is of nine verses, rare but very graue. The seuenth proportion is of tenne
verses, very stately, but in many mens opinion too long: neuerthelesse of
very good grace & much grauitie. Of eleuen and twelue I find none ordinary
staues vsed in any vulgar language, neither doth it serue well to continue
any historicall report or ballade, or other song: but is a dittie of it
self, and no staffe, yet some moderne writers haue vsed it but very
seldome. Then last of all haue ye a proportion to be vsed in the number of
your staues, as to a caroll and a ballade, to a song, & a round, or
virelay. For to an historicall poeme no certain number is limited, but as
the matter fals out: also a _distick_ or couple of verses is not to be
accompted a staffe, but serues for a continuance as we see in Elegie,
Epitaph, Epigramme or such meetres, of plaine concord not harmonically
entertangled, as some other songs of more delicate musick be.

A staffe of foure verses containeth in it selfe matter sufficient to make
a full periode or complement of sence, though it doe not alwayes so, and
therefore may go by diuisions.

A staffe of fiue verses, is not much vsed because he that can not
comprehend his periode in foure verses, will rather driue it into six then
leaue it in fiue, for that the euen number is more agreeable to the eare
then the odde is.

A staffe of sixe verses, is very pleasant to the eare, and also serueth
for a greater complement then the inferiour staues, which maketh him more
commonly to be vsed.

A staffe of seuen verses, most vsuall with our auncient makers, also the
staffe of eight, nine and ten of larger complement then the rest, are
onely vsed by the later makers, & vnlesse they go with very good bande, do