Bors

Bors is one of the most extensively attested knights in Le Morte d'Arthur, appearing across 246 citations spanning the entire narrative. The name attaches to two distinct figures: King Bors, who fights alongside King Ban as Arthur's ally, and Sir Bors, nephew to Launcelot and one of the three Grail achievers.

King Bors first appears when "Ban and Bors understood the letters" summoning them to Arthur's aid (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter X). In battle, "When King Bors saw those knights put aback, it grieved him sore; then he came on so fast that his fellowship seemed as black as Inde" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter XV). His standard-bearer is his godson Bleoberis: "And Bleoberis, that was godson unto King Bors, he bare his chief standard" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter XV). King Bors challenges directly: "Now shall we see how these northern Britons can bear the arms" and "encountered with a knight, and smote him throughout with a spear that he fell dead unto the earth" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter XV). "Wherefore Ban and Bors had great marvel, considering the great slaughter that there was" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter XVII). After battle, "When it was delivered to Ban and Bors, they gave the goods as freely to their knights as freely as it was given to them" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book I, Chapter XVII).

In the Roman wars, "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" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book V, Chapter VI). "Sir Bors and Sir Berel were taken" prisoner (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book V, Chapter VI).

The younger Sir Bors emerges as a figure defined by moral seriousness and loyalty. "Sir Bors alighted and avoided his horse, and there they dashed together many sad strokes" defeating Sir Bromel at a bridge (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). He spares his opponent: "Upon this covenant thou shalt have thy life, said Sir Bors" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). At King Pelles's castle, Bors observes that the child was "passing like Sir Launcelot" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). He is told of Launcelot's imprisonment: "Marvel not, said Sir Bors, for this half year he hath been in prison with Queen Morgan le Fay" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). He confesses: "for all women Sir Bors was a virgin, save for one, that was the daughter of King Brangoris" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). During the vigil, "When Sir Bors espied all those doors, he avoided all the people, for he might have nobody with him; but in no wise Sir Bors would unarm him" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV). A burning spear wounds him: "the spear head smote him into the shoulder an hand-breadth in deepness" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IV).

Following these events, "Sir Bors dressed him betwixt the knight and that chamber door, and there Sir Bors smote him down" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter V). He defeats a lion and sees visions: "Right so Sir Bors forthwithal saw a dragon in the court passing horrible, and there seemed letters of gold written in his forehead" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter V). He sees the Grail: "Sir Bors seemed that there came the whitest dove with a little golden censer in her mouth" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter V). An old man tells him: "go ye to your cousin, Sir Launcelot, and tell him of this adventure the which had been most convenient for him of all earthly knights" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter VI). He sees "a sword like silver, naked, hoving over his head" and a voice commands: "Go hence, thou Sir Bors, for as yet thou art not worthy for to be in this place" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter VI). "On the morn King Pelles made great joy of Sir Bors" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter VI).

When Launcelot goes mad, Bors exclaims: "Alas, where is my lord, Sir Launcelot, become?" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IX). He blames both women: "betwixt you both ye have destroyed that good knight" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter IX). He searches with his kinsmen: "Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel departed from the queen, for they might not abide no longer for sorrow" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter X). Meeting Sir Melion de Tartare, Bors asks others to "tell my lord Arthur, and my lady, Queen Guenever, and all the fellowship of the Round Table, that we cannot in no wise hear tell where Sir Launcelot is become" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XI, Chapter X).

Later, Bors discovers his son: "Sir Bors was well known, for he had gotten a child upon the king's daughter fifteen year to-fore, and his name was Helin le Blank" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XII, Chapter IX). He claims the boy: "Here is my son Helin le Blank, that as it is said he is my son; and sith it is so, I will that ye wit that I will have him with me unto the court of King Arthur" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XII, Chapter IX). "King Arthur let him make knight of the Round Table; and so he proved a good knight and an adventurous" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XII, Chapter IX).

During the Grail quest, Bors meets a hermit: "All is welcome that God sendeth me" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter VI). "When Bors saw this he wist well it was a great tokening" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter VI). He refuses fine food: "I may eat none other meat this day" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter VII). He defeats Pridam: "Pridam was a passing good knight, and he wounded Sir Bors full evil" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter VIII). "Sir Bors drew his helm so strongly that he rent it from his head" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter VIII). He restores a lady: "So then came Bors to all those that held lands of his lady, and said he should destroy them but if they did such service" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter IX). He "departed from thence, and so rode into a forest" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter IX).

