ons from the tyranny of Pedro the Cruel, the ally of the Black
Prince, and was to receive in return the murderers of Ines, two of whom
he put to a horrible death. The third, Pacheco, was more fortunate. A
beggar to whom he had been accustomed to give alms discovered his
danger, and hastened to warn the knight, who was away from the city on a
hunting expedition. By his advice Pacheco changed clothes with the
beggar, and made his way through Aragon to the borders of France, where
he took refuge with Henry of Trastamara, half-brother of the King of
Castile. Here he remained, a poor knight without friends or property,
till the year 1367, when on his death-bed the King of Portugal suddenly
remembered that when dying the other two knights had sworn that Pacheco
was guiltless of the murder of Ines, and ordered his son to recall him
from exile and to restore all his possessions. Which Dom Fernando
joyfully did.

That, however, happened several years after the time we are speaking of,
when Dom Pedro had only just ascended the throne. Having satisfied his
feelings of revenge against the murderers of Ines, a nobler desire
filled his heart. He resolved that she who had been so ill-spoken of
during her life, and had died such a shameful death, should be
acknowledged openly as his wife and queen before his Court and his
people. So he assembled all the great nobles and officers, and, laying
his hand on the sacred books, swore solemnly that seven years before he
had taken Ines de Castro to wife, and had lived with her in happiness
till her death, but that through dread of his father the marriage had
been kept secret; and he commanded the Lord High Chamberlain to prepare
a deed recording his oath. And in case there should still be some who
did not believe, three days later the Bishop of Guarda and the Keeper of
the King's Wardrobe bore witness before the great lords gathered
together in Coimbra that they themselves had been present at the secret
marriage, which had taken place at Braganza, in the royal apartments,
according to the rites of the Church.

This solemn function being over, the last act in the history of Ines was
begun. By command of the King her body was taken from the convent of
Santa Clara, where it had lain in peace for many years, and was clad in
royal garments: a crown was placed on her head and a sceptre in her
hand, and she was seated on a throne for the subjects, who during her
life had despised her, to kneel and ki