DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61385#0139
Chapter XI.—Metrical Types of the Speculum, cxxxiii
Skeat does not accredit Chaucer with the metrical suppression of -e
in the caesura, Prioresses Tale, p. Ixii. The poet of the Speculum may
at times have availed himself of the same licence. He has done
so in other measures; cf. 279. sholen • wilrien euere.—297. sholen *
pdrten henne.—316. hem ’ shat wdnten ouht. Similar instances are
not wanting in the third measure: verses 109, 145, 179, 273, etc.
A larger number of lines, where conflicting vowels do not coalesce,
may be studied under Hiatus (cf. § 8). Sir Beues illustrates type
C, MS. A, 475—4620; v. 485 : Boute pow me • to him take-, cf.
747, 801, 839, 916, 936, etc., and Pearl 601.
D. D classifies a line iambic in movement, but beginning with a
single stressed syllable.1 The first measure consists of arsis alone,
the German auftaktlose verse or verse mit fehlendem auftakt. It
is employed by Skeat as the “ clipped line,” Leg. of G. Women,
pp. xxxv., xxxvi., by Schick as the “acephalous line,” Temple of
Gias, p. Iviii. ; cf. also ten Brink, § 299, and Sidney Lanier, The
Science of English Verse, p. 139. The Speculum is rich in illustra-
tion. Compare as follows :
v. 7. ])us shat ben • pi biginning.—128. Sduued warp he ' neuere
mb.—137. Herkne now ' to my sarmbun. Other instances with un-
stressed final syllable : v. 1. Herknep dlle ' to my speche.—29. Off
an eorl ’ of gode fame.—39. Alquin was • his rihte name, and as
follows: 18, 28, 30, 39, *41, 49, 51, 54, 57, 62, 63, 70, 71, 74,
76, *80, *81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 91, 100'?, *107, 109, 111, 112,
115, 116, 120, 122, 129, 137, *139, 140, 141, 155, 157, 161?, 164,
177, 187?, 196, 223, 228, 251, etc.
Of the couplet of four measures as employed by Chaucer, type D
occurs in The Hous of Fame; cf. verses 58, 61, 86, 103, 105, 133,
172, 173, etc. In the Chaucerian pentameter Skeat discovers many
illustrations; see Leg. of G. Women, pp. xxxv., xxxvi., and note to
verse 67; Prioresses Tale, p. Ixvi. The second system of versifica-
tion Sir Beues uses D, verses 475(1)?, 476(2), 479(5), 481(7), 485(11),
487(13), etc. It existed in the earliest mediaeval English versification,
in the septenarius of the Poema Morale; cf. verses 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11,
12, 13, etc. Milton2 makes happy application of the principle in
EAllegro, 19, 21, 25, 26, etc., Il Penseroso, 17, 32, 34, etc., and it
finds expression in Vision of Sin, part II. (see Skeat). Freedom in
I. e. monosyllabic first measure.
See ed. Browne, vol. i, pp. 30, 34, English Poemsiby John Milton.
Skeat does not accredit Chaucer with the metrical suppression of -e
in the caesura, Prioresses Tale, p. Ixii. The poet of the Speculum may
at times have availed himself of the same licence. He has done
so in other measures; cf. 279. sholen • wilrien euere.—297. sholen *
pdrten henne.—316. hem ’ shat wdnten ouht. Similar instances are
not wanting in the third measure: verses 109, 145, 179, 273, etc.
A larger number of lines, where conflicting vowels do not coalesce,
may be studied under Hiatus (cf. § 8). Sir Beues illustrates type
C, MS. A, 475—4620; v. 485 : Boute pow me • to him take-, cf.
747, 801, 839, 916, 936, etc., and Pearl 601.
D. D classifies a line iambic in movement, but beginning with a
single stressed syllable.1 The first measure consists of arsis alone,
the German auftaktlose verse or verse mit fehlendem auftakt. It
is employed by Skeat as the “ clipped line,” Leg. of G. Women,
pp. xxxv., xxxvi., by Schick as the “acephalous line,” Temple of
Gias, p. Iviii. ; cf. also ten Brink, § 299, and Sidney Lanier, The
Science of English Verse, p. 139. The Speculum is rich in illustra-
tion. Compare as follows :
v. 7. ])us shat ben • pi biginning.—128. Sduued warp he ' neuere
mb.—137. Herkne now ' to my sarmbun. Other instances with un-
stressed final syllable : v. 1. Herknep dlle ' to my speche.—29. Off
an eorl ’ of gode fame.—39. Alquin was • his rihte name, and as
follows: 18, 28, 30, 39, *41, 49, 51, 54, 57, 62, 63, 70, 71, 74,
76, *80, *81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 91, 100'?, *107, 109, 111, 112,
115, 116, 120, 122, 129, 137, *139, 140, 141, 155, 157, 161?, 164,
177, 187?, 196, 223, 228, 251, etc.
Of the couplet of four measures as employed by Chaucer, type D
occurs in The Hous of Fame; cf. verses 58, 61, 86, 103, 105, 133,
172, 173, etc. In the Chaucerian pentameter Skeat discovers many
illustrations; see Leg. of G. Women, pp. xxxv., xxxvi., and note to
verse 67; Prioresses Tale, p. Ixvi. The second system of versifica-
tion Sir Beues uses D, verses 475(1)?, 476(2), 479(5), 481(7), 485(11),
487(13), etc. It existed in the earliest mediaeval English versification,
in the septenarius of the Poema Morale; cf. verses 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11,
12, 13, etc. Milton2 makes happy application of the principle in
EAllegro, 19, 21, 25, 26, etc., Il Penseroso, 17, 32, 34, etc., and it
finds expression in Vision of Sin, part II. (see Skeat). Freedom in
I. e. monosyllabic first measure.
See ed. Browne, vol. i, pp. 30, 34, English Poemsiby John Milton.