Then there was the cry made, which party had the better of the two
knights, that his lady should rejoice all the land. Now departed the
one knight here, and the other there. Then they came together with such
a raundon that they pierced their shields and their hauberks, and the
spears flew in pieces, and they wounded either other sore. Then hurtled
they together, so that they fell both to the earth, and their horses
betwixt their legs; and anon they arose, and set hands to their swords,
and smote each one other upon the heads, that they made great wounds
and deep, that the blood went out of their bodies. For there found Sir
Bors greater defence in that knight more than he weened. For that
Pridam was a passing good knight, and he wounded Sir Bors full evil,
and he him again; but ever this Pridam held the stour in like hard.
That perceived Sir Bors, and suffered him till he was nigh attaint. And
then he ran upon him more and more, and the other went back for dread
of death. So in his withdrawing he fell upright, and Sir Bors drew his
helm so strongly that he rent it from his head, and gave him great
strokes with the flat of his sword upon the visage, and bade him yield
him or he should slay him. Then he cried him mercy and said: Fair
knight, for God’s love slay me not, and I shall ensure thee never to
war against thy lady, but be alway toward her. Then Bors let him be;
then the old lady fled with all her knights.
CHAPTER IX. How the lady was returned to her lands by the battle of Sir
Bors, and of his departing, and how he met Sir Lionel taken and beaten
with thorns, and also of a maid which should have been devoured.
So then came Bors to all those that held lands of his lady, and said he
should destroy them but if they did such service unto her as longed to
their lands. So they did their homage, and they that would not were
chased out of their lands. Then befell that young lady to come to her
estate again, by the mighty prowess of Sir Bors de Ganis. So when all
the country was well set in peace, then Sir Bors took his leave and
departed; and she thanked him greatly, and would have given him great
riches, but he refused it.
Then he rode all that day till night, and came to an harbour to a lady
which knew him well enough, and made of him great Joy. Upon the morn,
as soon as the day appeared, Bors departed from thence, and so rode
into a forest unto the hour of midday, and there befell him a
marvellous adventure. So he met at the departing of the two ways two
knights that led Lionel, his brother, all naked, bounden upon a strong
hackney, and his hands bounden to-fore his breast. And everych of them
held in his hands thorns wherewith they went beating him so sore that
the blood trailed down more than in an hundred places of his body, so
that he was all blood to-fore and behind, but he said never a word; as
he which was great of heart he suffered all that ever they did to him,
as though he had felt none anguish.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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