A History of English VersificationSchipper, J. (Jakob)
History
A History of English Versification
Schipper, J. (Jakob)
English language -- Versification; English poetry -- History and criticism
_In the =t=ýme of Árthur, | as =t=réw men me =t=áld,
The king =t=úrnit on ane =t=ýde | =t=ówart =T=úskane,
Hym to =s=éik our the =s=éy, | that =s=áiklese wes =s=áld,
The =s=ýre that =s=èndis all =s=éill, | =s=úthly to =s=áne;
With =b=ánrentes, =b=árounis, | and =b=érnis full =b=áld,
=B=ìggast of =b=áne and =b=lúde | =b=réd in =B=rítàne.
Thei =w=álit out =w=érryouris | with =w=ápinnis to =w=áld,
The =g=àyest =g=rúmys on =g=rúnd, | with =g=éir that myght =g=áne;
=D=úkis and =d=ígne lòrdis, | =d=óuchty and =d=éir,
=S=émbillit to his =s=úmmòvne,
=R=énkis of grete =r=énòvne,
=C=ùmly =k=íngis with =c=róvne
Of góld that wes cléir._
II.
_Thus the =r=óyale can remóve, | with his =R=óund Tábill,
Of all =r=íches maist =r=íke, | in =r=íall a=rr=áy.
Wes neuer =f=úndun on =f=óld, | but =f=énȝeing or =f=ábill,
Ane =f=àyrar =f=lóure on ane =f=éild | of =f=résche men, in fáy;_ &c.
Lines like the four last quoted illustrate the normal structure of the
rhyming-alliterative verse, especially the relationship of rhyme and
alliteration to each other in monosyllabic and disyllabic words. It will
be seen that the rhyming syllable, as a rule the root-syllable, or at
least the accented syllable of the word, at the same time carries the
fourth accent of the line, and in consequence the fourth alliterative
sound. In all other respects the rhymed-alliterative verse is
structurally similar to that without rhyme, and it is therefore evident
that rhyme exercises no decisive influence on the rhythm of the verse.
In this comparatively pure form--if we do not take into account the
secondary accents occurring in the first hemistichs of the stanza in the
later poem--are written the great majority of the lines in the earliest
of poems mentioned above, viz. _The Awntyrs off Arthure_.
§ =62.= The relation, however, between rhyme and alliteration and
consequently the relation of the rhythmic accentuation of the words to
their natural accentuation is less clear in the first stanza quoted
above. The following verses rhyming together may serve to elucidate
this:
_Than schir =G=áwyne the =g=áy, | =g=úde and =g=ráciùs....
=J=óly and =g=éntill, | and full =ch=éuailrús._
Gol. 389, 391.
_Ouer heor =h=édes gon =h=ýng
Þe =w=ínce and þe =w=éderlȳ̀ng._
Susan, 101-2;
or the verses _Gol._ 648, 650, 654:
_Thus =é=ndit the =á=uynantis | with mékil h=ó=nòur;
Thair =b=ódeis wes =b=éryit | =b=áith in ane hòur,
Ane =ú=thir heght =É=dmond, | that =p=róuit =p=áramòur._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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