The church was, at least in theory, concerned with the state of men’s souls rather than the regulation of their agriculture or social lives, but medieval English men and women cared deeply about their honour and often turned to the church courts to defend their reputations. Insults, particularly those with sexual innuendos bandied around in the heat of an argument, could cause great offence, and, at the risk of republicizing the insult, many sought public exoneration in the courts.
