Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER XI

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 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.