The central moral crisis arrives: Bors must choose between saving his brother Lionel and rescuing a maiden (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter IX). He saves the maiden, and "When Bors heard her say thus he had so much sorrow there he nist not what to do" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter IX). The rescued maiden's kin thank him, but Bors can only say: "that may not be at this time, for I have a great adventure to do in this country" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter X). Learning his brother is supposedly dead: "Ah, Bors, discomfort you not, nor fall into no wanhope" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter X).

Lionel's fury erupts: "Ah Bors, ye may not make none avaunt, but as for you I might have been slain" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XIV). Bors kneels: "When Sir Bors understood his brother's wrath he kneeled down to the earth and cried him mercy" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XIV). Lionel kills the hermit and Sir Colgrevance who intervene (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapters XV-XVI). Finally, "he heard a voice that said: Flee Bors, and touch him not, or else thou shalt slay him" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XVII). The Abbot explains: "ye had been a great fool and in great peril for to have seen those two flowers perish for to succour the rotten tree" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XIII).

Bors resists a temptress who pleads: "I have loved you long for the great beauty I have seen in you" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XII). He finds shelter: "Sir Bors saluted him, and he him again" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVI, Chapter XII).

As one of three Grail achievers, Bors enters the mystic ship: "In the meanwhile Galahad blessed him, and entered therein; and then next the gentlewoman, and then Sir Bors and Sir Percivale" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter III). He tries the sword: "Bors set his hand thereto and failed" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter III). He fights at a castle: "Also Bors served another so" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter VIII). He says of fallen enemies: "I ween an God had loved them that we should not have had power to have slain them thus" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter VIII). After Galahad reunites with them: "It is mo than a year and an half that I ne lay ten times where men dwelled, but in wild forests and in mountains, but God was ever my comfort" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter XIX). Galahad's dying farewell: "he went to Sir Bors and kissed him, and commended him to God" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter XXII). Bors alone returns: "When Bors saw that he was in so far countries as in the parts of Babylon he departed from Sarras" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter XXIII). He bears Galahad's message: "Galahad, your own son, saluted you by me" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter XXIII). Launcelot embraces him: "Gentle cousin, ye are right welcome to me" and "ye and I will never depart asunder whilst our lives may last" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII, Chapter XXIII).

After the Grail quest, Bors counsels Launcelot: "Say ye never so, for many times or this time she hath been wroth with you, and after it she was the first that repented it" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter II). When Guenever is accused, the king urges Bors: "That ye will do battle for her for Sir Launcelot's sake" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter IV). Bors agrees: "My lord, ye require me the greatest thing that any man may require me" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter V). He argues: "now miss ye Sir Launcelot, for he would not have failed you neither in right nor in wrong" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter V). To the Round Table: "it were shame to us all an we suffered to see the most noble queen of the world to be shamed openly" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter V). He declares: "I dare say so much, the queen is not guilty of Sir Patrise's death" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter V). His stand succeeds: "Then was it noised in all the court that Sir Bors should do battle for the queen" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter V).

Bors defends Launcelot's reputation over the Astolat sleeve: "that sleeve-bearing repenteth me sore, but I dare say he did it to none evil intent" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter XV). Finding Launcelot wounded: "Sir Bors lost his countenance, and for kindness and pity he might not speak, but wept tenderly a great while" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter XVI). He observes the Fair Maiden: "she is a passing fair damosel, and a well beseen" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVIII, Chapter XVI). He warns Launcelot: "I dread me ever of Sir Agravaine, that waiteth you daily to do you shame" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX, Chapter II).

In the final wars, Bors rallies kinsmen alongside Lionel, Ector de Maris, Blamore de Ganis, and Bleoberis de Ganis (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX, Chapter V). He encourages: "all is welcome that God sendeth us, and we have had much weal with you and much worship" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX, Chapter V). He unhorsed King Arthur himself: "Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur, and there with a spear Sir Bors smote him down" and asked "Shall I make an end of this war?" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX, Chapter XIII). "Sir Bors led the forward" in the battle at Benwick (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX, Chapter XIII).

After Arthur's death, Bors urges: "first revenge you of the death of Sir Gawaine" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XXI, Chapter VIII). He joins Launcelot's hermitage: "when Sir Bors saw Sir Launcelot in that manner clothing, then he prayed the Bishop that he might be in the same suit" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XXI, Chapter X). When Launcelot sickens, Bors dismisses foreboding: "It is but dretching of swevens, for I doubt not Sir Launcelot aileth nothing but good" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XXI, Chapter XII). After Launcelot's death: "they found him stark dead, and he lay as he had smiled, and the sweetest savour about him that ever they felt" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XXI, Chapter XII). In the final passage, "Sir Bors, Sir Ector, Sir Blamore, and Sir Bleoberis, went into the Holy Land thereas Jesu Christ was quick and dead" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XXI, Chapter XIII).