468 Transactions. 



formed a complete sentence. There are, naturally, many 

 instances where stanzas are divided by colons only, but in the 

 majority of instances each stanza is syntactically and synthe- 

 tically complete. 



Each line is, moreover, a complete clause, the comma after 

 the eighth syllable being often no more than the mark of the 

 printer's inordinate fondness for that symbol where verse is 

 concerned. 



3. Kimes, originally marking stanzas and aiding memory, 

 came to be regarded as end words ; and in printing, wherever 

 rimes occurred, lines were cut off. This will be referred to 

 more fully when rime is considered, and is only referred to now 

 to indicate how rime has had an influence in splitting up and 

 disguising the true metre. (See Chapter V.) 



4. (a.) Other things helped to disguise the metre, such as 

 variations from the true type. These variations consist of feet 

 containing less or more than two syllables, dropped feet, and 

 displacement or duplication of the accent. The following 

 quotations will serve as illustration of these variations ; the 

 first-quoted, normal in metre, serving as type of the usual : — 



(2.) 

 He met a beggar by the way, who sturdily could gang ; 

 He had a pike-staff in his hand that was both stark and Strang : 

 A clouted cloak about him was, that held him frae the cold,'_f 

 The thinnest bit of it, I guess, was more than twenty fold. 



The accent occurs regularly on the second syllable, and each 

 line runs smoothly and with spirit. 



(3.) 



R6|byn stode I in Ber]nysdale, | and leaned | him to | a tree,| 

 And bv | him stode | Lytell | Johann, j a good | yeman | was he.| 



(Page 115, line 9.) 



(4.) 



Much | was rejdy with | a bolte, j re|dly and | a none,| 



He set | the monke | to fore | the brest, [ to the ground | that he | can gone.| 



(Page 154, line 73.) 



(5.) 



A ryght | good ajrowe he | shall have, I the shaft j of syliver whvte,| 

 The head | and the fedjers of rvche j rede golde, [ in Eng lond is | none lyke.| 



(Page 164, line 17.) 

 (6.) 



For ye \ have scar|let and grcne, | maysttr, I and majny a rvche | aray,| 

 There is |no marchaunt in me|ry Fnglonde | so rvche, 1 1 dare | well saye.| 



(Page 127, line 280.) 



(7-) 

 ( iod | the save, | good R6|byn Hood, | and al this com|pany.| 

 Wei come be j thou gen|tyll knvght, | and rvght | welcome | to me.| 



(Page 160, line 237.) 



