The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the rote,
Anon he yaf the seke man his bote.
Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries,
For blancmange, that made he with the best.

A SHIPMAN24 was there, living far to the west:
For all I know, he was of Dartmouth.
He rode upon a sturdy little horse, as best he could,
In a heavy wool gown reaching to the knee.
A dagger hanging on a cord had he
About his neck and down beneath his arm.
The high summer had made his hue all brown;
And certainly he was a good fellow.
Full many a draught of wine had he tapped
En route from Bordeaux, while the wine merchant slept.
Of nice conscience he took no heed:
In a fight, if he had the upper hand,
He sent them overboard, far from land.
But of navigation, to reckon well his tides,
His currents and his hazards him nearby,
His harbor and his moon, his compass use,
There was none such from Hull to Carthage.
Hardy he was, and careful in risks taken;
With many a tempest had his beard been shaken.
He knew well all the harbors, as they were,
From Gotland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Brittany and Spain;
His ship was called the Magdalen.

With us there was a PHYSICIAN;
In all the world there was none like him
To speak of medicine and of surgery
For he was grounded in astrology.
He tended his patient at just the right
Hours, guided by his magical powers.
Well could he determine the ascendent
Of the signs for his patient.25
He knew the cause of every malady,
Were it hot or cold or moist or dry,
And where engendered and of what humor;
He was a truly perfect practitioner.
The cause known, and of the malady its origin,
Quickly he gave the sick man his medicine.
Full ready had he his apothecaries,
To sende him drogges and his letuaries,
For ech of hem made other for to winne;
Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne.
Wel knew he th’ olde Esculapius,
And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus,
Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien;
Serapion, Razis, and Avicen;
Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn;
Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.
Of his diete mesurable was he,
For it was of no superfluitee,
But of greet norissing and digestible.
His studie was but litel on the bible.
In sangwin and in pers he clad was al,
Lyned with taffata and with sendal;
And yet he was but esy of dispence;
He kepte that he wan in pestilence.
For gold in phisik is a cordial,
Therfore he lovede gold in special.

A good WYF was ther of bisyde BATHE,
But she was som-del deef, and that was scathe.
Of clooth-making she hadde swiche an haunt,
She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.
In al the parisshe wyf ne was ther noon
That to th’ offring bifore hir sholde goon;
And if ther dide, certeyn, so wrooth was she,
That she was out of alle charitee.
Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were of ground;
I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
That on a Sonday were upon hir heed.
Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
Ful streite y-teyd, and shoos ful moiste and newe.
Bold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
She was a worthy womman al hir lyve,
Housbondes at chirche-dore she hadde fyve,
Withouten other companye in youthe;
But therof nedeth nat to speke as nouthe.
And thryes hadde she been at Jerusalem;
She hadde passed many a straunge streem;
To send him drugs and potions,
For each helped the other to make a profit,
Their friendship was not new to begin.
Well he knew the old Aesculapius,
Dioscorides, and Rufus,
Old Hippocrates, Hali and Galen,
Serapion, Rhazes and Avicenna, Averroes,
Damascenus and Constantine,
Bernard and Gatesden and Gilbert.26
Of his diet moderate was he,
For it was of no great quantity
But of great nourishment and digestible.
His study was but little on the Bible.
In blood red and blue he clad was all,
Lined with taffeta and fine silk;
And yet he was not quick to spend,
He kept what he earned in time of plague,
For gold is good for the heart in medicine;
Therefore gold he loved especially.

A good WIFE there was, from near Bath,
But she was somewhat deaf, and that was too bad.
Of clothmaking she had such a talent,
She surpassed that of Ypres and of Ghent.27
In all the parish a wife was there none
Who gave more at the church offering;
And if they did, certain so angry was she,
That she was all out of charity.28
Her Sunday shawls were of full fine hand;
I daresay that they weighed ten pounds
That on a Sunday were upon her head.