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“That, by our Lady, may not be,

Love’s liegeman sworn am I, and he

Ruleth my heart. Yet do I writhe

Thereunder, and were fain and blithe

To cast his yoke, if shown the way.”

“Then, by my head! will I essay

To teach thee. If thy heart doth yearn

For knowledge, thou mayst clearly learn

From me a thing by no means clear,

And thou, though ignorant, shalt hear

And know such matters as no man

Hath heard or dreamed of since began

The sun his rounds. This thing alone

I know for certain: if some one

His heart hath given to Love, there is,

To end his miseries, nought but this—

To fly. Now will I loose the knot

Which thou hast found drawn tight, I wot.

Give then thy most attentive ear,

And learn Love’s good and evil cheer:

Love oftentimes is amorous hate,

And hating, most affectionate,

Disloyal loyalty past reason,

And loyalty that nurseth treason,

’Tis craven fear, as lion bold,

’Tis ardent hope, all deadly cold,