Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and said, “When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it down the river till it reach the court.  Thus, father, I beseech thee let it be.”

Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so.  And anon she died, and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her.

Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river towards the court.

Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to come forth.

When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean.  But he made signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel’s hands.  So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found thereon written, “To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake.”

Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk, and thus it was written:—­

[Illustration:  Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk.]

“Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death for ever parted us.  I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have died for your sake.  This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and give me burial.  Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless knight.”

At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity.

Then said Sir Lancelot, “My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her.”

“Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life,” answered the queen.

“Madam,” said he, “she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by constraint.”

“That is true,” said the king; “for love is free.”

“I pray you,” said Sir Lancelot, “let me now grant her last asking, to be buried by me.”

So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her.

Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath against him without cause.  “This is not the first time it hath been so,” answered he; “yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you.”

So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and all the realm.