The White Ship (Henry I. of England.—25 November 1120): Duke University Library draft manuscript) Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 By permission of the Special Collections Library, Duke University The White Ship (25 Nov: 1120) Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1880 holograph draft [1 - 47] pages + 3 blank DGR DGR Duke University Library Rossetti Writings: The White Ship white unlined 4 3/8 x 7 1/8 in. Commentary
Introduction

This nearly complete corrected draft manuscript resides in the Duke University Library. The document is in two parts of sheets folded into four pages each. The first part consists of four folded sheets, the first serving as a cover for the other three, which are marked A, B, C at the upper right of the rectos. The second part comprises nine folded sheets (same paper) paginated 1 through 9 on the upper right rectos. The versos are left blank for additions and revisions to the main text, of which there are a number in this document. The manuscript has passages that never found their way into the published work, and it lacks sixteen lines that are in the published version.

Textual History: Composition

This manuscript must date from April 1880. DGR wrote the poem in April and completed it in early May.

Textual History: Revision

Production History

Reception History

Iconographic

Printing History

Pictorial

Historical

Literary

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

[1] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. A DGR's pagination at upper right. The White Ship<lb/>(25 Nov: 1120) BY none but me can the tale be told, The butcher of Rouen, poor Berold. (Lands are swayed by a King on a throne.) 'Twas a royal train put forth to sea, Yet the tale can be told by none but me. (The sea hath no King but God alone.) King Henry had pledged his oath plighted a vow That after his death his son should reign. And all the chiefs of the English land Had knelt & kissed the Prince's hand. [2] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. blank page [3] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. And now next with his son he sailed to France To claim the Norman allegiance: And every baron of in Normandy Had taken the oath of fealty. 'Twas sworn & sealed, & the day had come When the King & the Prince might journey home: Stout Fitz-Stephen came to the King,— A captain pilot famous in sea-faring; And he said: “O King I “Liege Lord! my father guided the ship From whose deck boat your father's foot did slip When he caught the English soil in his grip ”And cried, “By this clasp I claim command O'er every rood of English land.” [4] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. blank page [5] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. B Pagination at upper right, not DGR's. He was borne to the realm you rule o'er now In that ship with the archer carved at its prow, ”And thither I'll bear, an' it liketh you, Your father's son & his grandson too. “The famed White Ship is mine in the bay From Harfleur's harbour she sails to-day ”With masts fair-pennoned as Norman spears And with fifty chosen mariners.“ “My ships” uoth the King: ”are fixed upon, But I'll not say nay to Stephen's son. My son and daughter and fellowship Shall cross the water in the White Ship. [6] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Couplet on this page is a textual addition marked for insertion the next page after line 44. And I Berold was the [?] meanest hind In all that train to the Prince assign'd. [7] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. B DGR's pagination at upper right. The King set sail with a fair the eve's south wind And soon he left the at coasts behind. The Prince and all his, a princely show, Remained with in the fair good White Ship to go. These hundred souls With brilliant noble knights & with ladies fair And With courtiers & sailors gathered there, Three hundred living souls they we were. The Prince was a reckless lawless shameless youth, And if of King's heirs men said the truth They had called And Men held him as meat for the devil's tooth. Eighteen years till then he had seen, But And the devil's dues in him were more than eighteen. [8] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Stanza 43/30 below is an addition to the text written at the bottom of the page and marked for insertion above where the transcription has a set of elaborate and confused cancellations. [9] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. C DGR's pagination at upper right. And now he cried: “Bring wine from below, Let the sailors drink before they shall revel ere yet they row: We Our speed shall o'ertake my father's flight Though we feast in sail from the harbour till at midnight. The sailors made good speed without check The Lords & ladies obeyed [?] The light [?] & The sailors rowers made good cheer without check; The lords &ladies obeyed his beck; The night was still light, and they danced on the deck. With the But at midnight's stroke they cleared the bay, And the White Ship furrowed the water-way. The sails were set, & the oars kept tune To the double flight of the ship & the moon. Swifter and swifter still they/she the White Ship sped With Till they she flew as the spirit flies from the dead. The first two lines on the page are a later addition, and are so marked. [10] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. As white as a lily glimmered she Like a ship's wan fair ghost upon the sea. The first two lines on the page are a later addition, and are so marked. [11] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. And the Prince cried, ”Friends, 'tis the hour to sing. What Is a songbird's fli course is more so swift on the wing?“ And under the winter stars' as they raced alon g still throng, From brown throats, white throats, merry & strong, The knights and the ladies raised a song. Blank page [12] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Blank page [13] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. Blank page [14] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [15] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. 