Note 1112 — THE Old Wiues Tale.
Reading edition
Used by Chaucer to describe the "hunting of the letter," in his day still a normal rule of verse, particularly in the north of England (Prologue to the "Persone's Tale"):—
"But trusteth wel, I am a suthern man, I can not geste rum, ram, ruf, by letter...."
Professor Skeat (Notes to C.T., p. 446) thinks Peele has Chaucer in mind, and shows that the latter probably borrowed the words "from some French source."