The ordinary native alliterative metre was founded, as we have seen, on the principle that four accented syllables had to occur in each long line, together with an undefined number of unaccented ones, the position and order of those different syllables admitting many variations. The new metres constructed on foreign models during the Middle English period differ from the earlier rhythmic forms by the regularity of the alternation of unaccented and accented syllables and by the uniformity of their feet or measures; they are accordingly styled even-measured or even-beat verses.
Four different kinds are to be distinguished, viz. ascending and descending disyllabic measures, and ascending and descending trisyllabic measures, commonly called _iambic_, _trochaic_, _anapaestic_, and _dactylic_ measures. In Middle English poetry, however, only iambic rhythms were used. The three other kinds of rhythms did not come in till the beginning of the Modern English period.
With regard to the development of various even-measured rhythms from these four different kinds of feet, it will suffice to consider the iambic and trochaic metres only, as these are the most important, and the formation of the anapaestic and the dactylic metres is to be explained in the same way.
§ =77.= According to the number of feet we may classify =the different kinds of line=--retaining the classical nomenclature--as dimeters, trimeters, tetrameters, &c.; (one meter always consisting of _two_ iambic or trochaic, or anapaestic feet), so that, for instance, an iambic tetrameter contains eight iambic feet. Lines or rhythmical sections consisting of complete feet, i.e. of an equal number of accented and unaccented syllables, are called _acatalectic_ or _complete_ lines (dimeters, trimeters, &c.). If, however, the last foot of a line or of a rhythmical section be characterized by the omission of the last syllable, i.e. by a pause, the line is called _catalectic_ or _incomplete_. The following examples will serve to illustrate the meaning of these terms:
_Y spéke óf Ihésu, Márie sóne, | of álle Kínges hé is flóur, Þat súffred déþ for ál man-kín, | he ís our álder créatóur._ Seynt Katerine, i. ll. 89-92.[123]
_Come lísten tó my móurnful tále, | ye ténder héarts and lovers déar; Nor wíll you scórn to héave a sígh, | nor wíll you blúsh to shéd a téar._ Shenstone, Jenny Dawson.