He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve.
For Cristes sake, for every povre wight,
Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Plowman not only works for himself, but lends his labors to others in need. He is willing to thresh wheat and dig ditches without any payment for any poor man who needs his help. In this he demonstrates true Christian charity. The Plowman is symbolic of the medieval poor in Chaucer’s time.