Verse Forms - the Ballade (Eight-Line Stanza)

The Ballade (Eight-Line Stanza)

Basic features & history of the verse form:

Number of lines	28
Structure / divisions	Three eight-line stanzas followed by an envoi of four lines
Rhyme scheme	ababbcbC / ababbcbC / ababbcbC Envoi: bcbC
Meter	Usually iambic tetrameter or iambic pentameter
Refrain line or lines	Yes — refrain lines are designated by C; these lines rhyme with c lines
Time / place of origin	Late 13th / early 14th-century France (envoi was added only in the late 14th century)
Medieval / Renaissance poets associated with this form	Francois Villon
Examples written in English by or before —	15th century (unknown author of poem found in Ms. Arundel 26)

An example of a ballade (eight-line stanza):

Balade Coulourd and Reuersid
by an unknown 15th-century poet

1 (a) Honour and beaute, vertue and gentilnesse,

2 (b) Noblesse and bounte of great valure,

3 (a) fygure playsant with coulour and fressheness

4 (b) Witnesse prudent, with connyng and norture,

5 (b) Humblesse with contynaunce demure,

6 (c) Plente of this have ye, lo souuerayn,

7 (b) Expresse soo youe fourmyd hath nature,

8 (C) Pyte savyng, ye want no thyng certayne.

9 (a) Creature noon hath more goodlynesse

10 (b) Goodenesse grete, so wred yow hath vre

11 (a) feture and shap of faire lucresse,

12 (b) Mekeness of Tesbe, as voide of all rigure,

13 (b) frendelyness of mede, port of geynure,

14 (c) Pennolope of hestis, true and playne,

15 (b) Alcesse of Bounte lo, thus ar ye sure,

16 (C) Pite savyng, ye want no thyng certayne.

17 (a) Endure me doth, lo, payne and hevynesse,

18 (b) Distresse and thought with trouble and Langour,

19 (a) Vusure stondying of socour and Relesse;

20 (b) Maistres and lady, trustyng you of cure,

21 (b) Witnesse of God, I gre myn aduenture,

22 (c) Parde is falle me what joy or what payne.

23 (b) Gladness or woo, thus I you ensure,

24  (C)  Pytte savying ye want no thyng certeyn.

[Lenvoye]

25 (b) Prynce[sse] I you beseche this rude meture

26 (c) Ye not disdayne, behold with eyen tweyn,

27 (b) Witnesse though I doo in this scripture,

28 (C) Pite Savyng ye want no thyng certeyne.

A Brief Guide to Some Medieval and Renaissance Verse Forms