Luve Ane Levellar

Luve preysis but comparesone Both gentil, sempill, generall; And of fre will gevis waresone As fortoun chansis to befall. For luve maks nobill ladies thrall To bassir men of birth and blude; So luve garris sobir wemen small Get maistrice our grit men of gud.

Ferme luve for favour, feir, or feid, Of riche nor pur to speik sould spair; For luve to hieness has no heid, Nor lychlies lawliness ane hair. But puttis all personis in compair, This proverb planely for to preve, That men and wemen less and mair Are cumde of Adame and of Eve.

Sa thoch my liking were a leddy, And I no lord, yet, nocht the less, Scho suld my service find als reddy As duke to duchess docht him dress: For as proud princely luve express Is to haif soverenetie, So service cummis of sempilness, And leilest luve of law degré.

So luvaris lair no leid suld lak, A lord to lufe a silly lass, A leddy als for luf to tak Ane propir page, hir tym to pass. For quhy? As bricht bene birneist brass As silver wrocht at all dewyss; And als gud drinking out of glass As gold, thoch gold gif gritter pryss.