wordes, we will set you downe more at large what they be. The auncient
Greekes and Latines by reason their speech fell out originally to be
fashioned with words of many syllables for the most part, it was of
necessity that they could not vtter euery sillable with one like and egall
sounde, nor in like space of time, nor with like motion or agility: but
that one must be more suddenly and quickely forsaken, or longer pawsed
vpon then another: or sounded with a higher note & clearer voyce then
another, and of necessitie this diuersitie of sound, must fall either vpon
the last sillable, or vpon the last saue one, or vpon the third and could
not reach higher to make any notable difference; it caused them to giue
vunto three different sounds three seuerall names: to that which was
highest lift vp and most eleuate or shrillest in the eare, they gaue the
name of the sharpe accent, to the lowest and most base because it seemed
to fall downe rather then to rise vp, they gaue the name of the heauy
accent, and that other which seemed in part to lift vp and in part to fall
downe, they called the circumflex, or compast accent: and if new termes
were not odious, we might very properly call him the (windabout) for so is
the Greek word. Then bycause euery thing that by nature fals down is said
heauy, & whatsoever naturally mounts upward is said light, it gaue
occasion to say that there were diuersities in the motion of the voice, as
swift & slow, which motion also presupposes time, by cause time is
_mensura motus_, by the Philosopher: so haue you the causes of their
primitiue inuention and vse in our arte of Poesie, all this by good
obseruation we may perceiue in our vulgar wordes if they be of mo
sillables then one, but specially if they be _trissillables_, as for
example in these wordes [_altitude_] and [_heauinesse_] the sharpe accent
falles vpon [_al_] & [_he_] which be the _antepenultimaes:_ the other two
fall away speedily as if they were scarse founded in this _trissilable
[forsaken]_ the sharp accent fals vpon [_sa_] which is the _penultima_,
and in the other two is heauie and obscure. Againe in these _bisillables,
endúre, unsúre, demúre, aspíre, desíre, retíre_, your sharpe accent falles
vpon the last sillable: but in words _monosillable_ which be for the more
part our naturall Saxon English, the accent is indifferent, and may be
vsed for sharp or flat and heauy at our pleasure. I say Saxon English, for
our Normane English alloweth vs very many _bissillables_, and also
_triffilables_ as, _reuerence, diligence, amorous, desirous_, and such
like.
_CHAP. VII._
_Of your Cadences by which your meeter is made Symphonicall
when they be sweetest and most solemne in a verse._
As the smoothenesse of your words and sillables running vpon feete of
sundrie qualities, make with the Greekes and Latines the body of their
verses numerous or Rithmicall, so in our vulgar Poesie, and of all other
nations at this day, your verses answering eche other by couples, or at
larger distances in good [_cadence_] is it that maketh your meeter
symphonicall. This cadence is the fal of a verse in euery last word with a
certaine tunable sound which being matched with another of like sound, do
make a [_concord_.] And the whole cadence is contained sometime in one
sillable, sometime in two, or in three at the most: for aboue the
_antepenultima_ there reacheth no accent (which is chiefe cause of the
cadence) vnlesse it be vsurpation in some English words, to which we giue
a sharpe accent vpon the fourth as, _Hónorable, mátrimonie, pátrimonie,
míserable_, and such other as would neither make a sweete cadence, nor
easily find any word of like quantitie to match them. And the accented
sillable with all the rest vnder him make the cadence, and no sillable
aboue, as in these words, _Agíllitie, facíllitie, subiéction, diréction_,
and these bissilables, _Ténder, slénder, trústie, lústie, but alwayes the
cadence which falleth vpon the last sillable of a verse is sweetest and
most commendable: that vpon the _penultima_ more light, and not so
pleasant: but falling vpon the _antepenultima_ is most vnpleasant of all,
because they make your meeter too light and triuiall, and are fitter for
the Epigrammatist or Comicall Poet then for the Lyrick and Elegiack, which
are accompted the sweeter Musickes. But though we haue sayd that (to make
good concored) your seuerall verses should haue their cadences like, yet
must there be some difference in their orthographie, though not in their
sound, as if one cadence be [_constraine_] the next [_restraine_] or one
[_aspire_] another [_respire_] this maketh no good concord, because they
are all one, but if ye will exchange both these consonants of the accented
sillable, or voyde but one of them away, then will your cadences be good
and your concord to, as to say, _restraine, refraine, remaine: aspire,
desire, retire_: which rule neuerthelesse is not well obserued by many
makers for lacke of good iudgement and a delicate eare. And this may
suffise to shew the vse and nature of your cadences, which are in effect
all the sweetnesse and cunning in our vulgar Poesie.
