Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,
Al have I nat set folk in hir degree
Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.
My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Narrator Chaucer says that in the telling of the tales he has not listed the pilgrims in order of rank or social class. Indulging in some false modesty and self-depracating irony, he begs forgiveness for this and pleads that he is short of wit!