II.

Certes, Amours, c'est chose convenable 25 Que voz grans biens [vous] faciez comparer: Veillier ou lit et jeuner a la table, Rire plourant et en plaignant chanter,

<< And doun to caste visage and loking, Often to chaungen hewe and contenaunce, 30 Pleyne in sleping, and dremen at the daunce, Al the revers of any glad feling.

Ialousye be hanged by a cable! She wolde al knowe through hir espying; Ther doth no wight no-thing so resonable, 35 That al nis harm in hir imagening. Thus dere abought is love in yeving, Which ofte he yiveth with-outen ordinaunce, As sorow ynogh, and litel of plesaunce, Al the revers of any glad feling. 40

A litel tyme his yift is agreable, But ful encomberous is the using; For sotel Ialousye, the deceyvable, Ful often-tyme causeth destourbing.

>> Baissier les yeux quant on doit regarder, Souvent changier couleur et contenance, 30 Plaindre en dormant et songier a la dance Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver.

Jalousie, c'est l'amer du deable; Elle vuelt tout veoir et escouter, Ne nulz ne fait chose si raisonnable 35 Que tout a mal ne le vueille tourner. Amours, ainsi fault voz dons acheter, Et vous donnez souvent sanz ordonnance Assez douleur et petit de plaisance, Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver. 40

Pour un court temps le gieu est agreable; Mais trop par est encombreux a user. Et, ja soit il a dames honnorable, A leurs amis est trop grief a porter.

<< Thus be we ever in drede and suffering, 45 In nouncerteyn we languisshe in penaunce, And han ful often many an hard meschaunce, Al the revers of any glad feling.

III. (_Satisfaction in Constancy._)

But certes, Love, I sey nat in such wyse That for tescape out of your lace I mente; 50 For I so longe have been in your servyse That for to lete of wol I never assente; No force thogh Ialousye me tormente; Suffyceth me to see him whan I may, And therfore certes, to myn ending-day 55 To love him best ne shal I never repente.

And certes, Love, whan I me wel avyse On any estat that man may represente, Than have ye maked me, through your franchyse, Chese the best that ever on erthe wente. 60

>> Toudiz convient souffrir et endurer, 45 Sans nul certain languir en esperance, Et recevoir mainte male meschance, Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver.