bare his chief standard, that was a passing good knight. Now
shall we see, said King Bors, how these northern Britons can bear
the arms: and King Bors encountered with a knight, and smote him
throughout with a spear that he fell dead unto the earth; and
after drew his sword and did marvellous deeds of arms, that all
parties had great wonder thereof; and his knights failed not, but
did their part, and King Carados was smitten to the earth. With
that came the King with the Hundred Knights and rescued King
Carados mightily by force of arms, for he was a passing good
knight of a king, and but a young man.



CHAPTER XVI

Yet more of the same battle.

BY then came into the field King Ban as fierce as a lion, with
bands of green and thereupon gold. Ha! a! said King Lot, we must
be discomfited, for yonder I see the most valiant knight of the
world, and the man of the most renown, for such two brethren as
is King Ban and King Bors are not living, wherefore we must needs
void or die; and but if we avoid manly and wisely there is but
death. When King Ban came into the battle, he came in so
fiercely that the strokes redounded again from the wood and the
water; wherefore King Lot wept for pity and dole that he saw so
many good knights take their end. But through the great force of
King Ban they made both the northern battles that were departed
hurtled together for great dread; <28>and the three kings and
their knights slew on ever, that it was pity on to behold that