servant of Jesu Christ.
CHAPTER XIV. How Sir Bors met with his brother Sir Lionel, and how Sir
Lionel would have slain Sir Bors.
Then went Sir Bors from thence and commended the Abbot unto God. And
then he rode all that day, and harboured with an old lady. And on the
morn he rode to a castle in a valley, and there he met with a yeoman
going a great pace toward a forest. Say me, said Sir Bors, canst thou
tell me of any adventure? Sir, said he, here shall be under this castle
a great and a marvellous tournament. Of what folks shall it be? said
Sir Bors. The Earl of Plains shall be in the one party, and the lady’s
nephew of Hervin on the other party. Then Bors thought to be there if
he might meet with his brother Sir Lionel, or any other of his
fellowship, which were in the quest of the Sangreal. And then he turned
to an hermitage that was in the entry of the forest.
And when he was come thither he found there Sir Lionel, his brother,
which sat all armed at the entry of the chapel door for to abide there
harbour till on the morn that the tournament shall be. And when Sir
Bors saw him he had great joy of him, that it were marvel to tell of
his joy. And then he alighted off his horse, and said: Fair sweet
brother, when came ye hither? Anon as Lionel saw him he said: Ah Bors,
ye may not make none avaunt, but as for you I might have been slain;
when ye saw two knights leading me away beating me, ye left me for to
succour a gentlewoman, and suffered me in peril of death; for never
erst ne did no brother to another so great an untruth. And for that
misdeed now I ensure you but death, for well have ye deserved it;
therefore keep thee from henceforward, and that shall ye find as soon
as I am armed. When Sir Bors understood his brother’s wrath he kneeled
down to the earth and cried him mercy, holding up both his hands, and
prayed him to forgive him his evil will. Nay, said Lionel, that shall
never be an I may have the higher hand, that I make mine avow to God,
thou shalt have death for it, for it were pity ye lived any longer.
Right so he went in and took his harness, and mounted upon his horse,
and came to-fore him and said: Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do
to thee as I would to a felon or a traitor, for ye be the untruest
knight that ever came out of so worthy an house as was King Bors de
Ganis which was our father, therefore start upon thy horse, and so
shall ye be most at your advantage. And but if ye will I will run upon
you thereas ye stand upon foot, and so the shame shall be mine and the
harm yours, but of that shame ne reck I nought.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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