The time of composition was probably not later than 1250. The OE. _ā_ had regularly changed to _ǭ_ (if we neglect an isolated instance like _thomas_ : _ras_ 822 A); but I find no certain instance of lengthening in open syllables, and further, the oldest MS. (C) is not much later than 1250, as we have seen. It preserves the unmonophthonged _eo_, e.g. _weop_ 29, _treo_ 35, _heo_ 36, _beo_ 37, _iseo_ 38, etc. § 9. VERSIFICATION. The legend, like the romance of Floris and Blancheflur, is composed in short riming pairs. Each verse nominally has four metrical stresses. The rime may be either masculine or feminine. Frequently assonance takes the place of perfect rime; e.g. _weop_ : _fet_ 30 C, _gode_ : _fote_ 70 Add., _þolen_ : _y-boren_ 220 Add., etc. KING HORN. [Transcriber’s Note: Line-initial þ was corrected to capital Þ on the assumption that capitalization was editorial. Individual changes are noted at the end of the e-text. Line-initial y was retained for consistency.] _Cambr. Univ. MS. Gg. 4. 27. 2._ Alle beon he bliþe Þat to my song lyþe, A sang ihc schal ȝou singe Of Murry þe kinge. 4 _Laud Misc. MS. 108_, fol. 219 _b_. +++Alle ben he bliþe Þat to me wile{n} liþe, A song ich wille you si{n}ge Of morye þe kinge. 4 _Harl. MS. 2253._ _The | corresponds to a sign used in the MS. to mark the divisions between the lines._ [[See Transcriber’s Note about e-text format.]] [Sidenote: [leaf 83]] Her bygynneþ þe geste of kyng Horn. ¶ Alle heo ben blyþe þat to my song ylyþe, a song ychulle ou singe of Allof þe gode kynge. 4 [Sidenote: King Murry and his queen, Godhild, have a son named Horn.] King he was biweste So longe so hit laste. Godhild het his quen; Faire ne miȝte non ben. 8 He hadde a sone þ{a}t het horn; Fairer ne miste no{n} beo born, Ne no rein vpon birine, Ne su{n}ne vpon bischine. 12 King he was bi westen Wel þat hise dayes lesten, And godild hise gode quene; Feyrer non micte bene. 8 Here sone hauede to name horn; Feyrer child ne micte ben born. Ne reyn ne micte upon reyne, Ne no so{n}ne by schine. 12 kyng he wes by weste þe whiles hit yleste, ant godylt his gode quene; no feyrore myhte bene. 8 ant huere sone hihte horn; feyrore child ne myhte be born. for reyn ne myhte by ryne ne sonne myhte shyne. 12 [Sidenote: He is marvellously fair and fifteen years old.]