_CHAP. VIII_
_How the good maker will not wrench his word to helpe his rime, either by
falsifying his accent, or by untrue orthographie._
Now there can not be in a maker a fowler fault then to falsifie his accent
to serue his cadence, or by vntrue orthographie to wrench his words to
helpe his rime, for it is a signe that such a maker is not copious in his
owne language, or (as they are wont to say) not halfe his crafts maister:
as for example, if one should rime to this word [_Restore_] he may not
match him with [_Doore_] or [_Poore_] for neither of both are of like
terminant, either by good orthography or in naturall sound, therfore such
rime is strained, so is it to this word [_Ram_] to say [_came_] or to
[_Beane [_Den_] for they sound not nor be written alike, & many other like
cadences which were superfluous to recite, and are vsuall with rude rimers
who obserue not precisely the rules of [_prosodie_] neuerthelesse in all
such cases (if necessitie constrained) it is somewhat more tolerable to
help the rime by false orthographie, than to leaue an unpleasant
dissonance to the eare, by keeping trewe orthographie and loosing the
rime, as for example it is better to rime [_Dore_] with [_Restore_] then
in his truer orthographie, which is [_Doore_] and to this word [_Desire_]
to say [_Fier_] then fyre though it be otherwise better written _fire_.
For since the cheife grace of our vulgar Poesie consisteth in the
Symphonie, as hath bene already sayd, our maker must not be too licentious
in his concords, but see that they go euen, iust and melodious in the
eare, and right so in the numerositie or currantnesse of the whole body of
his verse, and in euery other of his proportions. For a licentious maker
is in truth but a bungler and not a Poet. Such men were in effect the most
part of all your old rimers and specially _Gower_, who to make vp his rime
would for the most part write his terminant sillable with false
orthographie, and many times not sticke to put in a plaine French word for
an English, & so by your leaue do many of our common rimers at this day:
as he that by all likelyhood, hauing no word at hand to rime to this word
[_ioy_] he made his other verse ende in [_Roy_] saying very impudently
thus,
_O mightie Lord of loue, dame Venus onely ioy
Who art the highest God of any heauenly Roy._
Which word was neuer yet receiued in our language for an English word.
Such extreme licentiousnesse is vtterly to be banished from our schoole,
and better it might haue bene borne with in old riming writers, bycause
they liued in a barbarous age, & were graue morall men but very homely
Poets, such also as made most of their workes by translation out of the
Latine and French toung, & few or none of their owne engine as may easely
be knowen to them that list to looke vpon the Poemes of both languages.
Finally as ye may ryme with wordes of all sortes, be they of many
sillables or few, so neuerthelesse is there a choise by which to make your
cadence (before remembred) most commendable, for some wordes of exceeding
great length, which haue bene fetched from the Latine inkhome or borrowed
of strangers, the vse of them in ryme is nothing pleasant, sauing
perchaunce to the common people, who reioyce much to be at playes and
enterludes, and besides their naturall ignoraunce, haue at all such times
their eares so attentiue to the matter, and their eyes vpon the shewes of
the stage, that they take little heede to the cunning of the rime, and
therefore be as well satisfied with that which is grosse, as with any
other finer and more delicate.
_Chap. IX._
_Of Concorde in long and short measures, and by neare or farre distaunces,
and which of them is most commendable_.
But this ye must obserue withall, that bycause your concords containe the
chief part of Musicke in your meetre, their distaunces may not be too wide
or farre asunder, lest th'eare should loose the tune, and be defrauded of
his delight, and whensoeuer ye see any maker vse large and extraordinary
distaunces, ye must thinke he doth intende to shew himselfe more
artificiall then popular, and yet therein is not to be discommended, for
respects that shalbe remembred in some other place of this booke.
