But Christ's lore and his apostles twelve, He taught and first he followed it himself. - Geoffrey Chaucer

Who shall give a lover any law?’ Love is a greater law, by my troth, than any law written by mortal man.

Upon his arm he bare a gay bracer*, *small shield And by his side a sword and a buckler, And on that other side a gay daggere, Harnessed well, and sharp as point of spear:

He hath considered shortly, in a clause
The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,
And althogh that his ire hir gilt accused,
Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,
As thus: he thoghte wel that every man
Wol helpe himself in love if that he kan,
And eek delivere himself out of prisoun;