Wel  coulde  he  knowe  a  draught  of  London  ale.
He  coulde  roste,  and  sethe,  and  broile,  and  frie,
Maken  mortrowesi,  and  wel  bake  a  pie.
But  gret  harm  was  it,  as  it  thoughts  me.
That  on  his  shinno  a  mormaK  hadde  he.
For  blanc  manger  that  made  he  with  the  best.
A  Shipraan  was  ther,  woned'  fer  by  West :
For  ought  I  wote,  he  was  of  Dert^mouth.
He  rode  upon  a  rouncie*,  as  he  couthe.
All  in  a  goune  of  falding  to  the  knee.
A  dagger  hanging  by  a  las*  hadde  hee
About  his  nekke  under  his  arm  adoun.
The  hote  sommer  hadde  made  his  he  we  al  broun.
And  certainly  he  was  a  good  felaw.
Ful  many  a  draught  of  win  he  hadde  draw
From  Burdeux  ward,  while  that  the  chapman  slcpe.
Of  nic^  conscience  toke  he  no  kepe.
If  that  he  faught,  and  hadde  the  higher  hand,
By  water  he  sent  hem  home  to  every  land.
But  of  his  craft  to  reken  well  his  tides.
His  stremes  and  his  strandds  him  besides.
His  herberwe^,  his  mone*,  and  his  lodemanage*,
Ther  was  none  swiche,  from  Hull  unto  Cartage.
Hardy  he  was,  and  wise,  I  undertake  :
With  many  a  tempest  hadde  his  herd  be  shake.
He  knew  wel  alle  the  havens,  as  they  were.
Fro  Gotland,  to  the  Cape  de  finistere.
And  every  creke  in  Bretagne  and  in  Spaine  :
His  barge  ycleped  was  the  Magdelaine.
With  us  ther  was  a  Doctour  of  Phisike,
In  all  this  world  ne  was  ther  non  him  like
To  speke  of  phisike,  and  of  surgerie  :
For  he  was  grounded  in  astronomic.
He  kept  his  patient  a  ful  gret  del
In  houres  by  his  magike  naturel.
«  f  Their  gear  was  spruce.  t  Every  way.
•»  Burgher.