1 DGR's pagination number at upper right. No A song,—nay, a shriek that rose to the sky, That leaped o'er the waves;—like a distant wild far sigh The King's ships heard it and knew not why.. A shriek that answered the instant shock As the ship's keel felt the hidden sunken rock. Pale Fitz-Stephen stood by the helm 'Mid all those folk that the waves must whelm. A great King's heir for the waves to whelm, And the helpless pilot pale at the helm! The ship was eager and sucked athirst, As a swimming bladder fills when pierced. Blank page [16] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [17] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. And like the moil round a sinking cup, The waters against her crowded up. A moment the pilot's senses spin,— The next he snatched the Prince mid the din, Cut the boat loose, & the youth leaped in. A few friends leaped with him, standing near. ”Row! row! the sea's smooth and the night is clear.“ ”What! none to be saved but these and I?“ ”Row, row as you'd live! All here must die!“ Out of the churn of the ailing choking ship Which the gulf grapples & the waves strip, They struck with the strained oars' flash & dip. Blank page [18] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Lines 91/112 - 92/113 are a later interstanza addition. [19] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. 2 DGR's pagination number at upper right. 'Twas then o'er the splitting bulwarks' brim The Prince's sister screamed to him. He turned about, still rowing apace, And through the whirled surf he knew her face. To the toppling decks all clung amain As a fly clings to a window pane. I Berold was clinging anear; I prayed for myself & quaked with fear, But I saw his eyes as he looked at her. He knew her face and he heard her cry, And he said, “Put back! she shall must not die!” And back they sped through the fo/ foaming frill through the flying foam they reel As the a leaf sends in a water-mill wheel. Blank page, except DGR has scripted and then cancelled a two line addition with an indication that it be inserted in the text on page [21] following line 108/129. [20] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. To the toppling dec ks all clung amain As a fly clings to a window-pane [21] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. 'Neath the ship's travail they scarce might float But he turned rose & stood in the rocking boat. Prone the poor ship lay on the tide: O'er the naked keel as she best might slide, The sister toiled to the brother's side. He reached an oar to her from below, And stiffened his arms to clutch her so. But now from the ship some spied the boat, And “Saved!” was the cry from many a throat. And down to the boat they leaped and fell: It turned as a bucket turns in a well, And nothing was there but the surge and swell. Blank page. [22] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Lines 116/137 - 117/138 added later by DGR. [23] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. 3 DGR's pagination at upper right. The Prince that was & the King to come, With the rest, by God's will, gone to his doom, Despite of all England's bended knee And maugre the Norman fealty! A Prince He was a Prince of lust and pride, Yet to save his sister's life he died. He had made his father's heart to ache, Yet he died there for his sister's sake. When he should be King, he oft would vow, He'd yoke the peasant to his own plough. O'er him the ships score their furrows now. But where the Judge of all Kings doth stand, His sister knelt with him hand in hand. Blank page. [24] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [25] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. By none but me can the tale be told, The butcher of Rouen, poor Berold. (Lands are swayed by a King on a throne.) 'Twas a royal train went put forth to sea, Yet the tale can be told by none but me. (The sea hath no King but God alone.) And now the end came on o'er the middle sea, Like the last great Day that's yet to be. Amid vain With prayers in vain & curses in vain, The White Ship sundered on the mid-main: And what were men & what was a ship Were toys & splinters in the sea's grip. Blank page. [26] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [27] Pagination number at upper right, not DGR's. 4 DGR's pagination at upper right. I Berold was down in the sea; And passing strange though the thing may be, Of dreams then known I remember me. Blithe is the shout on Harfleur's strand When morning lights the sails to land: And blithe is Honfleur's echoing gloam When mothers call the children home: And blithe do the bells of Rouen beat When the Body of Christ goes down the street. These things & the like were heard & shown In a moment's space trance 'neath the sea alone; Blank page. [28] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [29] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's And when I rose, 'twas the sea did seem, And not these things, to be all a dream. The ship was gone & the crowd was gone, And the sea deep shuddered & the moon shone: And in a strait grasp my arms did span The mainyard split from the mast where it ran; And on it with me was another man. Where lands were none 'neath the dark sea-sky, We told our names, that man & I. “O I am Godefroy de l'Aigle hight, And son I am to a belted knight.” Blank page. [30] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [31] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's 5 DGR's pagination in upper right “And I am Berold the butcher's son Who slays the beasts in Rouen town.” And each said, God have mercy on me Then cried we upon God's name, as we Did drift on the bitter biting sea. And/Then each cried, “God have mercy on me!” And the hours passed, & I & he Did drift on the bitter biting sea. Then cried we upon God's name, as we