And so Sir Bors was led unto bed in a fair large chamber, and many
doors were shut about the chamber. When Sir Bors espied all those
doors, he avoided all the people, for he might have nobody with him;
but in no wise Sir Bors would unarm him, but so he laid him down upon
the bed. And right so he saw come in a light, that he might well see a
spear great and long that came straight upon him pointling, and to Sir
Bors seemed that the head of the spear brent like a taper. And anon, or
Sir Bors wist, the spear head smote him into the shoulder an
hand-breadth in deepness, and that wound grieved Sir Bors passing sore.
And then he laid him down again for pain; and anon therewithal there
came a knight armed with his shield on his shoulder and his sword in
his hand, and he bade Sir Bors: Arise, sir knight, and fight with me. I
am sore hurt, he said, but yet I shall not fail thee. And then Sir Bors
started up and dressed his shield; and then they lashed together
mightily a great while; and at the last Sir Bors bare him backward
until that he came unto a chamber door, and there that knight yede into
that chamber and rested him a great while. And when he had reposed him
he came out freshly again, and began new battle with Sir Bors mightily
and strongly.
CHAPTER V. How Sir Bors made Sir Pedivere to yield him, and of
marvellous adventures that he had, and how he achieved them.
Then Sir Bors thought he should no more go into that chamber to rest
him, and so Sir Bors dressed him betwixt the knight and that chamber
door, and there Sir Bors smote him down, and then that knight yielded
him. What is your name? said Sir Bors. Sir, said he, my name is
Pedivere of the Straight Marches. So Sir Bors made him to swear at
Whitsunday next coming to be at the court of King Arthur, and yield him
there as a prisoner as an overcome knight by the hands of Sir Bors. So
thus departed Sir Pedivere of the Straight Marches. And then Sir Bors
laid him down to rest, and then he heard and felt much noise in that
chamber; and then Sir Bors espied that there came in, he wist not
whether at the doors nor windows, shot of arrows and of quarrels so
thick that he marvelled, and many fell upon him and hurt him in the
bare places.
And then Sir Bors was ware where came in an hideous lion; so Sir Bors
dressed him unto the lion, and anon the lion bereft him his shield, and
with his sword Sir Bors smote off the lion’s head. Right so Sir Bors
forthwithal saw a dragon in the court passing horrible, and there
seemed letters of gold written in his forehead; and Sir Bors thought
that the letters made a signification of King Arthur. Right so there
came an horrible leopard and an old, and there they fought long, and
did great battle together. And at the last the dragon spit out of his
mouth as it had been an hundred dragons; and lightly all the small
dragons slew the old dragon and tare him all to pieces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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