Hir child cride, and she cride pitously.
But blisful Marie heelp hire right anon;
For with hir struglyng wel and myghtily
The theef fil over bord al sodeynly,
And in the see he dreynte for vengeance;
And thus hath Crist unwemmed kept Custance.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. When an amorous steward comes on board Constance’s ship and says he will be her lover whether she likes it or not, she and her child cry. The Virgin Mary comes to her aid and the would-be rapist falls overboard and is drowned as a punishment for his sin. Thus Christ keeps Constance undefiled.