Latest / Tales Of King Arthur And The Round Table / 23 - Part 4 Story 2 The End Of It All

Transcript

23 - Part 4 Story 2 The End Of It All · Tales Of King Arthur And The Round Table

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Part four, Story two of Tales of King Arthur and
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: the Round Table by Andrew Lang. This LibriVox recording is
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Part four, story two, the end
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: of it All Now. When King Arthur left England to
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: fight with Sir Launcelot, he ordered his nephew, Sir Mordred,
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: to govern the land, which that false knight did gladly,
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: and as soon as he thought he might safely do so,
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: he caused some letters to be written saying that King
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Arthur had been slain in battle, and he had himself
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: crowned king at Canterbury, where he made a great feast,
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: which lasted fifteen days. After it was over, he went
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: to Winchester and summoned Queen Guinevere and told her that
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: on a certain day he would wed her, and that
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: she should make herself ready. Queen Guinevere's soul grew cold
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: and heavy as she heard these words of Sir Mordred's,
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: for she hated him with all her might, as he
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: hated her. But she dared show nothing, and answered softly
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: that she would do his bidding. Only she desired that
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: first she might go to London to buy all manner
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: of things for her wedding, Sir Mordred trusted her because
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: of her fair speech, and let her go. Then the
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: queen rode to London with all speed and went straight
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: to the tower, which she filled in haste with food,
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: and called her men at arms round her. When Sir
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: Mordred knew how she had beguiled him, he was wroth
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: out of measure, and besieged the tower and assaulted it
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: many times with battering rams and great engines, but could
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: prevail nothing, for the Queen would never, for fair speech,
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: nor for foul, give herself into his hands again. The
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: Bishop of Canterbury hastened unto Sir Mordred and rebuked him
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: for wishing to marry his uncle's wife. Leave such desires,
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: said the Bishop, or else I shall curse you with bell,
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: book and gandle. Also you noise abroad that my Lord
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: Arthur is slain, and that is not so, and therefore
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: you will make ill work in the land. At this
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: Sir Mordred waxed very wroth, and would have killed the
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: bishop had he not fled to Glastonbury, where he became
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: a hermit and lived in poverty and prayed all day
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: long for the realm. For he knew that a fierce
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: war was at hand. Soon word came to Sir Mordred
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: that King Arthur was hurrying home across the seas to
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: be avenged on his nephew, who had proved traitor. Wherefore
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: Sir Mordred sent letters to all the people throughout the kingdom,
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: and many followed after him, for he had cunningly sown
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: among them that with him was great joy and softness
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: of life, while King Arthur would bring war and strife
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: with him. So Sir Mordred drew with a great host
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: to Dover and waited for the king. Before King Arthur
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: and his men could land from the boats and ships
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: that had brought them over the sea, Sir Mordred set
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: upon them, and there was heavy slaughter. But in the
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: end he and his men were driven back, and he
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: fled and his people with him. After the fight was over,
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: the King ordered the dead to be buried, and there
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: came a man and told him that he had found
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: Sir Gawaine lying in a boat, and that he was
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: sore wounded. And the King went to him and made
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: moan over him. You were ever the man in the
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: world that I loved most, said he you and Sir Launcelot,
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: mine uncle. King Arthur answered Sir Gawaine, my death day
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: has come, and all through my own fault. Had Sir
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: Launcelot been with you as he used to be, this
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: unhappy war had never begun. And of that I am
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: the cause, for I would not accord with him. And
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: therefore I pray you give me paper, pen and ink,
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: that I may write to him. So paper and ink
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: were brought, and Sir Gawaine was held up by King Arthur,
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: and a letter was writ wherein Sir Gawaine confessed that
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: he was dying of an old wound given him by
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, and the siege of one of the cities
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: across the Sorce, and thus was fulfilled the prophecy of
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: Merlin of a more noble man. Might I not be slain?
