For many a man so hard is of his herte,
He may nat wepe, althogh hym soore smerte.
Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres
Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. This is a comical, hilarious and ironic description of the life of Friar Hubert. His pockets are lined with silver, as sinners in the confessional are urged to spare the tears and prayers for their wrongdoings, and give silver instead. Chaucer is superbly ironic in his reference to "to povre freres." But no poverty for this Friar!