Of his array tell I no longer tale.
A Frankëlin116 was in this company;
White was his beard, as is the daïsy.
Of his complexión he was sanguíne.
Well lov’d he in the morn a sop in wine.
To liven in delight was ever his won,117
For he was Epicurus’ owen son,
That held opinion, that plein118 delight
Was verily felicity perfíte.
An householder, and that a great, was he;
Saint Julian119 he was in his countrý.
His bread, his ale, was alway after one;120
A better envined121 man was nowhere none;
Withouten bake-meat never was his house,
Of fish and flesh, and that so plentëous,
It snowed in his house of meat and drink,
Of allë dainties that men couldë think.
After the sundry seasons of the year,
So changed he his meat and his soupére.
Full many a fat partridge had he in mew,122
And many a bream, and many a luce in stew.123
Woe was his cook, but if124 his saucë were
Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gear.
His table dormant125 in his hall alway
Stood ready cover’d all the longë day.
At sessions there was he lord and sire.
Full often time he was knight of the shire.
An anlace, and a gipciere126 all of silk,
Hung at his girdle, white as morning milk.
A sheriff had he been, and a countour.127
Was nowhere such a worthy vavasour.128
An Haberdasher, and a Carpenter,
A Webbe,129 a Dyer, and a Tapiser,130
Were with us eke, cloth’d in one livery,
Of a solémn and great fraternity.
Full fresh and new their gear y-picked131 was.
Their knivës were y-chaped132 not with brass,
But all with silver wrought full clean and well,
Their girdles and their pouches every deal.133
Well seemed each of them a fair burgéss,
To sitten in a guild-hall, on the dais.134
Evereach, for the wisdom that he can,135
Was shapely136 for to be an alderman.
For chattels haddë they enough and rent,
And eke their wivës would it well assent:
And ellës certain they had been to blame.
It is full fair to be y-clep’d madáme,
And for to go to vigils all before,
And have a mantle royally y-bore.137
A Cook they haddë with them for the nones,138
To boil the chickens and the marrow bones,
And powder merchant tart and galingale.139
Well could he know a draught of London ale.
He couldë roast, and seethe, and broil, and fry,
Makë mortrewës,140 and well bake a pie.
But great harm was it, as it thoughtë me,
That, on his shin a mormal141 haddë he.
For blanc manger,142 that made he with the best.
A Shipman was there, wonned far by West:143
For ought I wot, be was of Dartëmouth.
He rode upon a rouncy, as he couth,144
All in a gown of falding145 to the knee.
A dagger hanging by a lace had he
About his neck under his arm adown;
The hot summer had made his hue all brown;
And certainly he was a good felláw.
Full many a draught of wine he had y-draw
From Bourdeaux-ward, while that the chapmen sleep;
Of nicë consciénce took he no keep.
If that he fought, and had the higher hand,
By water he sent them home to every land.
But of his craft to reckon well his tides,
His streamës and his strandës him besides,
His herberow,146 his moon, and lodemanage,147
There was none such, from Hull unto Carthage.
Hardy he was, and wise, I undertake:
With many a tempest had his beard been shake.
He knew well all the havens, as they were,
From Scotland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Bretagne and in Spain:
His barge y-cleped was the Magdelain.
With us there was a Doctor of Physic;
In all this worldë was there none him like
To speak of physic, and of surgery:
For he was grounded in astronomy.
He kept his patiént a full great deal
In hourës by his magic natural.
Well could he fortunë148 the áscendent
Of his imáges for his patiént.
He knew the cause of every malady,
Were it of cold, or hot, or moist, or dry,
And where engender’d, and of what humoúr.
He was a very perfect practisour
The cause y-know,149 and of his harm the root,
Anon he gave to the sick man his boot.150
Full ready had he his apothecaries,
To send his druggës and his lectuaries,
For each of them made other for to win:
Their friendship was not newë to begin.
Well knew he the old Esculapius,
And Dioscorides, and eke Rufus;
Old Hippocras, Hali, and Gallien;
Serapion, Rasis, and Avicen;
Averrois, Damascene, and Constantin;
Bernard, and Gatisden, and Gilbertin.151
Of his diet measúrable was he,
For it was of no superfluity,
But of great nourishing, and digestible.
His study was but little on the Bible.
In sanguine and in perse152 he clad was, all
Lined with taffeta, and with sendall.153
And yet he was but easy of dispence:
He kept that he won in the pestilence.154
For gold in physic is a cordial;
Therefore he loved gold in special.
A good Wife was there of besidë Bath,
But she was somedeal deaf, and that was scath.155
Of cloth-making she haddë such an haunt,156
She passed them of Ypres, and of Gaunt.
In all the parish wifë was there none,
That to the off’ring157 before her should gon,
And if there did, certain so wroth was she,
That she was out of allë charity.
Her coverchiefs158 werë full fine of ground;
I durstë swear, they weighedë ten pound
That on the Sunday were upon her head.
Her hosen weren of fine scarlet red,
Full strait y-tied, and shoes full moist159 and new.
Bold was her face, and fair and red of hue.
She was a worthy woman all her live,
Husbands at the church door had she had five,
Withouten other company in youth;
But thereof needeth not
