Paraventure ther may fallen oon or two
Doun of his hors and breke his nekke atwo.
Looke which a seuretee is it to yow alle
That I am in youre felaweshipe yfalle,
That may assoille yow, bothe moore and lasse,
Whan that the soule shal fro the body passe.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoner’s Tale. The avaricious Pardoner attempts to frighten the pilgrims into thinking that they are going to fall off their horses and die, in order to get a sale for his pardons. He presents himself like a "Catcher in the Rye" of the afterlife, standing between them and eternal damnation, rescuing them just in the neck of time from falling into the fire of hell. As long as they are willing to pay him of course to keep them in a state of grace.