urn one of the strongest of
Pavie, and smote down many of Arthur's knights. And when Sir Bors saw
him do so much harm, he addressed toward him, and smote him through the
breast, that he fell down dead to the earth. Then Sir Feldenak thought
to revenge the death of Gainus upon Sir Gawaine, but Sir Gawaine was
ware thereof, and smote him on the head, which stroke stinted not till
it came to his breast. And then he returned and came to his fellows in
the bushment. And there was a recounter, for the bushment brake on the
Romans, and slew and hew down the Romans, and forced the Romans to flee
and return, whom the noble knights chased unto their tents.

Then the Romans gathered more people, and also footmen came on, and
there was a new battle, and so much people that Sir Bors and Sir Berel
were taken. But when Sir Gawaine saw that, he took with him Sir Idrus
the good knight, and said he would never see King Arthur but if he
rescued them, and pulled out Galatine his good sword, and followed them
that led those two knights away; and he smote him that led Sir Bors, and
took Sir Bors from him and delivered him to his fellows. And Sir Idrus
in likewise rescued Sir Berel. Then began the battle to be great, that
our knights were in great jeopardy, wherefore Sir Gawaine sent to King
Arthur for succour, and that he hie him, for I am sore wounded, and that
our prisoners may pay goods out of number. And the messenger came to
the king and told him his message. And anon the king did do assemble his
army, but anon, or he departed the prisoners were come, and Sir Gawaine
and his fellows gat the field and put the Romans to flight, and after
returned and came with their fellowship in such wise that no man of
worship was lost of them, save that Sir Gawaine was sore hurt. Then
the king did do ransack his wounds and comforted him. And thus was the
beginning of the first journey of the Britons and Romans, and there were
slain of the Romans more than ten thousand, and great joy and mirth was
made that night in the host of King Arthur. And on the morn he sent all
the prisoners into Paris under the guard of Sir Launcelot, with many
knights, and of Sir Cador.

CHAPTER VII. How Lucius sent certain spies in a bushment for to have
taken his knights being prisoners, and how they were letted.

NOW turn we to the Emperor of Rome, which espied that these prisoners
should be sent to Paris, and anon he sent to lie in a bushment certain
knights and princ