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: Said he also, Sir Launcelot, make no tarrying, but come
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: in haste to King Arthur. Foresore best. It is he
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: with my brother, Sir Mordred, who has taken the crown,
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: and would have wedded my lady Queen Guinevere, had she
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: not sawt safety in the Tower of London. Pray for
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: my soul, I beseech you and visit my tomb. And
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: after writing this letter, at the hour of noon, Sir
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: Gawaine gave up his spirit and was buried by the
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: King in the chapel within Dover Castle. Then was it
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: told King Arthur that Sir Mordred had pitched a new
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: field upon Barren Down, And the next morning the King
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: wrote hither to him, and there was a fierce battle
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: between them, and many on both sides were slain, But
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: at the last King Arthur's party stood best, and Sir
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: Mordred and his men fled to Canterbury. After the night,
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: knights which were dead had been buried, and those that
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: were wounded tended with healing salves. King Arthur drew westwards
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: towards Salisbury, and many of Sir Mordred's men followed after him,
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: but they that loved Sir Launcelot went unto Sir Mordred,
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: and the day was fixed between the King and Sir
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: Mordred that they should meet upon a down near Salisbury
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: and give battle once more. But the night before the battle,
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: Sir Gawaine appeared unto the King in a vision and
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: warned him not to fight. Next day, which was Trinity Sunday,
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: as he would be slain, and many of his knights also,
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: but to make a truce for a month, and at
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: the end of that time Sir Launcelot would arrive and
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: would slay Sir Mordred and his knights with him. As
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: soon as he awoke. The King called the bishops and
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: the wisest men of his army and told them of
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: his vision, and took counsel what should be done. And
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: it was agreed that the King should send an imbassage
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: of two knights and two bishops unto Sir Mordred, and
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: all for him as much goods and lands as they
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: thought best, if he would engage to make a treaty
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: for a month with King Arthur. So they departed and
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: came to Sir Mordred, where he had a grim host
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: of an hundred thousand men. For a long time he
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: would not suffer himself to be entreated, but at the
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: last he agreed to have Cornwall and Kent in King
• 6:22
  Speaker 1: Arthur's days and after all England. Furthermore, it was decided
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: that King Arthur and Sir Mordred should meet in the
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: plain between their hosts, each with fourteen persons I am
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: glad of this, said King Arthur when he heard what
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: had been done. But he warned his men that if
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: they were to see a sword drawn, they were to
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: come on swiftly and slay that traitor, Sir Mordred, for
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: I in no wise trust him, And in likewise spake
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: Sir Mordred and to his host. Then the two met
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: and agreed on the truce, and wine was fetched and
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: they drank, and all was well. But while they were thinking,
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: an adder crept out of a bush and stung one
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: of the fourteen Knights on his foot, and he drew
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: his sword to slay the adder, not thinking of anything
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: but his pain. And when the men of both armies
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: beheld that drawn sword, they blew trumpets and horns and
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: shouted grimly and made them ready for battle. So King
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: Arthur leaped on his horse and Sir Mordred on his,
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: and they went back to their own armies, and thus
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: began the fight. And never was there seen one more
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: doleful in any Christian land. For all day long there
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: was rushing and riding, spearing and striking, and many a
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: grim word was there spoken, and many a deadly stroke given.
