Then Sir Bedivere bore King Arthur to the water’s edge, and fast by the bank hovered a little barge, and there received him three queens with great mourning.  And Arthur said, “I will unto the vale of Avillon for to heal me of my grievous wound, and if thou never hear more of me, pray for my soul.”  And evermore the ladies wept.

And in the morning Sir Bedivere was aware between two hills of a chapel and a hermitage; and he saw there a hermit fast by a tomb newly graven.  And the hermit said, “My son, here came ladies which brought this corpse and prayed me to bury him.”

“Alas,” said Sir Bedivere, “that was my lord, King Arthur.”

And when Queen Guinever understood that her lord, King Arthur, was slain, she stole away and went to Almesbury, and made herself a nun, and was abbess and ruler as reason would.

And Sir Launcelot passed over into England, and prayed full heartily at the tomb of Sir Gawaine, and then rode alone to find Queen Guinever.  And when Sir Launcelot was brought unto her, she said:  “Through this knight and me all the wars were wrought, and through our love is my noble lord slain; therefore, Sir Launcelot, I require thee that thou never look me more in the visage.”

And Sir Launcelot said:  “The same destiny ye have taken you unto I will take me unto.”  And he besought the bishop that he might be his brother; then he put a habit on Sir Launcelot, and there he served God day and night, with prayers and fastings.

And when Queen Guinever died Sir Launcelot buried her beside her lord, King Arthur.  Then mourned he continually until he was dead, so within six weeks after they found him stark dead, and he lay as he had smiled.  Then there was weeping and dolor out of measure.  And they buried Sir Launcelot with great devotion.

* * * * *

ANNE MANNING

The Household of Sir Thomas More

Anne Manning, one of the most active women novelists of Queen Victoria’s reign, was born in London on February 17, 1807.  Her first book, “A Sister’s Gift:  Conversations on Sacred Subjects,” was written in the form of lessons for her brothers and sisters, and published at her own expense in 1826.  It was followed in 1831 by “Stories from the History of Italy,” and in 1838 her first work of fiction, “Village Belles,” made its appearance.  In their day Miss Manning’s novels had a great vogue, only equalled by her amazing output.  Altogether some fifty-one stories appeared under her name, of which the best remembered is “The Household of Sir Thomas More,” an imaginary diary written by More’s daughter, Margaret.  After appearing in “Sharpe’s Magazine,” it was published in book form in 1860.  It is wonderfully vivid, and is written with due regard to historical facts.  It is interesting to compare it with the “Life of Sir Thomas More,” written by William Roper, Margaret More’s husband, with which it is now frequently reprinted.  Miss Manning died on September 14, 1879.

I.—­Of the Writing of My Libellus