A History of English VersificationSchipper, J. (Jakob)
History
A History of English Versification
Schipper, J. (Jakob)
English language -- Versification; English poetry -- History and criticism
All these words may, however, also be found with slurring or syncopation
of the _e_, even in Early Middle English: _Annd þéowwtenn wél wiþþ áll
þin máhht_ Orm. 11393; _þa wǽre he þǽr bikǽchedd_ ib. 11628;
_Annd súme itt áll forrwérrþenn_ ib. 11512; _Min héorte atflíhþ and fált
mi túnge_ Owl and N. 37; _þár þe úle sóng hir tíde_ ib. 26, 441; _þat
ich schúlle tó hire fléo_ ib. 442; _he wére ischóte_ ib. 23, 53, &c. In
later Middle English this is more common: _An ýmage óf hire sóne_
Alexius i. 105; _þeróf to gód þei máde here móne_ ib. 32; _Sómme þat óf
þe ínne wére_ Alexius ii. 325; _Fáste þey wére ysóught þoróugh_ ib. 14;
_And lóke síre at ȝóure pilgríme_ ib. 394; _And thére our óst bigán_
Chauc. Prol. 827; _Entúned ín hire nóse_ ib. 123; _Nought gréveth ús
youre glórie ánd honóur_ id. Kn. T. 59; _þúrgh yóure géntilnésse_ ib.
62; _ánd hire fálse whéel_ ib. 67; _And pílgryms wére they álle_ Chauc.
Prol. 26, 59; _At níght was cóme intó that hóstelríe_ ib. 23; _With hím
ther wás his sóne, a yóung squyér_ ib. 79; _In mótteléye and hígh_ ib.
271; _cómpanýe in yóuthe_ ib. 461; _no vílanýe is ít_ ib. 740, &c.
§ =105.= The following examples serve to show the arbitrary use of the
final _-e_ in other words, either (_a_) syllabic, or (_b_) slurred or
syncopated.
=1. Infinitive=, (a) _And stónde úpe gódes knýght_ Alexius ii. 269; _to
télle yów áll the condícióun_ Chauc. Prol. 38. (b) _to táke our wéy_ ib.
34; _Mén mote ȝeve sílver_ ib. 232.
=2. Past part.= of strong verbs, (a) _ydráwe né ybóre_ Sq. T. 336; _þó
þe chíld ybóre wás_ Alexius ii. 37; (b) _Ybóre he wás in Róme_ ib. 6;
_Though hé were cóme agáin_ Chauc. Sq. T. 96; _ycóme from hís viáge_ id.
Prol. 77, &c.
=3.= Various =inflexional endings of the verb=, (a) _þát ich réde wé
begínne_ Cant. Creat. E. 225; _And yét I hópe, pár ma fáy_ Chauc. Sir
Thopas l. 2010; _and máde fórward_ id. Prol. 33; _and wénte fór to dóon_
ib. 78; _yet hádde hé but lítel góld in cóffre_ ib. 298; _And séyde tó
her þús_ Alexius i. 69; _gládly wólde préche_ Chauc. Prol. 480. (b)
_devóutly wólde he téche_ ib. 481; _I trówe ther nówher nón is_ ib. 524;
_I trówe some mén_ id. Sq. T. 213; _So hádde I spóken_ id. Prol. 31;
_hádde he bé_ ib. 60; _if thát sche sáwe a móus_ ib. 144; _chíldren
betwéen them hédde þei nóne_ Alexius i. 31; _Bote méte fóunde þeȝ nón
saundóute_ Cant. Creat. O. 62.
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