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[As was] an arowe, of which I tolde.
Ful wel [y]-thewed was she holde;
Ne she was derk ne broun, but bright,
And cleer as [is] the mone-light, 1010

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Li uns des arcs qui fu hideus,
Et plains de neus, et eschardeus;
Il devoit bien tiex floiches traire,
Car el erent force et contraire 980
As autres cinq floiches sans doute.
Mes ne dire pas ore toute
Lor forces, ne lor poestes.
Bien vous sera la verites
Contee, et la senefiance
Nel'metre mie en obliance;
Ains vous dirai que tout ce monte,
Aincois que je fine mon conte.
Or revendrai a ma parole:
Des nobles gens de la karole 990
M'estuet dire les contenances,
Et les facons et les semblances.
Li Diex d'Amors se fu bien pris
A une dame de haut pris,
Et delez lui iert ajoustes:
Icele dame ot non Biautes,
Ainsinc cum une des cinq fleches.
En li ot maintes bonnes teches:
El ne fu oscure, ne brune,
Ains fu clere comme la lune, 1000

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Ageyn whom alle the sterres semen
But smale candels, as we demen.
Hir flesh was tendre as dewe of flour,
Hir chere was simple as byrde in bour;
As whyt as lilie or rose in rys, 1015
Hir face gentil and tretys.
Fetys she was, and smal to see;
No windred browes hadde she,
Ne popped hir, for it neded nought
To windre hir, or to peynte hir ought. 1020
Hir tresses yelowe, and longe straughten,
Unto hir heles doun they raughten:
Hir nose, hir mouth, and eye and cheke
Wel wrought, and al the remenaunt eke.
A ful gret savour and a swote 1025
Me thinketh in myn herte rote,
As helpe me god, whan I remembre
Of the fasoun of every membre!
In world is noon so fair a wight;
For yong she was, and hewed bright, 1030
[Wys], plesaunt, and fetys withalle,
Gente, and in hir middel smalle.
Bisyde Beaute yede RICHESSE, RICHESSE.
An high lady of greet noblesse,

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Envers qui les autres estoiles
Resemblent petites chandoiles.
Tendre ot la char comme rousee,
Simple fu cum une espousee,
Et blanche comme flor de lis;
Si ot le vis cler et alis,
Et fu greslete et alignie;
Ne fu fardee ne guignie:
Car el n'avoit mie mestier
De soi tifer ne d'afetier.
1010
Les cheveus ot blons et si lons
Qu'il li batoient as talons;
Nez ot bien fait, et yelx et bouche.
Moult grant doucor au cuer me touche,
Si m'aist Diex, quant il me membre
De la facon de chascun membre
Qu'il n'ot si bele fame ou monde.
Briement el fu jonete et blonde,
Sade, plaisant, aperte et cointe,
Grassete et grele, gente et jointe. 1020
Pres de Biaute se tint Richece,
Une dame de grant hautece,

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And greet of prys in every place. 1035
But who-so durste to hir trespace,
Or til hir folk, in worde or dede,
He were ful hardy, out of drede;
For bothe she helpe and hindre may:
And that is nought of yisterday 1040
That riche folk have ful gret might
To helpe, and eek to greve a wight.
The beste and grettest of valour
Diden Richesse ful gret honour,
And besy weren hir to serve; 1045
For that they wolde hir love deserve,
They cleped hir 'Lady,' grete and smalle;
This wyde world hir dredeth alle;
This world is al in hir daungere.
Hir court hath many a losengere, 1050
And many a traytour envious,
That been ful besy and curious
For to dispreisen, and to blame
That best deserven love and name.
Bifore the folk, hem to bigylen, 1055
These losengeres hem preyse, and smylen,
And thus the world with word anoynten;
But afterward they [prikke] and poynten

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De grant pris et de grant affaire.
Qui a li ne as siens meffaire
Osast riens par fais, ou par dis,
Il fust moult fiers et moult hardis;
Qu'ele puet moult nuire et aidier.
Ce n'est mie ne d'ui ne d'ier
Que riches gens out grant poissance
De faire ou aide, ou grevance. 1030
Tuit li greignor et li menor
Portoient a Richece honor:
Tuit baoient a li servir,
Por l'amor de li deservir;
Chascuns sa dame la clamoit,
Car tous li mondes la cremoit;
Tous li mons iert en son dangier.
En sa cort ot maint losengier,
Maint traitor, maint envieus:
Ce sunt cil qui sunt curieus 1040
De desprisier et de blasmer
Tous ceus qui font miex a amer.
Par devant, por eus losengier,
Loent les gens li losengier;
Tout le monde par parole oignent,
Mes lor losenges les gens poignent

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The folk right to the bare boon,
Bihinde her bak whan they ben goon, 1060
And foule abate the folkes prys.
Ful many a worthy man and wys,
An hundred, have [they] don to dye,
These losengeres, through flaterye;
And maketh folk ful straunge be, 1065
Ther-as hem oughte be prive.
Wel yvel mote they thryve and thee,
And yvel aryved mote they be,
These losengeres, ful of envye!
No good man loveth hir companye.