Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XI

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.