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: And at the end full. An hundred thousand dead men
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: lay upon the down, and King Arthur had but two
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: knights left living, Sir Lucan and his brother Sir Bedevere
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Alas that I should have lived to see this day,
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: cried the King, for now I am come to mine end.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: But would to God that I knew where were that traitor,
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Sir Mordred, that hath caused all this mischief. Then suddenly
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: he saw Sir Mordred leaning on his sword among a
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: great heap of dead men. Give me my spear, said
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: King Arthur, unto Sir Lucan. Sir let him be, answered
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan, remember your dream and leave off by this,
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: for blessed be God, you have won the field, and
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: we three be alive, and of the others none as alive,
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: save Sir Mordred himself. If you leave off now, the
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: day of destiny is past. Tide me death, tide me life,
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: said the King. He shall not escape my hands, for
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: a better chance I shall never have. And he took
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: his spear in both hands and ran towards Sir Mordred, crying, traitor,
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: now is your death day. Come and smote him under
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: the shield, so that the spear went through his body,
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: and when Sir Mordred felt he had his death wound,
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: he raised himself up and struck King Arthur such a
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: blow that the sword clave his helmet, and then fell
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: stark dead on the earth again. When Sir Lucan and
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: Sir Bedevere saw that sight, they carried the king to
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: a little chapel, but they hoped not to leave him
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: there long, for Sir Lucan had noted that many people
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: were stealing out to rob the slain of the ornaments
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: on their armor, and those that were not dead already
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: they slew. Would that I could quit this place and
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: go to some large town, said the king when he
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: had heard this. But I cannot stand my head works,
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: so ah, Launcelot, sorely have I missed thee at that
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan and Sir Bedevere tried to lift him. But
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan had been grievously wounded in the fight, and
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: the blood burst forth again as he lifted Arthur, and
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: he died and fell at the feet of the king.
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: Alas said the King, he has died for my sake,
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: and he had more need of help than I. But
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: he would not complain. His heart was so set to
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: help me, and I would sorrow yet more if I
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: were still to live long. But my time flieth fast. Therefore,
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: Sir Bedivere, cease moaning and weeping, and take Excalibur, my
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: good sword, and go with it to yonder water side.
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: And when thou comest there, I charge thee throw my
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: sword in that water, and come again and tell me
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: what thou hast seen. My lord answered Sir Bedivere, your
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: commandment shall be done. And he departed. But when he
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: looked at that noble sword and beheld the jewels and
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: gold that covered the pommel and hilt, he said to himself,
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: if I throw this rich sword into the water, no
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: good will come of it, but only harm and loss.
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: So he hid Excalibur under a tree and returned under
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: the king and told him his bidding was done. What
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: did you see there, asked the king. Sir answered Sir Bedivere,
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: I saw nothing but the winds and the waves. You
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: have not dealt truly with me, said the King. Go
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: back and do my command. Spare not but throw it in.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: But again Sir Bedivere's heart failed him, and he hid
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: the sword and returned to tell the King he had
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: seen nothing but the wan water. Ah traitor, cried King Arthur,
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: this is twice you have betrayed me. If you do
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: not now fulfill my bidding with mine own hands, while
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: I slay you, for you would gladly see me dead
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: for the sake of my sword. Then Sir Bedivere was
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: shamed at having disobeyed the King, and drew forth the
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: sword from its hiding place, and carried it to the
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: water side, and with a mighty swing, threw it far
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: into the water. And as it flew through the air,
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: an arm and hand lifted itself out of the water
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: and caught the hilt, and brandished the sword thrice, and
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: vanished with it beneath the water. So Sir Bedivere came
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: again unto the King and told him what he saw.
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: Alas said the King, help me hence, for I have
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: tarried over long. And Sir Bedevere took him on his
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: back and bare him to the water side. And when
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: they stood by the bank, a little barge containing many
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: fair ladies and a queen, all in black hoods, drew near,
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: and they wept and shrieked when they beheld King Arthur
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: now put me into the barge, said the King, and
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: Sir Bedivere laid him softly down, and the ladies made
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: great mourning, and the barge rode from the land. Ah,
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: my Lord Arthur, cried, Sir Bedivere, What shall become of me?
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: Now you go from me and I am left here
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: alone with my enemies. Comfort yourself, replied the King, And
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: do as well as you may, for I go unto
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: the valley of Avilion to be healed of my grievous wound.
