Xxiii. Examples Of Elizabethan Lyric

(a) Prae-Spenserian:

Not light | of love, la|dy, Though fan|cy do prick | thee, Let con|stancy | possess | thy heart: Well wor|thy of blam|yng They be | and defam|ing, From plight|ed troth | which back | do start. Dear dame! Then fick|leness ban|ish And fol|ly extin|guish, Be skil|ful in guid|ing, And stay | thee from slid|ing, And stay | thee, And stay | thee!

(Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions (1578).)

(Anapæstic substitution (if not definite anapæstic base) arising doubtless rather from tune than from deliberate prosodic purpose; but quite prosodically correct, and sure to propagate itself.)

(b) Post-Spenserian:

My bon|ny lass, | thine eye, So sly Hath made | me sor|row so-- Thy crim|son cheeks, | my dear, So clear, Have so | much wrought | my woe,

(Phœnix Nest (1593).)

(Pure iambics; effect produced by short "bob" rhymes.)

(c) Ben Jonson (strict common measure):

Drīnk tŏ | me on|ly with | thine eyes And I | will pledge | with mine; Or leave | a kiss | but in | the cup And I'll | not look | for wine. The thirst | that from | the soul | doth rise Doth ask | a drink | divine; But might | I of | Jōve's nēc|tar sip, I would | not change | for thine.

(As mostly with Ben, strict iambics, save for the opening trochee, and something like a spondee in "Jove's nec-." The wonderful effect which he, or Donne, or the Spirit of the Age, taught to the next two generations is produced entirely by careful choice and fingering of the words and rhymes.)

(d) Ben Jonson (anapæstic measure):

See the cha|riot at hand | here of Love! Wherein | my La|dy rid|eth. Each that draws | is a swan | or a dove, And well | the car | Love guid|eth. As she goes, | all hearts | do du|ty Unto | her beau|ty; And enam|oured do wish, | so they might But enjoy | such a sight, That they still | were to run | by her side Th[o]rough ponds, | th[o]rough seas, | whither she | would ride.

("Through," as often, is probably to be valued "thorough," and "chariot" was generally "chawyot" or "charret." It will be observed that although this is fine it is slightly laboured. The age was hardly at ease with the anapæst as yet.)

(e) Campion (selections):

{ English Fōllŏw, | fōllŏw, { anacreontic. Though with | mischief { Armed like | whirlwind { How she | flies still. { { English Constant | to none, | but ev|er false | to me, (1) { elegiac. Traitor | still to | love through thy | false Classical { desires, { Not hope | of pit|y now, |nor vain | redress, { Turns my | grief to | tears and { re|newed la|ments. { { English Rose-|cheeked Lau|ra, come; { iambic. Sing | thou smooth|ly with | thy beauty's { Sil|ent mu|sic, ei|ther other { Sweet|ly gracing.

{ Fōllŏw thȳ făir sūn, ŭnhāppy̆ shādŏw! { Thŏugh thōu | bĕ blāck ăs nīght, { And she | made all | of light, { Yet fol|low thy | fair sun,| unhap|py shadow! (2) { Natural { Break now,| my heart, | and die! | O no, | she may | relent-- { Let my | despair | prevail! O stay, | hope is | not spent. { Should she | now fix | one smile | on thee, | where were | { despair? { The loss | is but ea|sy which smiles | can repair; { A stran|ger would please | thee, if she | were as fair.

The student should require little assistance here, odd as some of the rhythms may seem. But "Rose-cheeked Laura" ought to be trochaically scanned, and will then be naturally "English." Nothing can make the "English elegiac" harmonious. Note that line 3 of "Break now" may be anapæstic like 4 and 5:

Shŏuld shĕ nōw | fĭx ŏne smīle, etc.