The General Prologue
Folio 6r
11 of 23 folios
And poudre marchaūt / tart and galyngale
Wel cowde he knowe a drauȝt of londoū ale
385
He cowde roste sethe boille and frie
Make mortreux and wel bake a pye
But gret harm was it as it semede me
That on his schyne a mormal hadde he
For blankmanger he made with þe beste
390
A Schipman was þer wonyng fer by weste
For ougħt I woot he was of Dertemouthe
He rood vpon a rouncy as he couþe
In a gowne of faldyng to þe kne
A dagger hangyng on a laas hadde he
395
Aboute his nekke vnder his arm a doun
The hoote somer had maad his hew al broun
And certeinly he was a good felawe
Ful many a draugħt of wyn had he drawe
From Burdeuxward whil þat þe chapman sleep
400
Of nyce conscience took he no keep
If þat he foughte and hadde þe heiȝer hand
By water he sente hem hoom to euery land
But of his craft to rikne wel þe tydes
His stremes and his dangers him bisides
405
His herbergh and his mone his lodemenage
Ther was non such from hulle to Cartage
Hardy he was and wys to vndertake
With many a tempest hath his berd ben schake
He knew wel alle þe hauenes as þei were
410
From Scotlond to þe cape of fynestere
And euery Cryk in Bretayne and in Spayne
His Barge y clepud was the Magdelayne
Ther was also a Doctour of phisik
In al þis world ne was þer non him lyk
415
To speke of phisik and of Surgerye
For he was groundud in astronomye
He kepte his pacient wondurly wel
In houres by his magik naturel
Wel cowde he fortune the ascendent
420
Of his ymages for his pacient