Thou spak right now of thilke traytour Deeth.
That in this contree alle oure freendes sleeth.
Have heer my trouthe, as thou art his espye,
Telle where he is or thou shalt it abye,
By God and by the hooly sacrement!
For soothly thou art oon of his assent
To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoner’s Tale. One of the drunken rioters accuses the Old Man of being Death’s spy and being in league with him. Taking God’s name in vain, he warns the Old Man to reveal the whereabouts of the traitor Death who has been killing all their friends or the Old Man will pay for it.