Quoth the King: "My ships are chosen each one, But I'll not say nay to Stephen's son.
"My son and daughter and fellowship50 Shall cross the water in the White Ship."
The King set sail with the eve's south wind, And soon he left that coast behind.
The Prince and all his, a princely show, Remained in the good White Ship to go.55
With noble knights and with ladies fair, With courtiers and sailors gathered there, Three hundred living souls we were:
And I Berold was the meanest hind[276] In all that train to the Prince assign'd.60
The Prince was a lawless shameless youth; From his father's loins he sprang without ruth:
Eighteen years till then had he seen, And the devil's dues in him were eighteen.
And now he cried: "Bring wine from below;65 Let the sailors revel ere yet they row:
"Our speed shall o'ertake my father's flight Though we sail from the harbor at midnight."