n his
hands thorns wherewith they went beating him so sore that the blood
trailed down more than in an hundred places of his body, so that he was
all blood to-fore and behind, but he said never a word; as he which was
great of heart he suffered all that ever they did to him, as though he
had felt none anguish.

Anon Sir Bors dressed him to rescue him that was his brother; and so he
looked upon the other side of him, and saw a knight which brought a fair
gentlewoman, and would have set her in the thickest place of the forest
for to have been the more surer out of the way from them that sought
him. And she which was nothing assured cried with an high voice: Saint
Mary succour your maid. And anon she espied where Sir Bors came riding.
And when she came nigh him she deemed him a knight of the Round Table,
whereof she hoped to have some comfort; and then she conjured him: By
the faith that he ought unto Him in whose service thou art entered in,
and for the faith ye owe unto the high order of knighthood, and for the
noble King Arthur's sake, that I suppose 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 nist 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 thereas
this kni