Note also that rime or concorde is not commendably vsed both in the end
and middle of a verse, vnlesse it be in toyes and trifling Poesies, for it
sheweth a certaine lightnesse either of the matter or of the makers head,
albeit these common rimers vse it much, for as I sayd before, like as the
Symphonie in a versse of great length, is (as it were) lost by looking
after him, and yet may the meetre be very graue and stately: so on the
other side doth the ouer busie and too speedy returne of one maner of
tune, too much annoy & as it were glut the eare, vnlesse it be in small &
popular Musickes song by thesse _Cantabanqui_ vpon benches and barrels
heads where they haue none other audience then boys or countrey fellowes
that passse by them in the streete, or else by blind harpers or such like
tauerne minstrels that giue a fit of mirth for a groat, & their matters
being for the most part stories of old time, as the tale of Sir _Topas_,
the reportes of _Beuis_ of _Southampton, Guy_ of _Warwicke, Adam Bell_,
and _Clymme of the Clough_ & such other old Romances or historicall rimes,
made purposely for recreation of the common people at Christmasse diners &
brideales, and in tauernes & alehouses and such other places of base
resort, also they be vsed in Carols and rounds and such light or
lasciuious Poemes, which are commonly more commodiously vttered by these
buffons or vices in playes then by any other person. Such were the rimes
of _Skelton_ (vsurping the name of a Poet Laureat) being in deede but a
rude rayling rimer & all his doings ridiculous, he vsed both short
distaunces and short measures pleasing onely the popular eare: in our
courtly maker we banish them vtterly. Now also haue ye in euery song or
ditty concorde by compasse & concorde entertangled and a mixt of both,
what that is and how they be vsed shalbe declared in the chapter of
proportion by _scituation._
_CHAP. X_
_Of proportion by situation._
This proportion consisteth in placing of euery verse in a staffe or ditty
by such reasonable distaunces, as may best serue the eare for delight, and
also to shew the Poets art and variety of Musick, and the proportion is
double. One by marshalling the meetres, and limiting their distaunces
hauing regard to the rime or concorde how they go and returne: another by
placing euery verse, hauing a regard to his measure and quantitie onely,
and not to his concorde as to set one short meetre to three long, or foure
short and two long, or a short measure and a long, or of diuers lengthes
with relation one to another, which maner of _Situation_, euen without
respect of the rime, doth alter the nature of the Poesie, and make it
either lighter or grauer, or more merry, or mournfull, and many wayes
passionate to the eare and hart of the hearer, seeming for this point that
our maker by his measures and concordes of sundry proprotions doth
counterfait the harmonicall tunes of the vocall and instrumentall
Musickes. As the _Dorian_ because his falls, sallyes and compasse be
diuers from those of the _Phrigien_, the _Phrigien_ likewise from the
_Lydien_, and all three from the _Eolien, Miolidien_, and _Ionien_,
mounting and falling from note to note such as be to them peculiar, and
with more or lesse leasure or precipitation. Euen so by diuersitie of
placing and situation of your measures and concords, a short with a long,
and by narrow or wide distances, or thicker or thinner bestowing of them
your proportions differ, and breedeth a variable and strange harmonie not
onely in the eare, but also in the conceit of them that heare it, whereof
this may be an ocular example.
[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line three
and line two connected to line four.]
Scituation in Concord ---------- \
---------- ) \
---------- / )
---------- /
Scituation in Measure ------ ------------
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------------
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------
Where ye see the concord or rime in the third distance, and the measure in
the fourth, sixth or second distaunces, where of ye may deuise as many
others as ye list, so the staffe be able to beare it. And I set you downe
an occular example: because ye may the better conceiue it. Likewise it so
falleth out most times your ocular proportion doeth declare the nature of
the audible: for if it please the eare well, the fame represented by
delineation to the view pleaseth the eye well and _é conuerso:_ and this
is by a naturall _simpathie_, betweene the eare and the eye, and betweene
tunes & colours euen as there is the like betweene the other sences and
their obiects of which it apperteineth not here to speake. Now for the
distances vsually obserued in our vulgar Poesie, they be in the first
second third and fourth verse, or if the verse be very short in the fift
and sixt and in some maner of Musickes farre aboue.
And the first distance for the most part goeth all by _distick_ or couples
of verses agreeing in one cadence, and do passe so speedily away away and
so often returne agayne, as their tunes are neuer lost, nor out of the
eare, one couple supplying another so nye and so suddenly, and this is the
most vulgar proportion of distance or situation, such as vsed _Chaucer_ in
his Canterbury tales, and _Gower_ in all his workes.
