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In A Discourse of Englishe Poetrie (1586), William Webbe dismisses “the vncountable rabble of ryming Ballet makers and compylers of sencelesse sonets” whose only claim to the name of poet is a “iust number of sillables, eyght in one line, sixe in an other, and there withall an A to make a iercke in the end” (ECE 1:246–47). Several years ago, I convinced myself that "an A" was the a-rhyme in a stanza. Now I am not so sure. Can anyone confirm, debunk, or replace this hypothesis? -- Dr. David Wilson-Okamura http://virgil.org [log in to unmask] English Department Virgil reception, discussion, documents, &c East Carolina University Sparsa et neglecta coegi. -- Claude Fauchet