hen he heard a little bell ring to mass, so he rode
thither and alighted, and heard mass.

He that sang mass was the archbishop of Canterbury, and with him was Sir
Bevidere. After the mass they conversed together, and when Bevidere had
told all his lamentable tale, Lancelot's heart almost broke with sorrow.
He flung his arms abroad, crying,--

"Alas! who may trust this world?"

Then he kneeled, and prayed the bishop to shrive and absolve him,
beseeching that he might accept him as his brother in the faith. To this
the bishop gladly consented, and he put a religious habit on Lancelot,
who served God there night and day with prayers and fastings.

Meanwhile the army remained at Dover. But Lionel with fifteen lords rode
to London to seek Lancelot. There he was assailed by Mordred's friends,
and slain with many of his lords. Then Sir Bors bade the kings, with
their followers, to return to France. But he, with others of Lancelot's
kindred, set out to ride over all England in search of their lost
leader.

At length Bors came by chance to the chapel where Lancelot was. As he
rode by he heard the sound of a little bell that rang to mass, and
thereupon alighted and entered the chapel. But when he saw Lancelot and
Bevidere in hermits' clothing his surprise was great, and he prayed for
the privilege to put on the same suit. Afterwards other knights joined
them, so that there were seven in all.

There they remained in penance for six years, and afterwards Sir
Lancelot took the habit of a priest, and for a twelvemonth he sang mass.
But at length came a night when he had a vision that bade him to seek
Almesbury, where he would find Guenever dead. Thrice that night was the
vision repeated, and Lancelot rose before day and told the hermit of
what he had dreamed.

"It is from God," said the hermit. "See that you make ready, and disobey
not the warning."

So, in the early morn, Lancelot and his fellows set out on foot from
Glastonbury to Almesbury, which is little more than thirty miles. But
they were two days on the road, for they were weak and feeble with long
penance. And when they reached the nunnery they found that Guenever had
died but half an hour before.

The ladies told Lancelot that the queen had said,--

"Hither cometh Lancelot as fast as he may to fetch my corpse. But I
beseech Almighty God that I may never behold him again with my mortal
eyes."

This, said the ladies, was her prayer for two days, till she died.