I analyse two two-voice vernacular motets framed by musical and textual refrains. In Ne m’oubliez mie/DOMINO, I demonstrate that the opening and closing refrains independently quote pre-existent material, cleverly chosen for compatibility with each other and the DOMINO tenor. Nus ne se doit/AUDI FILIA also employs framing refrains, with very similar musical/textual profiles; but they are unique to this motet – a newly fashioned complementary pair for Nus ne se doit – while alluding to external musical/textual material. Their internal content is strictly determined by references to poetic and musical framing refrain material. Musical motivic references are usually complemented textually, despite changes in harmonic context demanded by the largely pre-determined chant tenor. The potential for different types of refrain behaviour in motets is highlighted: quotation has often been emphasised as a defining characteristic, but musical and textual phrases that are not literal quotations may clearly function as refrains. I argue, within the context of other motets on the same plainchant tenors, for their place in a allusive intertextual motet culture, deeply preoccupied with its own craft.