Victorious tree, proteccioun of trewe, That oonly worthy were for to bere The Kyng of Hevene with his woundes newe, The white Lamb, that hurt was with a spere, Flemere of feendes out of hym and here On which thy lymes feithfully extenden, Me kepe, and yif me myght my lyf t' amenden.

Victorious tree, proteccioun of trewe,
That oonly worthy were for to bere
The Kyng of Hevene with his woundes newe,
The white Lamb, that hurt was with a spere,
Flemere of feendes out of hym and here
On which thy lymes feithfully extenden,
Me kepe, and yif me myght my lyf t’ amenden.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. Set adrift at sea after the wedding feast massacre, Constance blesses herself and prays to the Cross of Christ, the banisher of fiends out of man and woman, to keep guard over her.

Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes