Eft were his lettres stolen everychon,
And countrefeted lettres in this wyse:
"The king comandeth his constable anon,
Up peyne of hangyng, and on heigh juyse,
That he ne sholde suffren in no wyse
Custance in-with his reawme for t’ abyde."
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. After plying King Alla’s messenger with drink, Donegild steals the King’s letter to his Constable directing him to guard his baby son and wife. She counterfeits a letter to falsely say that the King commands his Constable, on pain of hanging, to banish Constance and her son from the realm.