_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 ye disobey not
the vision. Then Sir Launcelot took his seven fellows with him, and on
foot they went from Glastonbury to Almesbury, the which is little more
than thirty miles. 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 before. 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 eyes. 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 burning 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 all his eight fellows. And then she was wrapped in
cered cloth of Raines, from the top to the toe in thirty fold, 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 out 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 my heart, that I might not sustain myself.
So the French book maketh mention.