Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVI CHAPTER IX

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.

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 ought
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 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
virginity 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.