[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line two
and line three connected to line four.]
Second distance is, when ye passe ouer one verse, and ioyne the first and
the third, and so continue on till an other like distance fall in, and
this is also usuall and common, as
[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line three
and line two connected to line four.]
Third distauce is, when your rime falleth vpon the first and fourth verse
ouerleaping two; this manner is not so common but pleasant and allowable
inough.
[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line four
and line two connected to line three.]
In which case the two verses ye leaue out are ready to receiue their
concordes by the same distaunce or any other ye like better.
The fourth distaunce is by ouerskipping three verses and lighting vpon the
fift, this manner is rare and more artificiall then popular, vnlesse it be
in some special case, as when the meetres be so little and short as they
make no shew of any great delay before they returne, ye shall haue example
of both.
[Illustration: two diagrams: the first of five lines with line 1
connected to line 5 and lines 2, 3, and 4 connected;
the second of ten lines with line 1 and 5 connected, lines 2 and 6
connected, lines 3 and 7 connected, lines 4 and 8 connected, lines 5 and 9
connected, and lines 8 and 10 connected.]
And these ten litle meeters make but one Decameter at length.
--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,
There be larger distances also, as when the first concord falleth upon the
sixt verse & is very pleasant if they be ioyned with other distances not
so large as
[Illustration: diagram of six lines with lines 1 and 6 connected,
line 2 and 5 connected, and lines 3 and 4 connected.]
There be also, of the seuenth, eight, tenth, and twefth distance, but then
they may not go thicke, but two or three such distances serue to
proportion a whole song, and all betweene must be of other lesse
distances, and these wide distaunces serue for coupling of slaues, or for
to declare high and passionate or graue matter, and also for art:
_Petrarch_ hath giuen us examples hereof in his _Canzoni_, and we by lines
of sundry lengths & and distances as followeth,
[Illustration: four diagrams: first of eight lines with lines 1 and 8
connected, 2 and 3 connected, 4 and 5 connected, and 6 and 7 connected;
second of ten lines with lines 1 and 10 connected, 2 and 4 connected, 3
and 5 connected, 5 and 7 connected, 6 and 8 connected and 7 and 9
connected;
third of twelve lines with lines 1 and 12 connected, 2 and 5 connected, 3
and 4 connected, and 6 and 9 connected, 7 and 8 connected, 9 and 12
connected, 10 and 11 connected;
fourth of thirteen lines with 1 and 13 connected, 2 and 5 connected, 3 and
4 connected, 6 and 9 connected, 7 and 8 connected, 10 and 13 connected,
and 11 and 12 connected.]
And all that can be obiected against this wide distance is to say that the
eare by loosing his concord is not satisfied. So is in deede the rude and
popular eare but not the learned, and therefore the Poet must know to
whose eare he maketh his rime, and accommodate himselfe thereto, and not
giue such musicke to the rude and barbarous, as he would to the learned
and delicate eare.
There is another sort of proportion used by _Petrarche_ called the
_Seizino_, not riming as other songs do, but by chusing sixe wordes out of
which all the whole dittie is made, euery of those sixe commencing and
ending his verse by course, which restraint to make the dittie sensible
will try the makers cunning, as thus.
--------------- )
( --------------- )
( --------------- )
( --------------- )
( --------------- )
( ---------------
Besides all this there is in _Situation_ of the concords two other
points, one that it go by plaine and cleere compasse not intangled:
another by enterweauing one with another by knots, or as it were
by band, which is more or lesse busie and curious, all as the maker
will double or redouble his rime or concords, and set his distances
farre or nigh, of all which I will giue you ocular examples, as thus.
[Illustration: two diagrams: Concord in Plaine compasse, has four lines
with 1 and 4 connected and 2 and 3 connected;
Concord in Entertangle, has alternating lines connected - 1 and 3, 2 and
4, 3 and 5, etc.]
And first in a _Quadreine_ there are but two proportions, for foure verses
in this last sort coupled, are but two _Disticks_, and not a staffe
_quadreine_ or of foure.
