JSlade The Physician

Abstract

Canterbury Tales General Prologue: Lines 412-444

With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISIK;

412         In al this world ne was ther noon hym lik,

413         To speke of phisik and of surgerye,

414         For he was grounded in astronomye.

415         He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel

416         In houres by his magyk natureel.

417         Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent

418         Of his ymages for his pacient.

419         He knew the cause of everich maladye,

420         Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,

421         And where they engendred, and of what humour.

422         He was a verray, parfit praktisour:

423         The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,

424         Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.

425         Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries

426         To sende hym drogges and his letuaries,

427         For ech of hem made oother for to wynne --

428         Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.

429         Wel knew he the olde Esculapius,

430         And Deyscorides, and eek Rufus,

431         Olde Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen,

432         Serapion, Razis, and Avycen,

433         Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn,

434         Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.

435         Of his diete mesurable was he,

436         For it was of no superfluitee,

437         But of greet norissyng and digestible.

438         His studie was but litel on the Bible.

439         In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al,

440         Lyned with taffata and with sendal.

441         And yet he was but esy of dispence;

442         He kepte that he wan in pestilence.

443         For gold in phisik is a cordial,

444         Therefore he lovede gold in special.