Lima, which flows by, close to the town. There are twelve towers in the town which were all integrated into the wall and suitably equipped. There were always sentries on the ramparts, and they never left them except at night. All the gates were barred with boulders, except for the one at the [end of the] bridge, which was their service gate. The town was well supplied with many provisions, and those inside felt securely protected against any possible adverse circumstances.

In the town there dwelt an honourable squire named Estêvão Rodrigues. One day, in the main square, at the time when, in Coimbra, the Master was elevated to the rank of king, Gonçalo Lopes de Goiães, Pero Veloso and other squires of Lope Gómez began talking to Estêvão Rodrigues about the elevation of the king, the celebrations in his honour and other related matters. They adopted a contemptuous approach to these things and uttered inappropriate remarks against the king, at which Estêvão Rodrigues was greatly perturbed but did not dare to contradict them. However, he gave this irritable reply: ‘Do you want an answer from me, Gonçalo Lopes? It may turn out that this man that you mock will give you a nasty surprise.