Cecile answerde, "O nyce creature! Thou seydest no word syn thou spak to me That I ne knew therwith thy nycetee And that thou were in every maner wise A lewed officer and a veyn justise.

Cecile answerde, "O nyce creature!
Thou seydest no word syn thou spak to me
That I ne knew therwith thy nycetee
And that thou were in every maner wise
A lewed officer and a veyn justise.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Second Nun’s Tale. Cecilia boldly calls the powerful prefect of Rome Almachius a foolish creature and accuses him of being an ignorant officer and a foolish judge. Probably not the best defense to use to your judge when you are facing execution.

Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes