Almache answerde, "Chees oon of thise two: Do sacrifice, or Cristendom reneye, That thou mowe now escapen by that weye." At which the hooly blisful faire mayde Gan for to laughe, and to the juge sayde: "O juge, confus in thy nycetee, Woltow that I reneye innocence, To make me a wikked wight?" quod shee.

Almache answerde, "Chees oon of thise two:
Do sacrifice, or Cristendom reneye,
That thou mowe now escapen by that weye."
At which the hooly blisful faire mayde
Gan for to laughe, and to the juge sayde:
"O juge, confus in thy nycetee,
Woltow that I reneye innocence,
To make me a wikked wight?" quod shee.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Second Nun’s Tale. When Almachius delivers an ultimatum to Cecilia to do sacrifice to the Roman gods or renounce Christianity to escape judgment and execution, the holy Cecilia laughs. O judge confused in your folly, she responds, do you want me to renounce innocence and make myself a wicked person?

Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes