of the Sangreal.
What are ye? said the good man. Sir, said he, I am a knight that fain
would be counselled in the quest of the Sangreal, for he shall have much
earthly worship that may bring it to an end. Certes, said the good man,
that is sooth, for he shall be the best knight of the world, and the
fairest of all the fellowship. But wit you well there shall none attain
it but by cleanness, that is pure confession.

So rode they together till that they came to an hermitage. And there he
prayed Bors to dwell all that night with him. And so he alighted and put
away his armour, and prayed him that he might be confessed; and so they
went into the chapel, and there he was clean confessed, and they ate
bread and drank water together. Now, said the good man, I pray thee that
thou eat none other till that thou sit at the table where the Sangreal
shall be. Sir, said he, I agree me thereto, but how wit ye that I shall
sit there. Yes, said the good man, that know I, but there shall be but
few of your fellows with you. All is welcome, said Sir Bors, that God
sendeth me. Also, said the good man, instead of a shirt, and in sign of
chastisement, ye shall wear a garment; therefore I pray you do off
all your clothes and your shirt: and so he did. And then he took him
a scarlet coat, so that should be instead of his shirt till he had
fulfilled the quest of the Sangreal; and the good man found in him so
marvellous a life and so stable, that he marvelled and felt that he was
never corrupt in fleshly lusts, but in one time that he begat Elian le
Blank.

Then he armed him, and took his leave, and so departed. And so a little
from thence he looked up into a tree, and there he saw a passing great
bird upon an old tree, and it was passing dry, without leaves; and the
bird sat above, and had birds, the which were dead for hunger. So smote
he himself with his beak, the which was great and sharp. And so the
great bird bled till that he died among his birds. And the young birds
took the life by the blood of the great bird. When Bors saw this he wist
well it was a great tokening; for when he saw the great bird arose not,
then he took his horse and yede his way. So by evensong, by adventure he
came to a strong tower and an high, and there was he lodged gladly.

CHAPTER VII. How Sir Bors was lodged with a lady, and how he took upon
him for to fight against a champion for her land.

AND when he was unarmed they led him into an high tower where