And she answerde, half as she were mad,
"Unto the gardyn, as myn housbonde bad,
My trouthe for to holde – allas, allas!"

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Franklin’s Tale. This is the greatly distressed Dorigen’s reply to Aurelius, when he asks where she is going. Into the garden my pledged word to keep, as my husband commanded, she answers, as if they were half mad. She is referring to her unfortunate promise.