In token of which, bid thy brave men feast at my charge with as much to eat and drink as they have a fancy to.

Then, when that is done, we will start on our merry voyage." Almost immediately afterwards King Henry embarked, leaving the Prince William, and two other of his children, Richard and Adela, to follow that same night in the "White Ship." "Farewell, my father!" shouted the young prince, as the oars of the king's vessel struck the water; "perchance I shall be on the farther side before thee!" So the king started.
It was late before the merrymakers on board the "White Ship" set their faces seaward.

The prince himself had honoured the feast, and bidden every man to fill his cup and drink deep and long.

So when about midnight they addressed themselves to the voyage, the rowers splashed wildly with their oars, and the crew pulled at the ropes with unsteady hands.
Far across the calm waters might have been heard the song and the laughter of the two hundred voyagers.

In a few hours, thought they, we shall be across, and then will we renew our feast in England.
"Fitz-Stephen!" cried the prince, flushed with wine himself, and in a tone of excitement--"Fitz-Stephen, how far say you is my father's ship before ours ?" "Five leagues," replied the sailor, "or more." "Then may we not overtake him before the night is past?
You know this coast; can we not steer closer in, and so gain on them ?" "My lord," said Fitz-Stephen, "there are many sunken rocks on this coast, which the mariner always avoids by keeping out to sea." "Talk not to me of rocks on a night when the sea is calm and the wind so gentle it scarce fills the sails, and the moon so clear we can see a mile before us! What say you, my men?
Shall we overtake the king?
Fitz-Stephen," he added, "thou earnest a king's son to-night.