r erst me 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
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 you there
as 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 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 alit 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.

CHAPTER XV

HOW SIR COLGREVANCE FOUGHT AGAINST SIR LIONEL FOR TO SAVE SIR BORS,
AND HOW THE HERMIT WAS SLAIN

Then he said to Lionel: Ah gentle knight, have mercy upon me and on
thy brother, for if thou slay him thou shalt be dead of sin, and t