A History of English Versification

by J. Schipper

In Modern English verse the absence of a thesis between two accented syllables sometimes arises from phonetic conditions, i.e. from the pause which naturally takes place between two words which it is difficult to pronounce successively. This pause supplies the place of the missing thesis, as e.g. in the following lines:

And fírst cléns us fróm the fíend. Townl. Myst. p. 9.

An óld témple there stánds, | whereás some tíme.

Surrey, p. 142.

And scórn the Stóry | thát the Kníght tóld. Wyatt, p. 192.

In other instances the emphasis laid upon a particular word compensates for the absence of the unaccented syllable, especially, if the accented syllable is long: e.g.

And thóu, Fáther, | recéive intó thy hánds. Surrey, p. 142.

Júst as you léft them | áll prísoners, sír. Shak. Temp. V. i. 8.

My ówn lóve, | my ónly déar. Moore.

Mórning, évening, | nóon and night