_How the lady was restored 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 dishonoured._
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 belonged
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
mid-day, 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 tofore his
breast: and every each of them held in his hand 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 tofore 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. Anon
Sir Bors dressed him to rescue him that was his brother: and so he
looked upon the other side of him, and saw a knight which brought a
fair gentlewoman, and would have set her in the thickest place of the
forest, for to have been the more surer out of the way from them that
sought him. And she, which was nothing assured, cried with an high
voice, Saint Mary, succour your maid!
And anon she espied where Sir Bors came riding. And when she came nigh
him, she deemed him a knight of the Round Table, whereof she hoped to
have some comfort; and then she conjured him, by the faith that he owed
unto Him in whose service thou art entered in, and for the faith ye owe
unto the high order of knighthood, and for the noble king Arthur’s
sake, that I suppose that made thee knight, that thou help me, and
suffer me not to be shamed of this knight!
When Bors heard her say thus, he had so much sorrow there he nist not
what to do. For if I let my brother be in adventure he must be slain,
and that would I not for all the earth. And if I help not the maid, she
is shamed for ever, and also she shall lose her honour, the which she
shall never get again. Then lift he up his eyes, and said weeping, Fair
sweet Lord Jesu Christ, whose liege man I am, keep Lionel my brother,
that these knights slay him not; and for pity of you, and for Mary’s
sake, I shall succour this maid.