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: And if you never more hear of me, pray for
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: my soul. But Sir Bedivere watched the barge till it
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: was beyond his sight. Then he rode all night till
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: he came to a hermitage. Now, when Queen Guinevere heard
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: of the Bakattle, and how that King Arthur was slain
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: and Sir Mordred and all their knights, she stole away
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: and five ladies with her, and rode to Amsbury. And
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: there she put on clothes of black and white, and
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: became a nun, and did great penance and many alms deeds,
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: and people marveled at her and at her godly life,
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: and ever she wept and moaned over the years that
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: were past and for King Arthur. As soon as the
• 13:28
  Speaker 1: messenger whom the king had sent with Sir Gawaine's letter
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: reached Sir Launcelot and he learned that Sir Mordred had
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: taken for himself the crown of England. He rose up
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: in wrath, and, calling Sir Bores, bid him collect their host,
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: that they should pass at once over the sea to
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: avenge themselves. On that false night, a fair wind blew
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: them to Dover, and there Sir Launcelot asked tidings of
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: King Arthur. Then the people told him that the King
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: was slain, and Sir Mordred and an hundred thousand men besides,
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: and that the king had buried Sir Gawaine in the
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: chapel at Dover Castle Fair. Sirs, said, Sir Launcelot, show
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: me that tomb, and they showed it to him, and
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot kneeled before it and wept and prayed. And
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: this he did for two days, and on the third
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: morning he summoned before him all the great lords and
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: leaders of his roast, and said to them, fair lords,
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: I thank you all for coming here with me, but
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: we come too late, and that will be bitter grief
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: to me as long as I shall live. But since
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: it is so, I will myself ride and seek my
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: lady Gwinevere in the West Country, where they say she
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: has gone, and tarry you here. I entreat you for
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: fifteen days, and if I should not return, take your
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: ships and depart into your own country. Sir Bors strove
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: to reason with him that the quest was fruitless and
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: that in the West Country he would find few friends.
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: But his words availed nothing. For seven days Sir Launcelot rode,
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: and at last he came to a nunnery where Queen
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: Guinevere was looking out from her lattice and was aware
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: of his presence as he walked in the cloister. And
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: when she saw him, she swooned, and her ladies and
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: gentlewomen tended her. When she was recovered, she spoke to
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: them and said, you will marvel, fair ladies. Why I
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: should swoon? It was caused by the sight of yonder Knight,
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: who stands there, and I pray you bring him to me.
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: As soon as Sir Launcelot was brought, she said to
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: her ladies through me and this man has this war
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: been wrought for which I repent me night and day. Therefore,
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, I require and pray you never to see
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: my face again. But go back to your own land
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: and govern it and protect it, and take to yourself
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: a wife, and pray that my soul may be made
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: clean of its ill doing. Nay, Madam answered Sir Launcelot,
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: that shall I never do. But the same life that
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: you have taken upon you, will I take upon me. Likewise,
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: if you will do so, said the Queen, it is well,
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: but I may never believe but that you will turn
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: to the world again. Well, Madam answered he you speak
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: as it pleases you, but you never knew me faults
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: to my promise, and I will forsake the world as
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: you have done. For if in the quest of the
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: Sangreal I had forsaken its vanities with all my heart
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: and will, I had passed all nights in the quest,
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: except Sir Galahad my son. And therefore, Lady, since you
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: have taken you to perfection, I must do so also.
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: And if I may find a hermit that will receive me,
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: I will pray and do penance while my life lasts. Wherefore, Madam,
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: I beseech you to kiss me once again. No, said
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: the Queen, that I may not do. And Sir Launcelot
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: took his horse and departed in great sorrow. All that
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: day and the next night he rode through the forest
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: till he held a hermitage and a chapel between two cliffs,
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: and heard a little bell ring to mass, and he
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: that sang Mass was the Bishop of Canterbury, and Sir
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: Bedivere was with him. After Mass, Sir Bedevere told Sir
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: Launcelot how King Arthur had thrown away his sword and
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: had sailed to the valley of Avilion, and Sir Launcelot's
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: heart almost burst for grief. Then he kneeled down and
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: besought the Bishop that he might be his brother. That
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: I will gladly, said the Bishop, and put a robe
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: upon him. After the fifteen days were ended, and still
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot did not return, Sir Bors made the great
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: host go back across the sea, while he and some
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: of Sir Launcelot's kin set forth to seek all over
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: England till they found Sir Launcelot. They rode different ways,
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: and by fortune Sir Bors came one day to the
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: chapel where Sir Launcelot was, and he prayed that he
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: might stay and be one of their fellowship. And in
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: six months six other knights were joined to them, and
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: their horses went where they would. For the knights spent
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: their lives in fasting and prayer, and kept no riches
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: for themselves. In this wise, six years passed, and one
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: night a vision came to Sir Launcelot in his sleep,
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: charging him to hasten unto Amesbury. By the time that
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: thou come there, said the vision, thou shalt find Queen
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: Guinevere dead. Therefore, take thy fellows with thee and fetch
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: her corpse and bury it by the side of her husband,
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: the noble King Arthur. Then Sir Launcelot rose up and
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: told the hermit, and the hermit ordered him to make
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: ready and do all as the vision had commanded. And
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot and seven of the other knights went on
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: foot from Glastonbury to Amesbury. And it took them two
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: days to compass the distance, for it was far and
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: they were weak with fasting. When they reached the nunnery,
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: Queen Guinevere had been dead but half an hour, and
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: she had first summoned her ladies to her and told
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: them that Sir Launcelot had been a priest for near
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: a twelvemonth, and hither he cometh as fast as he may.
