tered 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 nyst 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.

CHAPTER X

HOW SIR BORS LEFT TO RESCUE HIS BROTHER, AND RESCUED THE DAMOSEL; AND
HOW IT WAS TOLD HIM THAT LIONEL WAS DEAD

Then dressed he him unto the knight the which had the gentlewoman, and
then he cried: Sir knight, let your hand off that maiden, or ye be but
dead. And then he set down the maiden, and was armed at all pieces
save he lacked his spear. Then he dressed his shield, and drew out his
sword, and Bors smote him so hard that it went through his shield and
habergeon on the left shoulder. And through great strength he beat him
down to the earth, and at the pulling out of Bors' spear there he
swooned. Then came Bors to the maid and said: How seemeth it you? of
this knight ye be delivered at this time. Now sir, said she, I pray
you lead me there as this knight had me. So shall I do gladly: and
took the horse of the wounded knight, and set the gentlewoman upon
him, and so brought her as she desired. Sir knight, said she, ye have
better sped than ye weened, for an I had lost my maidenhead, five
hundred men should have died for it. What knight was he that had you
in the forest? By my faith, said she, he is my cousin. So wot I never
with what engyn the fiend enchafed him, for yesterday he took me from
my father privily; for I nor none of my father's men mistrusted him
not, and if he had had my maidenhead he should have died for the sin,
and his body shamed and dishonoured for ever. Thus as she stood
talking with him there came twelve knights seeking after her, and anon
she told them all how Bors had delivered her; then they made great
joy, and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he
should be right welcome. Truly, said Bors, that may not be at this
time, for I ha