So this avision came to Sir Launcelot thrice in one night.
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 Imight not sustain myself.So the French book maketh mention.
CHAPTER XII
How Sir Launcelot began to sicken,and after died,whose body was borne to Joyous Gard for to be buried THEN Sir Launcelot never after ate but little meat,ne drank,till he was dead.For then he sickened more and more,and dried,and dwined away.For the Bishop nor none of his fellows might not make him to eat,and little he drank,that he was waxen by a cubit shorter than he was,that the people could not know him.For evermore,day and night,he prayed,but sometime he slumbered a broken sleep;ever he was lying grovelling on the tomb of King Arthur and Queen Guenever.And there was no comfort that the Bishop,nor Sir Bors,nor none of his fellows,could make him,it availed not.So within six weeks after,Sir Launcelot fell sick,and lay in his bed;and then he sent for the Bishop that there was hermit,and all his true fellows.Then Sir Launcelot said with dreary steven:Sir Bishop,I pray you give to me all my rites that longeth to a Christian man.It shall not need you,said the hermit and all his fellows,it is but heaviness of your blood,ye shall be well mended by the grace of God to-morn.My fair lords,said Sir Launcelot,wit you well my careful body will into the earth,I have warning more than now I will say;therefore give me my rites.So when he was houseled and anealed,and had all that a Christian man ought to have,he prayed the Bishop that his fellows might bear his body to Joyous Gard.Some men say it was Alnwick,and some men say it was Bamborough.
Howbeit,said Sir Launcelot,me repenteth sore,but I made mine avow sometime,that in Joyous Gard I would be buried.And because of breaking of mine avow,I pray you all,lead me thither.Then there was weeping and wringing of hands among his fellows.
