“And when Queen Guinevere understood that her lord King Arthur was slain, and all the noble knights, Sir Modred and all the remnant, she stole away, and five ladies with her, and so she went to Almesbury, and there she let make herself a nun, and wore white clothes and black, and great penance she took as ever did sinful lady in this land, and never creature could make her merry, but lived in fastings, prayers, and alms-deeds, that all manner of people marvelled how virtuously she was changed.  Now leave we Queen Guinevere in Almesbury, a nun in white clothes and black, and there she was abbess and ruler as reason would, and turn me from her and speak me of Sir Lancelot du Lake.”

Meanwhile, Sir Lancelot had returned to England to avenge King Arthur’s death:—­

“Then the people told him how that he was slain, and Sir Modred and a hundred thousand died on a day, and how Sir Modred gave King Arthur there the first battle at his landing, and there was good Sir Gawayn slain, and on the morn Sir Modred fought with the king upon Barham Down, and there the king put Sir Modred to the worse.  Alas, said Sir Lancelot, this is the heaviest tidings that ever came to me.  Now fair Sirs, said Sir Lancelot, shew me the tomb of Sir Gawayn.  And then certain people of the town brought him into the castle of Dover and showed him the tomb.  Then Sir Lancelot kneeled down and wept and prayed heartily for his soul.  And that night he made a dole, and all they that would come had as much flesh, fish, wine, and ale as they would, and every man and woman had twelve pence come who would.  Thus with his own hand dealt he his money in a mourning gown; and ever he wept, and prayed them to pray for the soul of Sir Gawayn.  And on the morn all the priests and clerks that might be gotten in the country were there and sung Mass of Requiem.  And there offered first Sir Lancelot, and he offered an hundred pound, and then the seven kings offered forty pound apiece, and also there was a thousand knights, and each of them offered a pound, and the offering dured from morn till night.  And Sir Lancelot lay two nights on his tomb in prayers and in weeping.  Then on the third day Sir Lancelot called the 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.  But sithen it is so, said Sir Lancelot, I will myself ride and seek my lady Queen Guinevere, for as I hear say she hath great pain and much disease, and I heard say that she is fled into the west country, therefore ye all abide me here, and but if I come not again within fifteen days, then take your ships and your fellowship, and depart into your country.