The first is a good spondeus, the second a
good iambus, and if the same wordes be broken
thus it is not so pleasant.
I`n e-x tre-ame de` sire
And yet the first makes a iambus, and the second
a trocheus ech sillable retayning still his
former quantities. And alwaies ye must haue regard
to the sweetenes of the meetre, so as if your word
polysillable would not sound pleasantly whole,
ye should for the nonce breake him, which ye may easily
doo by inserting here and there one monosillable
among your polysillables, or by changing your
word into another place then where he soundes vnpleasantly,
and by breaking, turne a trocheus to a iambus,
or contrariwise: as thus:
Ho-llo`w va-lle`is u-nde`r hi-e`st
mou-ntai`nes
Cra-ggi`e cli-ffes bri`ng foo-rth the`
fai-re`st fou-ntai`nes
These verses be trochaik, and in mine eare
not so sweete and harmonicall
as the iambicque, thus:
The` ho-llo`wst va-ls li`e u-nde`r
hi-e`st mo-unta-ines
The` cra-ggi`st clifs bri-ng fo-rth the`
fai-re`st fou-nta-ines.
All which verses bee now become iambicque by
breaking the first
bissillables, and yet alters not their quantities
though the feete be
altered: and thus,
Restlesse is the heart in his desires
Rauing after that reason doth denie.
Which being turned thus makes a new harmonie.
The restlesse heart, renues his old
desires
Ay rauing after that reason doth it deny.
And following this obseruation your meetres being
builded with polysillables will fall diuersly
out, that is some to be spondaick, some iambick,
others dactilick, others trochaick, and
of one mingled with another, as in this verse.
He-aui`e I-s the` bu-rde`n of Pri`nce`s
i-re
The verse is trochaick, but being altered thus,
is iambicque.
Fu`ll he-aui`e i-s the` pa-ise o`f
Pri-nce`s i-re
And as Sir Thomas Wiat song in a verse wholly
trochaick, because the
wordes do best shape to that foote by their naturall
accent, thus,
Fa-rewe`ll lo-ue a`nd a-ll thi`e la-wes
fo`r e-ve`r
And in this ditty of th’Erle of Surries, passing
sweete and harmonicall:
all be Iambick.
When raging loue with extreme paine
So cruell doth straine my hart,
And that the teares like fluds of raine
Beare witnesse of my wofull smart.
Which beyng disposed otherwise or not broken, would proue all trochaick, but nothing pleasant.
Now furthermore ye are to note, that al monosyllables
may receiue the sharp accent, but not so aptly one
as another, as in this verse where they serue well
to make him iambicque, but not trochaick.
Go`d grau-nt thi`s pea-ce ma`y lo-ng
e`ndu-re


