her with such
a raundon that they pierced their shields and their hauberks, and the
spears flew in pieces, and they wounded either other sore. Then hurtled
they together, so that they fell both to the earth, and their horses
betwixt their legs; and anon they arose, and set hands to their swords,
and smote each one other upon the heads, that they made great wounds and
deep, that the blood went out of their bodies. For there found Sir Bors
greater defence in that knight more than he weened. For that Pridam was
a passing good knight, and he wounded Sir Bors full evil, and he him
again; but ever this Pridam held the stour in like hard. That perceived
Sir Bors, and suffered him till he was nigh attaint. And then he ran
upon him more and more, and the other went back for dread of death.
So in his withdrawing he fell upright, and Sir Bors drew his helm so
strongly that he rent it from his head, and gave him great strokes with
the flat of his sword upon the visage, and bade him yield him or he
should slay him. Then he cried him mercy and said: Fair knight, for
God's love slay me not, and I shall ensure thee never to war against thy
lady, but be alway toward her. Then Bors let him be; then the old lady
fled with all her knights.

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 i