第 四百九十九 章 · How Sir Launcelot came to the hermitage where the Archbishop

. How Sir Launcelot came to the hermitage where the Archbishop

of Canterbury was, and how he took the habit on him.

But sithen I find you thus disposed, I ensure you faithfully, I will

ever take me to penance, and pray while my life lasteth, if I may find

any hermit, either gray or white, that will receive me. Wherefore,

madam, I pray you kiss me and never no more. Nay, said the queen, that

shall I never do, but abstain you from such works: and they departed.

But there was never so hard an hearted man but he would have wept to

see the dolour that they made; for there was lamentation as they had

been stung with spears; and many times they swooned, and the ladies

bare the queen to her chamber.

And Sir Launcelot awoke, and went and took his horse, and rode all that

day and all night in a forest, weeping. And at the last he was ware of

an hermitage and a chapel stood betwixt two cliffs; and then he heard a

little bell ring to mass, and thither he rode and alighted, and tied

his horse to the gate, and heard mass. And he that sang mass was the

Bishop of Canterbury. Both the Bishop and Sir Bedivere knew Sir

Launcelot, and they spake together after mass. But when Sir Bedivere

had told his tale all whole, Sir Launcelot’s heart almost brast for

sorrow, and Sir Launcelot threw his arms abroad, and said: Alas, who

may trust this world. And then he kneeled down on his knee, and prayed

the Bishop to shrive him and assoil him. And then he besought the

Bishop that he might be his brother. Then the Bishop said: I will

gladly; and there he put an habit upon Sir Launcelot, and there he

served God day and night with prayers and fastings.

Thus the great host abode at Dover. And then Sir Lionel took fifteen

lords with him, and rode to London to seek Sir Launcelot; and there Sir

Lionel was slain and many of his lords. Then Sir Bors de Ganis made the

great host for to go home again; and Sir Bors, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir

Blamore, Sir Bleoberis, with more other of Sir Launcelot’s kin, took on

them to ride all England overthwart and endlong, to seek Sir Launcelot.

So Sir Bors by fortune rode so long till he came to the same chapel

where Sir Launcelot was; and so Sir Bors heard a little bell knell,

that rang to mass; and there he alighted and heard mass. And when mass

was done, the Bishop Sir Launcelot, and Sir Bedivere, came to Sir Bors.

And when Sir Bors saw Sir Launcelot in that manner clothing, then he

prayed the Bishop that he might be in the same suit. And so there was

an habit put upon him, and there he lived in prayers and fasting. And

within half a year, there was come Sir Galihud, Sir Galihodin, Sir

Blamore, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Villiars, Sir Clarras, and Sir Gahalantine.

So all these seven noble knights there abode still. And when they saw

Sir Launcelot had taken him to such perfection, they had no lust to

depart, but took such an habit as he had.

Thus they endured in great penance six year; and then Sir Launcelot

took the habit of priesthood of the Bishop, and a twelvemonth he sang

mass. And there was none of these other knights but they read in books,

and holp for to sing mass, and rang bells, and did bodily all manner of

service. And so their horses went where they would, for they took no

regard of no worldly riches. For when they saw Sir Launcelot endure

such penance, in prayers, and fastings, they took no force what pain

they endured, for to see the noblest knight of the world take such

abstinence that he waxed full lean. And thus upon a night, there came a

vision to Sir Launcelot, and charged him, in remission of his sins, to

haste him unto Almesbury: And by then thou come there, thou shalt find

Queen Guenever dead. And therefore take thy fellows with thee, and

purvey them of an horse bier, and fetch thou the corpse of her, and

bury her by her husband, the noble King Arthur. So this avision came to

Sir Launcelot thrice in one night.