EXCURSUS ON OLD IRISH METRIC. 95 



(4) 6rt- 6^ 6 c-6 ^, all the rime-words of two syllables, three stress-syllables in 

 each line, a line-pause after the fourth syllable. 



LL. p. 35 b: Do cechawg do Bregaib 



tl-Life laind fodair, 

 cor-rancdtar Ldgin 

 d les nech dia cobair Scc. 



(5) 7a-e,b ja sb,ao{ three syllables, b of one, the lines of seven syllables with 

 four, those of five syllables with three stresses, a line-pause after the fourth syllable. 



LL. p. 47 a : Dalldn mac INIore cecinit : 



Cerball currig cdem-Life 

 clbd cathd for Cond 

 rd facsm a debdreche 

 dr bath cnogba corr. 

 Ar card 's ar culicdn 

 cdemgneach Idnd na la\m 

 mdc mor mblbthach Muricdin 

 cb m-buada^tb co m-bdig &c. 



(6) T a T a T b T a, a trisyllabic, with four stress-syllables in each line. 



Stowe MS. 992 fo. 84 b. 2 (Rev. Celt. VI. p. 184): 



A Em^tr, nirsdmrund 

 dbrinnts gnim n-drduld, 

 ttntecht uaim le Tuir n-Glestd 

 ts mer imndtsu/d. 



(7) 7 a 7 b 7 a 7 b, a trisyllabic, b dissyllabic, a line-pause after the fourth syllable. 



Aided CI. L. (Edin. 38) : 



longnadh lem an bdili st 

 mdr 'ta gdn tech, gdn toighe, 

 mdr adch am an bdili st, 

 uchan ds cradh lem' chroidhe. 



Gan chona is gan chuanarta, 



gan mna is gan rioghraidh rathmair : 



mar 'ta anois ni chualomar 



an ait si riamh *g ar n-athair. 



Gan chorna, gan chopdna, 

 gan bl 'na mhuraibb soillsi, 

 gan mhacraidh, gan mhacamhay 

 mar 'ta anocht as tuar toirrsi. 



Mar 'ta lucht an bhaili si, 

 uchdn as cradh lem chridhe : 

 ata anocht ar m'airi-si 

 nach martonn triath an tighe. 



