And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
And elles certeyn were they to blame.
It is ful fair to been ycleped "madame,"
And goon to vigilies al bifore,
And have a mantel roialliche ybore.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The social pretensions of the five craftsmen are their wives are satirised here by Chaucer. The wives are pleased to be called "madame," head up church processions, and have their mantles carried like royalty.