5 10 15 20 25 30 35

68. Le Dit de Loiauté Loiaulté d’amour, necte et pure, Clere, sans tache et sans laidure, N’a en luy fait ne demonstrance, Parler, regart ne contenance, Atrait, acueil ne couverture, Atour, devise ne brodure, Prise, don, signe ne semblance Pour donner a nullui esperance, Fors ung tout seul d’autre nature. La prent confort et nourriture, Joye, soulas et souffisance, Et toute mondaine plaisance. C’est celle par qui Amour dure. C’est Loiaulté qui, par droicture, Deffent Amour de varience Et la tient en sa grant puissance Fine, fort, ferme et seure, Et lui fait peser par mesure Tous sez fais en juste balance. Car Amours, qui a congnoissance, Sent et entent de sa nature Qu’est fauceté et mespriseure, Et puet mettre par sa science Sez faiz en loyal ordonnance, Si que aigait ne aventure Ne nul engin de creature Ne font a Loiauté nuysance, Tant soit de soubtil percevance. Et se la chose a faire est dure, Amours tresloiaument l’endure Pour monstrer foy et afiance, Mais non d’Amours est decepvance. C’est une tresfause pointure. Amour ne veult autre pasture Que droicte, loial gouvernance. C’est sa paix, c’est sa soustenance, C’est tout son bien, je le vous jure.

68. The Poem about Loyalty Loyalty in love, clean and pure, Bright, without stain and without blemish, Has not within it act or outward sign, Speech, look, or countenance, Attraction, welcome, or pretense, Ornament, emblem, or embroidery, Prize, gift, sign, or appearance In order to give hope to anyone, But just one thing of a different nature. There it takes comfort and sustenance, Joy, solace, and satisfaction And every worldly pleasure. It is that by which Love endures. It is Loyalty that, out of right, Protects Love from inconstancy And keeps it, in its great power, Pure, strong, firm, and secure, And causes all its actions to be weighed By measure in a true balance. For Love, which has understanding, Feels and understands by nature What is falsity and wrong, And with its knowledge, it can put Its deeds in loyal arrangement, So that neither ruse nor chance Nor any device of any creature Does any harm to Loyalty, So subtle is its perception. And if the thing is hard to do, Love very loyally endures it In order to demonstrate faith and commitment, But deceit does not belong to Love. It is a most false wound. Love does not want any other nurturing But proper, loyal governance. That is its peace; that is its sustenance, That is all its good, I swear to you.

(see note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)