Were they not more gay, more witty, more happy in 1174 than in 1882?

Nearly all the decrees of the Courts of Love are based on the provisions of the Code of Love.

This Code of Love is found complete in the work of André le Chapelain.

[1] André le Chapelain, Nostradamus, Raynouard, Crescimbeni, d'Arétin.

[2] Jehanne, Lady of Baulx,
Hugnette of Forcarquier, Lady of Trects,
Briande d'Agoult, Countess de la Lune,
Mabille de Villeneufve, Lady of Vence,
Beatrix d'Agoult, Lady of Sault,
Ysoarde de Roquefueilh, Lady of Ansoys,
Anne, Viscountess of Tallard,
Blanche of Flassans, surnamed Blankaflour,
Doulce of Monestiers, Lady of Clumane,
Antonette of Cadenet, Lady of Lambesc,
Magdalene of Sallon, Lady of the said place,
Rixende of Puyvard, Lady of Trans."
(Nostradamus, p. 217.)

[3] Nostradamus, p. 131.

There are thirty-one articles and here they are:—

CODE OF LOVE OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY

  1. The allegation of marriage is not a valid plea against love.
  2. Who can dissemble cannot love.
  3. No one can bind himself to two loves at once.
  4. Love grows continually or wanes.
  5. That which a lover takes from another by force has no savour.
  6. Generally the male does not love except in full puberty.
  7. A widowhood of two years is prescribed to one lover for the death of the other.
  8. Without over-abundant reason no one ought to be deprived of his rights in love.
  9. No one can love, unless urged thereto by the persuasion of love (by the hope of being loved).
  10. Love will be driven out by avarice.
  11. It is not right to love her whom you would be ashamed to ask in marriage.
  12. True love has no desire for caresses except from the beloved.
  13. Love once divulged is rarely lasting.
  14. Success too easy takes away the charm of love; obstacles give it worth.
  15. Everyone who loves turns pale at the sight of the beloved.
  16. At the unexpected sight of the beloved the lover trembles.
  17. New love banishes old.
  18. Merit alone makes man worthy of love.
  19. Love that wanes is quickly out and rarely rekindled.
  20. The lover is always timid.
  21. Real jealousy always increases love's warmth.
  22. Suspicion, and the jealousy it kindles, increases love's warmth.
  23. He sleeps less and he eats less who is beset with thoughts of love.
  24. Every act of the lover ends in thought of the beloved.
  25. The true lover thinks nothing good but what he knows will please the beloved.
  26. Love can deny love nothing.
  27. The lover cannot have satiety of delight in the beloved.
  28. The slightest presumption causes the lover to suspect the beloved of sinister things.
  29. The habit of too excessive pleasure hinders the birth of love.
  30. The true lover is occupied with the image of the beloved assiduously and without interruption.
  31. Nothing prevents a woman from being loved by two men, nor a man by two women.[1]