In þe fórmest yére, | that he fírst réigned. Als. 40.
Þénne gonne I méeten | a mérvelous svévene.P. P. Prol. 11.
I had mínde on my slépe | by méting of swéuen.Als. 969.
And fónd as þe méssageres | hade múnged befóre.W. 4847.
Irregularities, however, in the position of the alliteration are frequently met with, e.g. parallel alliteration: a a, b b:
What þis móuntein beméneþ | and þis dérke dále. P. P. i. 1;
or the chief alliterative sound (the ‘head-stave’) may be placed in the last accented syllable (a a x a):
‘Now be Críst,’ quod the kíng, | ‘ȝif I míhte chácche. ib. ii. 167;
or it may be wanting entirely, especially in William of Palerne:
Sche kólled it ful kíndly | and áskes is náme. W. 69;