Chapter Chapter 404 · How Sir Colgrevance fought against Sir Lionel for to save

. 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 that were

sorrowful, for he is one of the worthiest knights of the world, and of

the best conditions. So God help me, said Lionel, sir priest, but if ye

flee from him I shall slay you, and he shall never the sooner be quit.

Certes, said the good man, I have liefer ye slay me than him, for my

death shall not be great harm, not half so much as of his. Well, said

Lionel, I am greed; and set his hand to his sword and smote him so hard

that his head yede backward. Not for that he restrained him of his evil

will, but took his brother by the helm, and unlaced it to have stricken

off his head, and had slain him without fail. But so it happed,

Colgrevance a fellow of the Round Table, came at that time thither as

Our Lord’s will was. And when he saw the good man slain he marvelled

much what it might be. And then he beheld Lionel would have slain his

brother, and knew Sir Bors which he loved right well. Then stert he

down and took Lionel by the shoulders, and drew him strongly aback from

Bors, and said: Lionel, will ye slay your brother, the worthiest knight

of the world one? and that should no good man suffer. Why, said Lionel,

will ye let me? therefore if ye entermete you in this I shall slay you,

and him after. Why, said Colgrevance, is this sooth that ye will slay

him? Slay him will I, said he, whoso say the contrary, for he hath done

so much against me that he hath well deserved it. And so ran upon him,

and would have smitten him through the head, and Sir Colgrevance ran

betwixt them, and said: An ye be so hardy to do so more, we two shall

meddle together.

When Lionel understood his words he took his shield afore him, and

asked him what that he was. And he told him, Colgrevance, one of his

fellows. Then Lionel defied him, and gave him a great stroke through

the helm. Then he drew his sword, for he was a passing good knight, and

defended him right manfully. So long dured the battle that Bors rose up

all anguishly, and beheld [how] Colgrevance, the good knight, fought

with his brother for his quarrel; then was he full sorry and heavy, and

thought if Colgrevance slew him that was his brother he should never

have joy; and if his brother slew Colgrevance the shame should ever be

mine. Then would he have risen to have departed them, but he had not so

much might to stand on foot; so he abode him so long till Colgrevance

had the worse, for Lionel was of great chivalry and right hardy, for he

had pierced the hauberk and the helm, that he abode but death, for he

had lost much of his blood that it was marvel that he might stand

upright. Then beheld he Sir Bors which sat dressing him upward and

said: Ah, Bors, why come ye not to cast me out of peril of death,

wherein I have put me to succour you which were right now nigh the

death? Certes, said Lionel, that shall not avail you, for none of you

shall bear others warrant, but that ye shall die both of my hand. When

Bors heard that, he did so much, he rose and put on his helm. Then

perceived he first the hermit-priest which was slain, then made he a

marvellous sorrow upon him.