Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVI CHAPTER XIV

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.

When Sir Bors saw that he must fight with his brother
or else to die, he nist what to do; then his heart counselled
him not thereto, inasmuch as Lionel was born or he,
wherefore he ought to bear him reverence; yet kneeled
he down afore Lionel's horse's 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 rought 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
rashed 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
alighted 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
heard all the words that were between them, and so fell
down upon Sir Bors.