_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 (said he) shall be on 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 Sancgreal. 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 was it marvel to tell of his joy. And then
he alight off his horse and said, Fair sweet brother, when came ye
hither? Anon as Sir 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 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, and 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 tofore
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 thee there as ye stand
upon foot, and so the shame shall be mine and the harm yours; but of
that shame reck I nought. When Sir Bors saw that he must fight with his
brother or else to die, he nist not what to do. Then his heart
counselled him not thereto, in as much as Lionel was born or he,
wherefore he ought to bear him reverence; yet kneeled he down afore
Lionel’s horse feet, and said, Fair sweet brother, have mercy upon me
and slay me not, and have in remembrance the great love which ought to
be between us twain. What Sir Bors said to Lionel he recked not, for
the fiend had brought him in such a will that he should slay him. Then
when Lionel saw he would none other, and that he would not have risen
to give him battle, he rushed over him, so that he smote Bors with his
horse feet upward to the earth, and hurt him so sore that he swooned of
distress, the which he felt in himself to have died without confession.
So when Lionel saw this, he alight off his horse, to have smitten off
his head. And so he took him by the helm, and would have rent it from
his head. Then came the hermit running unto him, which was a good man
and of great age, and well had he heard all the words that were between
them, and so fell down upon Sir Bors.