Did drift on the bitter biting sea. And each knew each as the hours moments sped, Less for one living than for one dead. Blank page except that lines 177/195 - 178/196 are scripted on the page as an addition with a line indicating they should be instered on page [33] after line 176/194. [32] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [33] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's But once a third face man rose o'er the wave, And we said, “Thank God! these too shall us three may He save! He clutched to the yard with panting stare, And we looked & knew Fitz-Stephen there. He clung, and “What of the Prince?” said he. “Lost, lost!” we cried. He cried, “Woe on me!” And left loosed his hold and sank down through through the sea. And soul with soul again in that space We two were together face to face: And every dim still star overhead Seemed an eye that knew we were but dead. And the hours passed; till the noble's son Oer Sighed, “God be thy help! my strength's foredone! [34] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [35] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's 6 DGR's pagination in upper right “O farewell, friend, for I can no more!” “Christ take thee!” I said moaned; & his life was o'er. Three hundred souls were all lost, but one; And I drifted over the sea alone. Then morning rose afar on the sea Like an angel's wing that beat tow'rds me. Sore numbed I was yet I still might float in my sheepskin coat; Yet I clung sore/all agéd/half dead Half dead I clung, & might little note, Till I woke sun-warmed in a fisher-boat. The sun was over high o'er the eastern brim As we I praised God & gave thanks to Him. DGR has fair copied lines 192/210 - 196-214 on this page next to the cancelled draft on page [37]. [36] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Then first I told my tale to a priest, Who charged me, till my shrift were releas'd, That I should keep it in mine own breast. And thence I went with the priest to where The King held court at Winchester. [37] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's Then first/ That morn I told Next my tale I told to a priest, Who bade me keep it in mine own breast,/ Who but charged me, till my shrift were releas'd, That I should And journeying fast was I [?]/came to where/ [?] I was with the The King held court at Winchester. I spoke with the King's high chamberlain, And he wept & made me tell it again, And round me ever there crowded fast Great men with faces all aghast: And who so bold that might tell the thing From me first learnt That now they knew to their lord the King? For two whole days The King had watched with a heart sore stirred For two whole days, & this was the third: [38] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [39] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's 7 DGR's pagination in upper right And still to all his court would he say— What keeps the Prince so long away? And they said the ports lie far & wide That skirt the swell of the English tide, And England's cliffs are not more white Than her women are, and not more bright scarce so light Her skies as their eyes the are blue & bright bright And in some port that he reached from France The Prince has lingered for his pleasaůnce. But once the King asked: What distant cry Was that we heard 'twixt the sea & sky? DGR adds Lines 219/240 - 220/241 as an insert on this page, with a line indicating their placement on page [41] following line 218/237. This text lacks lines 238-239. [40] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. 'Twas thus till now they had soothed his dread Albeit they knew not what they said. [41] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's And one said, With suchlike shouts, pardie! Do the fishers fling their nets at sea. But who should speak to-day of the thing That all knew there except the King? Then pondering much they found a way, And met around/about round the King's high seat-Mead that day And the King sat with a heart sore stirred, And little was said & little seldom he spoke & seldom heard. [42] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [43] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's 8 DGR's pagination in upper right Then first 'Twas then through the hall the King was 'ware Of a little boy with golden hair, As bright as the golden poppy is That the beach breeds for the surf to kiss: Yet pale his cheek as the thorn in Spring, And his garb black like the raven's wing. Nothing heard but his foot through the hall, For now the lords were silent all. And the King wondered, & said, “Alack! Who sends me a fair boy dressed in black? “Why, sweet heart, do you pace through the hall As though my court were a funeral?” [44] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. [45] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's Then lowly knelt eled the child at the dais, And looked up weeping in the King's face. “O wherefore black, O King, ye may say, For white is the hue of death to-day. Your son and all his fellowship Lie in the sea's bed with the White Ship.” Then the King fell as a man struck dead; And speechless still he lay in his bed When to him next day my rede I read. There's many an hour must needs beguile A King's high heart that he should smile,— [46] Pagination number at upper left, not DGR's. Three blank pages follow this page. Two of these are represented below. [47] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's 9 DGR's pagination in upper right Full many a lordly hour, full fain Of his realm's rule & pride of his reign:— But this King never smiled again. By none but me can the tale be told, The butcher of Rouen, poor Berold. (Lands are swayed by a King on a throne.) 'Twas a royal train put forth to sea, Yet the tale can be told by none but me. (The sea hath no King but God alone.) D G Rossetti1880 167 lines 194 lines 230 lines Blank page. [48] Pagination at upper left, not DGR's Blank page. [49] Pagination at upper right, not DGR's