Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER X

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 CHAPTER X
 
 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.