The Art of Courtly Love

Chapter 7 concerns “the love of the clergy,” which Andreas calls the noblest class owing to its “sacred calling” (141-42). Since this nobility comes from God rather than lineage and can only be taken away by God, it has no bearing on how clerics should conduct themselves in matters of love. They should renounce “all the delights of the flesh,” but since they too are “liable to temptations of the body” (142), they should act according to the social class of their lineage.

Andreas discusses “the love of nuns” (142). Andreas writes that loving nuns is abominable and “a scandal to God and men” (143) that condemns body and soul to death. For this reason, he will not discuss the proper words to woo a nun, though he warns that nuns too are subject to temptation and willing to engage in affairs. Therefore, Andreas cautions Walter to avoid being alone with nuns lest they tempt him to ruin.

Andreas cautions against “love got with money” (144), as one cannot buy real love. Women who appear to want gifts or otherwise demand payment for their affections dishonors their gender. Andreas emphasizes that he does not want to impugn honorable women, through whom “all the world is induced to do good deeds” (147).