"What! Nicholay! What, how! What, looke adoun!
Awak, and thenk on Cristes passioun!
I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes."
Therwith the nyght-spel seyde he anon-rightes
On foure halves of the hous aboute,
And on the thresshfold of the dore withoute:
"Jhesu Crist and Seinte Benedight,
Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,
For nyghtes verye, the white pater-noster!
Where wentestow, Seinte Petres soster?"
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Miller’s Tale. John acts to sort out what he believes is Nicholas’s madness by performing a blessing and saying an incantation to drive out any elves and evil spirits that may have possessed him. He says the night charm at the four corners of the house and threshold, invoking the power of Jesus and the saints.