Charles Davidso7i — English Mystery Plays. 233 



Characteristics : — On the model of Ex. 1, but with confusion of 

 trochaic and iambic movement, a tendency to insert an unstressed 

 syllable after the caesura in iambic lines ; usually the first half- 

 verses of couplets have the same movement, the change, when made, 

 arising from the stressed or unstressed condition of the vowel follow- 

 ing the caesura. The example illustrates unintentional rimes, the 

 first couplet riming at the caesura, the second not so riming. 



Ex. 8. The Lament of Simon de Montfort.^ First stanza. 



Chaunter m'estoit, mon cuer le voit, II en iin dure langag'e, 

 Tut en plordunt fust fet le chaunt II de nostre dus barondge. 

 Que pur la pees, si loynz apres II se lesserent detrere, 

 Lur cors trencher, e demenbrer, || pur salver Engleterre, 

 Ore est ocys la flur de pris, II qe taunt savoit de guere, 

 Ly quens Montfort, sa di'ire mort || molt enplorra la terre. 



■,o — o — o — — u — ••y — uo— O"^-^ 

 \j — u— u — u — "o — o — O- — V 



O o— O O— no— O O — '' 



O O <J O HO — o — ^—\ 



o.^— . o— — o — "- "^* <> /■ y 



Characteristics : — This stanza is formed according to one form 

 cited by Dante,'^ two couplets (pedes), and a closing couplet (cauda). 

 The change to iambic movement is complete, and is accompanied 

 by the insertion of an unstressed syllable after the caesura ; the rimes 

 become masculine through the influence of the iambic movement. 



The lines, however, contain concealed rimes at the second and 

 fourth stresses, rendering possible a stanzaic scheme as iambic 

 dimeter. The first couplet forms, then, a stanza thus — 



(J — u — ^ 

 u — u o . 



o — o — -y 



a a b c c b. 



This stanzaic structure passed into English, and was cultivated by 

 Dunbar,^ Wyatt,* and others. 



As derived from the Latin septenar with double feminine rime and 

 trochaic movement, it must be of a very early date, as it is found in 

 the hymn on the Epiphany^ of the ninth century, with the following 

 scheme — 



— o — o -^ J 



u a b c c b. 



1 Wright, p. 125. 2 Dante, p. ZVZ. 



3 Vol. 1, p. 93,— "Of the Lady is Solistaris at Court." •» Guest, i5. 587. 5 Guest, p. 



