Kabanata Kabanata 500 · How Sir Launcelot went with his seven fellows to Almesbury,

. How Sir Launcelot went with his seven fellows to Almesbury,

and found there Queen Guenever dead, whom they brought to Glastonbury.

Then Sir Launcelot rose up or day, and told the hermit. It were well

done, said the hermit, that ye made you ready, and that you disobey not

the avision. Then Sir Launcelot took his eight fellows with him, and on

foot they yede from Glastonbury to Almesbury, the which is little more

than thirty mile. And thither they came within two days, for they were

weak and feeble to go. And when Sir Launcelot was come to Almesbury

within the nunnery, Queen Guenever died but half an hour afore. And the

ladies told Sir Launcelot that Queen Guenever told them all or she

passed, that Sir Launcelot had been priest near a twelvemonth, And

hither he cometh as fast as he may to fetch my corpse; and beside my

lord, King Arthur, he shall bury me. Wherefore the queen said in

hearing of them all: I beseech Almighty God that I may never have power

to see Sir Launcelot with my worldly eyen; and thus, said all the

ladies, was ever her prayer these two days, till she was dead. Then Sir

Launcelot saw her visage, but he wept not greatly, but sighed. And so

he did all the observance of the service himself, both the dirige, and

on the morn he sang mass. And there was ordained an horse bier; and so

with an hundred torches ever brenning about the corpse of the queen,

and ever Sir Launcelot with his eight fellows went about the horse

bier, singing and reading many an holy orison, and frankincense upon

the corpse incensed. Thus Sir Launcelot and his eight fellows went on

foot from Almesbury unto Glastonbury.

And when they were come to the chapel and the hermitage, there she had

a dirige, with great devotion. And on the morn the hermit that sometime

was Bishop of Canterbury sang the mass of Requiem with great devotion.

And Sir Launcelot was the first that offered, and then also his eight

fellows. And then she was wrapped in cered cloth of Raines, from the

top to the toe, in thirtyfold, and after she was put in a web of lead,

and then in a coffin of marble. And when she was put in the earth Sir

Launcelot swooned, and lay long still, while the hermit came and awaked

him, and said: Ye be to blame, for ye displease God with such manner of

sorrow-making. Truly, said Sir Launcelot, I trust I do not displease

God, for He knoweth mine intent. For my sorrow was not, nor is not for

any rejoicing of sin, but my sorrow may never have end. For when I

remember of her beauty, and of her noblesse, that was both with her

king and with her, so when I saw his corpse and her corpse so lie

together, truly mine heart would not serve to sustain my careful body.

Also when I remember me how by my default, mine orgule and my pride,

that they were both laid full low, that were peerless that ever was

living of Christian people, wit you well, said Sir Launcelot, this

remembered, of their kindness and mine unkindness, sank so to mine

heart, that I might not sustain myself. So the French book maketh

mention.