The rhythm of this alliterative-rhyming metre may first be illustrated by the opening lines of _Golagras and Gawane_:
_In the =t=ýme of Árthur, | as =t=réw men me =t=áld, The king =t=úrnit on ane =t=ýde | =t=ówart =T=úskane, Hym to =s=éik our the =s=éy, | that =s=áiklese wes =s=áld, The =s=ýre that =s=èndis all =s=éill, | =s=úthly to =s=áne; With =b=ánrentes, =b=árounis, | and =b=érnis full =b=áld, =B=ìggast of =b=áne and =b=lúde | =b=réd in =B=rítàne. Thei =w=álit out =w=érryouris | with =w=ápinnis to =w=áld, The =g=àyest =g=rúmys on =g=rúnd, | with =g=éir that myght =g=áne; =D=úkis and =d=ígne lòrdis, | =d=óuchty and =d=éir, =S=émbillit to his =s=úmmòvne, =R=énkis of grete =r=énòvne, =C=ùmly =k=íngis with =c=róvne Of góld that wes cléir._
_Thus the =r=óyale can remóve, | with his =R=óund Tábill, Of all =r=íches maist =r=íke, | in =r=íall a=rr=áy. Wes neuer =f=úndun on =f=óld, | but =f=én[gh]eing or =f=ábill, Ane =f=àyrar =f=lóure on ane =f=éild | of =f=résche men, in fáy;_ &c.
Lines like the four last quoted illustrate the normal structure of the rhyming-alliterative verse, especially the relationship of rhyme and alliteration to each other in monosyllabic and disyllabic words. It will be seen that the rhyming syllable, as a rule the root-syllable, or at least the accented syllable of the word, at the same time carries the fourth accent of the line, and in consequence the fourth alliterative sound. In all other respects the rhymed-alliterative verse is structurally similar to that without rhyme, and it is therefore evident that rhyme exercises no decisive influence on the rhythm of the verse. In this comparatively pure form--if we do not take into account the secondary accents occurring in the first hemistichs of the stanza in the later poem--are written the great majority of the lines in the earliest of poems mentioned above, viz. _The Awntyrs off Arthure_.
§ =62.= The relation, however, between rhyme and alliteration and consequently the relation of the rhythmic accentuation of the words to their natural accentuation is less clear in the first stanza quoted above. The following verses rhyming together may serve to elucidate this:
_Than schir =G=áwyne the =g=áy, | =g=úde and =g=ráciùs.... =J=óly and =g=éntill, | and full =ch=éuailrús._ Gol. 389, 391.