OF THE END OF THIS BOOK
When Queen Guenever understood that King Arthur was slain, and all the
noble knights, Sir Mordred and all the remnant, then she stole away,
and five ladies with her, and so she went to Almesbury, and there she
let make herself a nun, and lived in fasting, prayers, and alms-deeds,
that all manner of people marvelled how virtuously she was changed.
And there she was abbess and ruler, as reason would.
When Sir Launcelot of the Lake heard in his country that Sir Mordred
was crowned king, and made war against his uncle, then he made all
haste with ships and galleys to go unto England. So he passed over the
sea till he came to Dover. There the people told him how that King
Arthur was slain, and Sir Mordred, and an hundred thousand died on a
day, and how Sir Mordred gave King Arthur there the first battle at his
landing, and how there was good Sir Gawaine slain. And then certain
people of the town brought him unto the castle of Dover, and showed him
the tomb. And he made a dole for Sir Gawaine, and all the priests and
clerks that might be gotten in the country were there and sang mass of
requiem.
Two nights Sir Launcelot lay on Sir Gawaine's tomb in prayers and in
weeping, and then on the third day he called his kings, dukes, earls,
barons, and knights, and said thus: "My fair lords, I thank you all of
your coming into this country with me; but we come too late, and that
shall repent me while I live, but against death may no man rebel.
Since it is so, I will myself ride and seek my lady Queen Guenever,
for, as I hear say, she hath great pain and much disease. Therefore ye
all abide me here fifteen days, and then, if I come not again, take
your ships and your fellowship, and depart into your country."
So Sir Launcelot rode forth alone on his journey into the west country.
There he sought seven or eight days, and at the last came to the
nunnery where was Queen Guenever. Once only he had speech with her,
and then took his horse and rode away to forsake the world, as she had
done.
He rode all that day and all that night in a forest, and at the last he
was ware of an hermitage and a chapel betwixt two cliffs. Thither he
rode, and there found Sir Bedivere with the Bishop of Canterbury, for
he was come to their hermitage. And then he besought the Bishop that
he might remain there as a brother. The Bishop would gladly have it
so, and there he put hermit's clothes upon Sir Launcelot, and there Sir
Launcelot served God day and night with prayers and fasting.
The great host abode in Dover fifteen days, as Sir Launcelot had bidden
them. Then, since Sir Launcelot did not return, Sir Bors of Ganis made
them take ship and return home again to Benwick. But Sir Bors himself
and others of Sir Launcelot's kin took on them to ride all England
across and endlong, to seek Sir Launcelot. So Sir Bors by fortune rode
so long till he came to the same chapel where Sir Launcelot and Sir
Bedivere were, and he prayed the Bishop that he also might remain and
be of their fellowship. So there was an habit put upon him, and there
he lived in prayers and fasting. And within half a year there were
come seven other knights, and when they saw Sir Launcelot, they had no
list to depart, but took such an habit as he had.
Thus they remained in true devotion six years, and Sir Launcelot took
the habit of priesthood. And there were none of those other knights
but read in books, and holp in the worship and did bodily all manner of
service. And so their horses went where they would, for they took no
regard of worldly riches.
Thus upon a night there came a vision to Sir Launcelot, and charged him
to haste unto Almesbury, for Queen Guenever was dead, and he should
fetch the corpse and bury her by her husband, the noble King Arthur.
Then Sir Launcelot rose up ere day, took seven fellows with him, and on
foot they went from Glastonbury to Almesbury, the which is little more
than thirty miles. They came thither within two days, for they were
weak and feeble to go, and found that Queen Guenever had died but half
an hour before. The ladies said she had told them all, ere she passed,
that Sir Launcelot had been a priest near a twelvemonth, and that he
came thither as fast as he might, to take her corpse to Glastonbury for
burial.
So Sir Launcelot and his seven fellows went back on foot beside the
corpse of Queen Guenever from Almesbury unto Glastonbury, and they
buried her with solemn devotion in the chapel at the hermitage. When
she was put in the earth Sir Launcelot swooned, for he remembered the
noblesse and kindness that was both with the King and with herself, and
how by his fault and his pride they were both laid full low. Then Sir
Launcelot sickened more and more, and within six weeks afterwards Sir
Bors and his fellows found him dead in his bed. The Bishop did his
mass of requiem, and he and all the nine knights went with the corpse
till they came to Joyous Gard, his own castle, and there they buried
him in the choir of the chapel, as he had wished, with great devotion.
Thereafter the knights went all with the Bishop of Canterbury back to
his hermitage.
Then Sir Constantine of Cornwall was chosen King of England, a full
noble knight that honourably ruled this realm. And this King
Constantine sent for the Bishop of Canterbury, for he heard say where
he was, and so was he restored unto his bishopric, and left that
hermitage. Sir Bedivere was there ever still hermit to his life's end,
but the French book maketh mention that Sir Bors and three of the
knights that were with him at the hermitage went into the Holy Land,
and there did many battles upon the miscreant Turks, and there they
died upon a Good Friday, for God's sake.
Here is the end of the book of King Arthur and his noble knights of the
Round Table, that when they were whole together were ever an hundred
and forty. And here is the end of the Death of Arthur. I pray you all
gentlemen and gentlewomen that read this book of Arthur and his knights
from the beginning to the ending, pray for me while I am alive that God
send me good deliverance, and when I am dead, I pray you all pray for
my soul; for this book was ended the ninth year of the reign of King
Edward the Fourth by Sir Thomas Maleore, knight, as Jesu help him for
his great might, as he is the servant of Jesu both day and night.
_Thus endeth thys noble and joyous book entytled Le Morte Darthur.
Notwithstanding, it treateth of the byrth, lyf and actes of the sayd
Kynge Arthur, of his noble knyghtes of the Round Table, theyr
mervayllous enquestes and adventures, the achyevying of the Holy Grail,
and in the end the dolourous deth and departyng out of thys world of
them al. Whiche book was reduced in to englysshe by Syr Thomas Malory
knyght as afore is sayd, and by me enprynted and fynyshed in the abbey
Westminster the last day of July, the yere of our Lord MCCCCLXXXV._
_Caxton me fieri fecit._