For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold,
He nath nat every vessel al of gold;
Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. This passage references what St. Paul said in his second letter to Timothy: "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." St. Jerome interprets this as meaning that marriage is good but virginity is better. But the Wife of Bath sees this as meaning something different, that she is one of the wooden utensils, maybe not as perfect as the gold vessel of virginity, but still very useful.