Then upon the bark They went, bold, valiant men; the heart of each 350 Was filled with joy upon the tossing main. Then Andrew, on the rolling of the waves, Begged for that seaman mercy from the King Who rules in glory; thus he spake in words:-- "May God, the Lord of men, give unto thee Exceeding honor--happiness on earth, Riches in glory--since thou hast made known Thy goodness to me on my journeying!" He sat him by the Guardian of the sea, That noble saint beside his noble Lord. I never heard men tell of comelier ship 360 Laden with sumptuous treasures. In it sat Great heroes, glorious lords, and beauteous thanes. Then spake the ever-living noble Lord, Almighty King; he bade his angel go, His glorious retainer, go and give Meat to the desolate to comfort him Upon the seething flood, that he might bear The life upon the rushing of the waves With greater ease. Then was the ocean[1] stirred And deeply troubled, then the horn-fish played, 370 Shot through the raging deep; the sea-gull gray, Greedy for slaughter, flew in circling flight. The candle of the sky grew straightway dark, The winds waxed strong, the waves whirled, and the surge Leapt high, the ropes creaked, dripping with the waves; The Terror of the waters rose, and stood Above them with the might of multitudes. The thanes were sore afraid, not one of them Dared hope that he would ever reach the land, Of those who by the sea had sought a ship With Andrew, for as yet they did not know 380 Who pointed out the course for that sea-bark. [Footnote 1: Lit. "whale-sea."]