IX. In the Drama of St. Meriasek there are no less than ten classes of stanza, counting by the number of lines to the stanza, and these may be considerably multiplied by alternating or mixing seven-syllabled with four-syllabled lines in various orders, and by varying the number of sets of rhymes to a stanza and the order of those rhymes. Perhaps one of the most elaborated (1. 168–180) will serve as a specimen. It is a thirteen-lined stanza of twelve seven-syllabled lines, and one (the ninth) four-syllabled line, with four sets of rhymes, rhyming A B A B A B A B C [four syllables] D D D C.
Gelwys ydhof Conany, | Called am I Conan, |
My tern yn Bryton Vyan; | King in Little Britain; |
Han gulascor pur yredy | And the kingdom very readily |
Me a beu ol yn tyan. | I own all entirely. |
Der avys ou arlydhy | Through the advice of my lords |
Mones y fannaf lemman | I will go now |
The Duk pen a chevalry, | To the Duke the chief of knighthood. |
Nesse dhymmo yn certan | Second to me certainly |
Par del yu ef | Like as he is. |
Yma maryag galosek | There is a mighty marriage |
Cowsys dhyn rag Meryasek | Spoken to us for Meriasek |
Mergh dhe vyghtern gal-losek, | Of the daughter to a mighty king, |
Nynses brassayn dan nef. | There is not a greater under heaven. |
It is evident that by varying the number of lines and rhymes to a stanza, varying the distribution of the rhymes, and mixing lines of different length, an almost