Xix. Transition Period

_Examples from the Scottish Poets._

(_a_) Barbour (regular octosyllables):

The kyng | toward | the vod | is gane, Wery, | for-swat and vill | of vayn; Intill | the wod | soyn en|terit he, And held | doun to|ward a | valè, Quhar throu | the vod | a vat|tir ran. Thiddir | in gret | hy went | he than, And | begouth | to rest | hym thair, And said | he mycht | no for|thirmair.

(_One_ "acephalous" line.)

(_b_) Wyntoun (octosyllables somewhat freer):

Thir sev|yn kyng|is reg|nand were A hun|der ful|l_y and for_|ty year, And fra | thir kyng|is thus | can cess In Ro|me thai che|_sit twa con_|sulès.

(IV. ii. 157-160.)

(_c_) Blind Harry (regular decasyllables on French model):

Than Wal|lace socht | quhar his | wncle suld be; In a | dyrk cawe | he was | set|dul|fullè, Quhar wat|ter stud, | and he | in yrn|yss strang. Wallace | full sone | the brass|is wp | he dang; Off that | myrk holl | brocht him | with strenth | and lyst, Bot noyis | he hard, | off no|thing ellis | he wyst. So blyth | befor | in warld | he had | nocht beyn, As thair | with sycht, | quhen he | had Wal|lace seyn.

(_d_) James I. (rhyme-royal):

For wak|it and | for-wal|owit, thus | musing, Wery | forlain | I list|enyt sod|dynlye, And sone | I herd | the bell | to ma|tyns ryng, And up | I rase, | no lon|ger wald | I lye: Bot soon, | how trow|e ye? Suich | a fan|tasye Fell me | to mynd | that ay | me thoght | the bell Said to | me, "Tell | on, man, | what the | befell."

(_e_) Henryson (ballad measure; slight anapæstic substitution):

Makyne, | the night | is soft | and dry, The wed|_dir is warm_ | and fair, _And the gre_|nè wuid | richt neir | us by To walk | out on | all quhair: Thair ma | na jan|gloor us | espy, That is | to lufe | contrair, Thairin, | Makyne, | bath ye | and I Unseen | we ma | repair.

Those who deny the valued _e_ in "grenè," as not Scots, may refuse the second instance of trisyllabic feet, but the first will remain.

(_f_) Dunbar (alliterative):

I saw thre gay ladeis sit in ane grein arbeir, All grathit into garlandis of fresche gudelie flouris; So glitterit as the gold wer thair glorius gilt tressis, Quhill all the gressis did gleme of the glaid hewis; Kemmit was thair cleir hair, and curiouslie sched Attour thair schulderis doun schyre, schyning full bricht.

Dunbar (dimeter iambic quatrains with refrain, and much anapæstic substitution):

Come ne|vir yet May | so fresch|e and grene, Bot Jan|uar come | als wud and kene-- Wes nev|ir sic drowth | bot anis | come raine, _All erd_|_ly joy_ | _returnis_ | _in pane_.

(_g_) Alexander Scott (stanzas):

It cumis | yow luv|aris to | be laill, Of bo|dy, hairt | and mynd | al haill, And though | ye with | year la|dyis daill-- Ressoun; Bot and | your faith | and law|ty faill-- Tressoun! . . . . . . . Be land | or se, Quhaur ev|ir I be, As ye | fynd me, So tak | me; And gif | I le, And from | yow fle, Ay quhill | I de Forsaik | me!

(_h_) Montgomerie (_Cherry and Slae_ stanza):

About | ane bank | quhair birdis | on bewis Ten thou|sand tymis | thair notis | renewis Ilke houre | into | the day, The merle | and ma|ueis micht | be sene, The Prog|ne and | the Phel|omene, Quhilk caus|sit me | to stay. I lay | and leynit | me to | ane bus To heir | the bir|dis beir; Thair mirth | was sa | melo|dious Throw na|ture of | the yeir; Sum sing|ing, || some spring|ing With wingis | into | the sky, So trim|lie, || and nim|lie, Thir birdis | they flew | me by.