death."

Then she called her father Sir Bernard and her brother Sir Tirre, and
heartily she prayed her father that her brother might write a letter
like as she did endite it, and so her father granted her. And when the
letter was written word by word as she devised, then she prayed her
father that after her death she might be put in a barge in all her
richest clothes, the letter fast in her right hand, and that the barge,
covered over and over with black samite, might be steered by one
boatman only down the Thames to Westminster.

So she died, and all was done as she desired. Now by fortune King
Arthur and Queen Guenever were speaking together at a window of the
palace, and as they looked they espied this black barge, and had marvel
what it meant. And the King sent three knights thither to bring him
ready word what was there. Then these three knights came to the barge,
and found therein the fairest corpse lying in a rich bed, and a poor
man sitting at the barge's end, and no word would he speak. Then the
King took the Queen by the hand and went thither, and there they saw
the fair woman in all the rich clothing lying as though she smiled.
And the Queen espied the letter in her right hand, and a clerk read it
in the presence of many knights.

This was the intent of the letter: "Most noble knight Sir Launcelot,
now hath death made us two at debate for your love. I was your lover,
that men called the Fair Maiden of Astolat; therefore unto all ladies I
make my moan; yet pray for my soul, and bury me at the least, and offer
my mass-penny. This is my last request. And a clean maiden I died, I
take God to witness. Pray for my soul, Sir Launcelot, as thou art
peerless."

When the letter was read, the King, the Queen, and all the knights wept
for pity at the doleful lament. Then was Sir Launcelot sent for, and
when he heard the letter word by word, he said: "My lord Arthur, wit ye
well I am right heavy of the death of this fair damsel, but God knoweth
I was never cause of her death by my willing. I will not say but that
she was both fair and good, and much I was beholden unto her, but she
loved me out of measure."

Then said the King unto Sir Launcelot, "It will be your honour that ye
oversee that she be interred honourably."

"Sir," said Sir Launcelot, "that shall be done as I can best devise."

So upon the morn she was interred richly, and Sir Launcelot offered her
mass-penny, and all the knights of the Tab