[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xij

ALlas sayd she Bors shalle ye not doo my wylle / Ma¦dame said Bors / there is no lady in this world whos wylle I wylle fulfylle as of this thynge / for my broder lyeth dede whiche was slayne ryght late / A Bors sayd she I haue loued yow longe for the grete beaute I haue sene in yow / and the grete hardynes that I haue herd of yow that nedes ye must ly•• by me this nyghte / & therfor I praye yow graunte it me / ¶Truly sayd he I shalle not doo hit in no maner wyse / then∣ne she made hym suche sorowe as though she wold haue dyed / wel Bors sayd she vnto this haue ye broughte me nyghe to myn ende / And there with she took hym by the hand / & badde hym behold her / and ye shal see how I shalle dye for your lo∣ue / A sayd thenne he that shalle I neuer see / Thenne she depar¦ted and wente vp in to an hyhe batilment / and led with her twelue gentylwymmen / and whan they were aboue one of the gentylwymmen cryed and sayd ¶A syr Bors gentil kny∣ghte haue mercy on vs all / and suffre my lady to haue her wil And yf ye doo not we muste suffre deth with oure lady for to falle doune of thys hyhe towre / And yf ye suffre vs thus to dye for soo lytel a thynge / alle ladyes and gentilwymmen wylle saye of you dishonour / ¶Thenne loked he vpward

they semed alle ladyes of grete estate and rychely and well bysene / thenne had he of hem grete pyte / not for that he was vn¦counceiled in hym self that leuer he had they alle had loste their soules than he his / and with that they felle adoune alle at ones vnto the erthe / And whan he sawe that / he was al a∣basshed / and had therof grete merueylle / with that he blessyd his body and his vysage / And anone he herd a grete noyse & a grete crye as though alle the fendes of helle had ben aboute hym / and there with he sawe neyther toure ne lady ne gentyl∣woman nor no chappel where he broughte his broder to / Thenne helde he vp bothe his handes to the heuen and sayd / fa∣yre fader god I am greuously escaped / and thenne he tooke his armes and his hors and rode on his way / Thenne he herde a clok smyte on his ryght hand / and thydder he came to an Abbay on his ryght hand closyd with hyhe walles / and there was lete in / thenne they supposed that he was one of the quest of the Sancgreal / So they ledde hym in to a chamber and vn¦armed hym / Syrs sayd syr Bors yf there be ony holy man in this hows / I pray yow lete me speke with hym / Thenne one of hem ledde hym vnto the Abbot whiche was in a Chappel / And thenne syr Bors salewed hym / and he hym ageyne / sir said Bors I am a knyght erraunt / and told hym all the ad¦uenture whiche he had sene / Sir knyght sayd the Abbot I wote not what ye be / for I wende neuer that a knyght of yo∣ur age myghte haue ben soo strong in the grace of our lord Ihe¦su Cryst / Not for thenne ye shall go vnto your rest / for I wyll not counceyle yow this day / hit is to late / and to morowe I shalle counceylle yow as I can