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: She said, to fetch my corpse and beside my lord
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: King Arthur. He shall bury me. And I beseech Almighty God,
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: that I may never have power to see Sir Launcelot
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: with my bodily eyes, Thus said the ladies. She prayed
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: for two days till she was dead. Then Sir Launcelot
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: looked upon her face and sighed, but wept little, and
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: next day he sang mass. After that the queen was
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: laid on a bier drawn by horses, and a hundred
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: torches were carried round her, and Sir Launcelot and his
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: fellows walked behind her, singing Holy Chance, and at times
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: one would come forward and throw incense on the dead.
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: So they came to Glastonbury, and the Bishop of Canterbury
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: sang a requie a mass over the queen, and she
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: was wrapped in cloth and placed first in a web
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: of lead, and then in a coffin of marble. And
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: when she was put into the earth, Sir Launcelot swooned away.
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: You are to blame, said the hermit when he awaked
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: from his swoon. You ought not make such manner of sorrow, truly,
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: answered Sir Launcelot. I trust I do not displease God.
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: But when I remember her beauty and her nobleness, and
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: that of the King, and when I saw his corpse
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: and her corpse lie together, my heart would not bear
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: up my body. And I remembered too that it was
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: through me and my pride that they both came to
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: their end. From that day, Sir Launcelot ate so little
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: food that he dwined away, and for the most part
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: was found kneeling by the tomb of King Arthur and
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: Queen Guinevere. None could comfort him, and after six weeks
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: he was too weak to rise from his bed. Then
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: he sent for the hermit and to his fellows, and
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: asked in a weary voice that they would give him
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: the last rites of the church, and begged that when
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: he was dead, his body might be taken to Joyous Guard,
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: which some say is Alnwick and others Bambara. That night,
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: the hermit had a vision that he saw Sir Launcelot
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: being carried up to heaven by the angels, and he
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: waked Sir bors and bade him go and see if
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: anything ailed Sir Launcelot. So Sir Bors went, and Sir
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: Launcelot lay on his bed, stark bed, and he smiled
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: as he lay there. Then was there great weeping and
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: wringing of hands, more than had been made for any man.
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: But they placed him on the horseber that had carried
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: Queen Guinevere, and lit a hundred torches, and in fifteen
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: days they reached Joyous Guard. There his body was laid
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: in the choir, with his face uncovered, and many prayers
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: were said over him. And there in the midst of
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: their praying came Sir Ector de Maris, who for seven
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: years had sought Sir Launcelot through all the land. Ah Launcelot,
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: he said, when he stood looking beside his dead body,
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: thou wert head of all Christian knights. Thou wert the
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: courtliest knight that ever do sword, and the faithfullest friend
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: that ever bestrode a horse. Thou wert the goodliest knight
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: that ever man has seen, and the truest lover that
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: ever loved a woman. End of Part four, Story two,
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: end of Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: by Andrew Lang