Wherfore I rede that cut among us alle
Be drawe, and lat se wher the cut wol falle;
And he that hath the cut with herte blithe
Shal renne to the town, and that ful swithe,
And brynge us breed and wyn ful prively.
And two of us shul kepen subtilly
This tresor wel; and if he wol nat tarie,
Whan it is nyght, we wol this tresor carie,
By oon assent, where as us thynketh best.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoner’s Tale. The leader of the three roisterers draws up a plan for the moving of the gold treasure they have found. They will draw straws, and the one with the shortest will run to the town for bread and wine while the others guard the treasure. Then at night they will they carry the gold to an agreed location to enable them fund their lifestyle of sin and excess.