[16] For Sievers's analysis of Anglo-Saxon verse into these types, see
his articles in Paul and Braune's _Beiträge_, vols. x. and xii.; and the
brief statement in the Appendix to Bright's _Anglo-Saxon Reader_, from
which the examples just quoted are taken.
[17] The term "tumbling verse," used for obvious reasons, appears at
least as early as 1585, when King James, in his _Reulis and Cautelis_
for Scotch Poetry, said: "For flyting, or Invectives, use this kynde of
verse following, callit Rouncefallis, or Tumbling verse:
'In the hinder end of harvest upon Alhallow ene, Quhen our gude
nichtbors rydis (nou gif I reid richt) Some bucklit on a benwod, and
some on a bene, Ay trott and into troupes fra the twylicht.'"
And again: "Ye man observe that thir Tumbling verse flowis not on that
fassoun, as utheris dois. For all utheris keipis the reule quhilk I gave
before, To wit, the first fute short the secound lang, and sa furth.
Quhair as thir hes twa short, and ane lang throuch all the lyne, quhen
they keip ordour: albeit the maist part of thame be out of ordour, and
keipis na kynde nor reule of Flowing, and for that cause are callit
Tumbling verse."
(Arber Reprint, pp. 68, 63, 64.)
See further on the persistent use of this rough measure in English, side
by side with the more regular syllable-counting verse, Schipper's
observations and examples in the _Grundriss der Englische Metrik_, pp.
109 ff. As a modern example Schipper cites one of Thackeray's ballads:
"This Mary was pore and in misery once, And she came to Mrs. Roney it's
more than twelve monce. She adn't got no bed, nor no dinner nor no tea,
And kind Mrs. Roney gave Mary all three."
[18] This poem of Robert Manning's was a translation of a Norman French
work, Waddington's _Manuel des Pechiez_. The following is the original
of the passage here reproduced:
"Si vus unques par folye Entremeissez de nigremancie, Ou feites al
deable sacrifise, Ou enchantement par fol aprise; Ou, a gent de tiel
mester Ren donastes pur lur jugler, Ou pur demander la verite De chose
qe vous fut a dire,-- Fet avez apertement Encuntre ceo commandement; Ceo
est grant mescreaunceie, Duter de ceo, ne devez mie."
(Furnivall ed. of Manning, p. 12. ll. 1078-1089.)