[Illustration: three diagrams of four lines each:
first, with lines 1 and 4 connected and lines 2 and 3 connected;
second, with lines 1 and 3 connected and lines 2 and 4 connected;
third, with lines 1 and 2 connected and lines 3 and 4 connected.]
The staffe of fiue hath seuen proportions, whereof some of them be harsher
and vnpleasaunter to the eare then other some be.
[Illustration: seven diagrams of five lines each:
first, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5;
second, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 4;
third, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 5, 3 with 4;
fourth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 5;
fifth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 3, 3 with 4;
sixth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 5;
seventh, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 4, 3 with 5.]
The _Sixaine_ or staffe of sixe hath ten proportions, whereof some be
vsuall, some not vsuall, and not so sweet one as another.
[Illustration: ten diagrams of six lines each:
first, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 5, 3 with 4;
second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 5 with 6;
third, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5;
fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 6;
fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 4, 3 with 5;
sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 3, 4 with 5;
seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 6, 3 with 4;
eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4;
ninth, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 5, 4 with 6;
tenth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2 and 4, 3 with 5 and 6.]
The staffe of seuen verses hath seuen proportions, whereof one onley is
the vsuall of our vulgar, and kept by our old Poets _Chaucer_ and other in
their historicall reports and other ditties: as in the last part of them
that follow next.
[Illustration: eight diagrams of seven lines each:
first, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 6, 5 with 7;
second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5, 6 with 7;
third, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 7, 5 with 6;
fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 6 and 7, 3 with 4 and 5;
fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 7, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5;
sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4 and 7;
seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 4 and 7, 2 with 3, 5 and 6;
eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 3 with 4 and 5, 6 with 7.]
The _huitain_ or staffe of eight verses, hath eight proportions such as
the former staffe, and is because he is longer, he hath one more then the
_sestaine_.
The staffe of nine verses hath yet moe then the eight, and the staffe of
ten more then the ninth and the twelfth, if such were allowable in
ditties, more then any of them all, by reason of his largenesse receiuing
moe compasses and enterweauings, alwayes considered that the very large
distances be more artificiall, then popularly pleasant, and yet do giue
great grace and grauitie, and moue passion and affections more vehemently,
as it is well to be obserued by _Petrarcha_ his _Canzoni_.
Now ye may perceiue by these proportions before described, that there is a
band to be giuen euery verse in a staffe, so as none fall out alone or
vncoupled, and this band maketh that the staffe is sayd fast and not
loose: euen as ye see in buildings of stone or bricke the mason giueth a
band, that is a length to two breadths, & vpon necessitie diuers other
sorts of bands to hold in the worke fast and maintaine the
perpendicularitie of the wall: so in any staffe of seuen or eight or more
verses, the coupling of the moe meeters by rime or concord, is the faster
band: the fewer the looser band, and therefore in a _huiteine_ he that
putteth foure verses in one concord and foure in another concord, and in a
_dizaine_ fiue, sheweth him selfe more cunning, and also more copious in
his owne language. For he that can find two words of concord, can not find
foure or fiue or sixe, vnlesse he haue his owne language at will.
Sometimes also ye are driuen of neccesitie to close and make band more
then ye would, lest otherwise the staffe should fall asunder and seeme two
staues: and this is in a staffe of eight and ten verses: whereas without a
band in the middle, it would seeme two _quadriens_ or two _quintaines_,
which is an error that many makers slide away with. Yet _Chaucer_ and
others in the staffe of seuen and sixe do almost as much a misse, for they
shut vp the staffe with a _disticke_, concording with none other verse
that went before, and maketh but a loose rime, and yet bycause of the
double cadence in the last two verses serue the eare well inough. And as
there is in euery staffe, band, giuen to the verses by concord more or
lesse busie: so is there in some cases a band giuen to euery staffe, and
that is by one whole verse running alone throughout the ditty or ballade,
either in the middle or end of euery staffe. The Greekes called such
vncoupled verse _Epimonie_, the Latines _Versus intercallaris_. Now
touching the situation of measures, there are as manie or more proportions
of them which I referre to the makers phantasie and choise, contented with
two or three ocular examples and no moe.
------- ---------- ---------- ------
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Which maner or proportion by situation of measures giueth more efficacie
to the matter oftentimes then the concords them selues, and both
proportions concurring together as they needes must, it is of much more
beautie and force to the hearers mind.