Page:The Mediaeval Mind Vol 1.djvu/598

576 in love matters of Marie de Champagne, and other great ladies. His book contains a number of curious questions which had been laid before one or the other of those reigning dames, and which they solved boldly in love's favour. Thus on solicitation Countess Marie decided that there could be no true love between a husband and wife; and that the possession of an honoured husband or beautiful wife did not bar the proffer or acceptance of love from another. The living literature of love was never constrained by the foolishness of the first proposition, but was freely to exemplify the further conclusion which others besides the countess drew.

Andrew gives a code of love's rules. He would have no one think that he composed them; but that he saw them written on a parchment attached to the hawk's perch, and won at Arthur's Court by the valour of a certain Breton knight. They read like proverbs, and undoubtedly represent the ideas of courtly society upon courtly love. There are thirty-one of them—for example: (1) Marriage is not a good excuse for rejecting love. (2) Who does not conceal, cannot love. (3) None can love two at once. There is no reason why a woman should not be loved by two men, or a man by two women. (4) It is love's way always to increase or lessen. (9) None can love except one who is moved by love's suasion. (12) The true lover has no desire to embrace anyone except his (or her) co-lover (co-amans). (13) Love when published rarely endures. (14) Easy winning makes love despicable; the difficult is held dear. (15) Every lover turns pale in the sight of the co-lover. (16) The lover's heart trembles at the sudden sight of the co-lover. (18) Prowess (probitas) alone makes one worthy of love. (20) The lover is always fearful. (23) The one whom the thought of love disturbs, eats and sleeps little. (25) The true lover finds happiness only in what he deems will please his co-lover. (28) A slight fault in the lover awakens the co-lover's suspicion. (30) The true lover constantly, without intermission, is engrossed with the image of the co-lover.

These rules were exemplified in the imaginative