While the constable was encamped with all his men, when he realised that the enemy force was advancing in his pursuit, he was assured by prisoners captured by his army and by some others who were very well informed, that the following day the whole of Andalusia was due to assemble its troops, with men from Seville, Córdoba and Jaén, along with more from Las Manchas in Aragon and all other areas, for they had been making preparations for days and had been called up for that purpose. Although they had had ample time to achieve what they had promised to do, when they boldly declared that they would lie in wait for the constable when he crossed the border, they did not carry it out. The reason was that previously, when they [first] assembled and sent scouts to find out whether the constable was launching an invasion, he had already advanced 14 leagues into Castile, freely and with great ease, with only Martim Eanes, the Master of Alcántara, moving against him and being the first to do so, as we have indicated.

The forces which assembled were so many that, on a sound calculation, according to some reports, they outnumbered the Portuguese by more than 50 to 1; other reports state that there were no more than 33,000 of them all together, counting both foot soldiers and horsemen. Even though such estimates do not constitute definite numbers, nevertheless all writers assert that there were many more of them than in the royal battle [at Aljubarrota]. They were not, however, such great lords, nor such an elite force, nor as well equipped [as on that occasion].

Having been assured of their vast numbers, the count discussed the matter with the captains and knights in his army, stiffening their resolve as to what they had to do and explaining to them what tactics to adopt. Once again he drew up the vanguard, rearguard and the wings, so that each of them should be reminded of where they had to go and what they had to do in the battle which next day they expected to engage in; this brought great satisfaction to them all.