s there is the like betweene the other sences and
their obiects of which it apperteineth not here to speake. Now for the
distances vsually obserued in our vulgar Poesie, they be in the first
second third and fourth verse, or if the verse be very short in the fift
and sixt and in some maner of Musickes farre aboue.

And the first distance for the most part goeth all by _distick_ or couples
of verses agreeing in one cadence, and do passe so speedily away away and
so often returne agayne, as their tunes are neuer lost, nor out of the
eare, one couple supplying another so nye and so suddenly, and this is the
most vulgar proportion of distance or situation, such as vsed _Chaucer_ in
his Canterbury tales, and _Gower_ in all his workes.

[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line two
and line three connected to line four.]

Second distance is, when ye passe ouer one verse, and ioyne the first and
the third, and so continue on till an other like distance fall in, and
this is also usuall and common, as

[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line three
and line two connected to line four.]

Third distauce is, when your rime falleth vpon the first and fourth verse
ouerleaping two; this manner is not so common but pleasant and allowable
inough.

[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line four
and line two connected to line three.]

In which case the two verses ye leaue out are ready to receiue their
concordes by the same distaunce or any other ye like better.

The fourth distaunce is by ouerskipping three verses and lighting vpon the
fift, this manner is rare and more artificiall then popular, vnlesse it be
in some special case, as when the meetres be so little and short as they
make no shew of any great delay before they returne, ye shall haue example
of both.

[Illustration: two diagrams: the first of five lines with line 1
connected to line 5 and lines 2, 3, and 4 connected;
the second of ten lines with line 1 and 5 connected, lines 2 and 6
connected, lines 3 and 7 connected, lines 4 and 8 connected, lines 5 and 9
connected, and lines 8 and 10 connected.]

And these ten litle meeters make but one Decameter at length.

--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,

There be larger distances also, as when the first concord falleth upon the
sixt verse & is very pleasant if they be ioyned with other distances not
so large as

[Illustration: diagram of s