And alle thise were bounden in o volume.
And every nyght and day was his custume,
Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun
From oother worldly occupacioun,
To reden on this book of wikked wyves.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. The rather dislikeable young Jankin uses his leisure time each night and day to read from his Book of Wicket wives. Not a very nice occupation for a chap newly married to an older woman who handed over all her land and property to him.