It has never to my knowledge been sufficiently noticed that Shakespeare makes occasional use of the seven-foot verse of Golding's Ovid and Phaer's Virgil, works in which it is evident he was extremely well-read. Such are the following lines:—
For often have you writ to her, and she in modesty,
Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply;
Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind discover,
Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto her lover.—Two Gent. ii. 1.
A cherry-lip, a bonny eye, a passing-pleasing tongue.
Rich. III. i. 1.
My visor is Philemon's roof; within the house is Jove.—
Why then your visor should be thatch'd.—