And eek I praye Jhesu Crist us sende
Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde,
And grace t’ overbyde hem that we wedde;
And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lyves
That noght wol be governed by hir wyves;
And olde and angry nygardes of dispence,
God sende hem soone verray pestilence!
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. The Wife of Bath Alison prays to Jesus to send husbands who are meek, young and vigorous in bed. She prays also that wives outlive their husbands. And for husbands who won’t be governed by their wives, she asks God to shorten their lives. And those who are old and miserly, she asks God to send them pestilence!