CHAPTER VIII

Of A vision which sir Bors had that night, and how he fought and overcame his adversary

And anon as he was asleep him befel a vision, that there came to him two birds, the one as white as a swan, and the other was marvellous black; but it was not so great as the other, but in the likeness of a Raven.  Then the white bird came to him, and said:  An thou wouldst give me meat and serve me I should give thee all the riches of the world, and I shall make thee as fair and as white as I am.  So the white bird departed, and there came the black bird to him, and said:  An thou wolt, serve me to-morrow and have me in no despite though I be black, for wit thou well that more availeth my blackness than the other’s whiteness.  And then he departed.  And he had another vision:  him thought that he came to a great place which seemed a chapel, and there he found a chair set on the left side, which was wormeaten and feeble.  And on the right hand were two flowers like a lily, and the one would have benome the other’s whiteness but a good man departed them that the one touched not the other; and then out of every flower came out many flowers, and fruit great plenty.  Then him thought the good man said:  Should not he do great folly that would let these two flowers perish for to succour the rotten tree, that it fell not to the earth?  Sir, said he, it seemeth me that this wood might not avail.  Now keep thee, said the good man, that thou never see such adventure befall thee.  Then he awaked and made a sign of the cross in middes of the forehead, and so rose and clothed him.  And there came the lady of the place, and she saluted him, and he her again, and so went to a chapel and heard their service.  And there came a company of knights, that the lady had sent for, to lead Sir Bors unto battle.  Then asked he his arms.  And when he was armed she prayed him to take a little morsel to dine.  Nay, madam, said he, that shall I not do till I have done my battle, by the grace of God.  And so he lept upon his horse, and departed all the knights and men with him.  And as soon as these two ladies met together, she which Bors should fight for complained her, and said:  Madam, ye have done me wrong to bereave me of my lands that King Aniause gave me, and full loth I am there should be any battle.  Ye shall not choose, said the other lady, or else your knight withdraw him.  Then there was the cry made, which party had the better of the two knights, that his lady should rejoice all the land.  Now departed the one knight here, and the other there.  Then they came together 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