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WHanne Bors was departed from Camelot / he mette with a Relygyous man rydynge on an asse / and syre Bors salewed hym / Anon the good man knewe hym that he was one of the knyȝtes erraunt that was in the quest of the Sancgreal / what are ye sayd the good man / Sire sayd
[leaf 336v] he / I am a knyȝte that fayn wold be counceylled in the quest of the Sancgreal / For he shall haue moche erthely worship that may brynge it to an ende / Certes sayd the good man that is sothe / for he shalle be the best knyghte of the world and the fairest of alle the felauship / But wete yow wel there shall none atteyne it but by clennes that is pure confession / So rode they to gyder tyl that they came to an heremytage / And there he prayd Bors to dwelle alle that nyghte with hym / and soo he alyghte and put awey his armour / and prayd hym that he myghte be confessid / and soo they wente in to the chappel / and there he was clene confessid / & they ete brede and drank water to gyder / Now sayd the good man I praye the that thow ete none other / tyl that thou sytte at the table where the Sancgreal shalle be / Sir sayd he I agree me therto / but how wete ye that I shall sytte there / yes sayd the good man that knowe I / but there shalle be but fewe of your felawes with yow / All is welcome sayd sir Bors that god sendeth me / Also said the good man / in stede of the sherte and in sygne of chastysement ye shal were a garment / therfor I pray yow doo of al your clothes and your sherte / and soo he dyd / And thenne he tooke hym a scarlet cote so that shold be in stede of his sherte / tyll he had fulfylled the quest of the Sancgreal / and the good man fond hym in soo merueillous a lyfe / and soo stable / that he merueilled and felte that he was neuer corrupte in flesshely lustes / but in one tyme that he begat Elyan le blank / Thenne he armyd hym and took his leue and so departed / And soo a lytel from thens he loked vp in to a tree / and there he sawe a passynge grete byrde vpon an olde tree / and hit was passyng drye withoute leues / and the byrd sat aboue and had byrdes the whiche were dede for honger / Soo smote he hym self with his bek the whiche was grete and sharpe / And soo the grete byrd bledde tyl that he dyed amonge his byrdes / And the yonge byrdes token the lyf by the blood of the grete byrd / whan Bors sawe this he wyst wel it was a grete tokenynge / For whanne he sawe the grete byrd arose not / thenne he tooke hys hors and yede his way / So by euensonge by aduentur he cam to a strong toure and an hyhe / & there was he lodged gladly /
[leaf 337r]