HERE IT IS TOLD HOW THE LADY OF SHALOTT DIED FOR LOVE OF LANCELOT OF
THE LAKE
The daughter of a great vassal [138] loved Lancelot of the Lake beyond
measure, but he did not wish to give her his love, since he had given
it to Queen Guinevere. So much did the girl love Lancelot that she came
to death thereby, and she commanded that when her soul had left her
body, a rich boat should be prepared to be covered with a vermilion
cloth, and a fine bed laid therein with rich and noble coverings of
silk and adorned with precious stones.
And her body was to be laid in this bed dressed in her finest garments
with a lovely crown on her head, rich in gold and ornamented with
precious stones, and she was to have a rare girdle and a satchel too.
And in the satchel there was to be a letter of the following tenour.
But first of all let us tell of what happened before the letter. The
damsel died of the sickness of love, and it was done with her as she
wished [139] about the vessel with no sails or oars and no one aboard.
The sailless vessel was put into the sea with the woman, and the sea
took it to Camelot, and drifted it to the shore.
A cry passed through the court. The knights and barons came down from
the palaces, and noble King Arthur came too, and marvelled mightily
that the boat was there with no guide.
The king stepped on to it and saw the damsel and the furnishings. He
had the satchel opened and the letter was found. He ordered that it
should be read, and it ran: to all the knights of the Round Table this
lady of Shallot sends greetings as to the gentlest folk in the world.
And if you would know why I have come to this end, it is for the finest
knight in the world and the most villainous, that is my lord Sir
Lancelot of the Lake, whom I did not know how to beg that he should
have pity on me. So I died there for loving well as you can see.