Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/32

 none like him for surgery and physic, for he was well grounded in astrology. He watched well times and seasons for his patient by his natural magic; well could he choose a fortunate ascendent for his images. He knew the cause of every ailment, were it of hot humour or cold, moist or dry, and where it was engendered, and of what humour. He was verily a perfect practitioner. The cause known, and the root of his ill, straightway he gave the sick man his remedy. He had his apothecaries full ready to send him his drugs and sirups, for each of them made the other to gain; their friendship was not lately begun. He knew well old Esculapius and eke old Hippocrates, Deiscorides, Rufus, Haly, Galen, Razis, Avicenna, Serapion, Averroes, Damascien, Constantine, Bernard, Gilbertine and Gatesden. In his diet he used measure, with no superfluity therein, but great nourishment and ease of digestion. His meditation was but little on the Bible. He was clad all in sanguine and blue, lined with taffeta and sarcenet ; and yet he was but moderate in expenditure ; he kept what he won in time of pestilence; for gold in physic is a cordial; wherefore he loved gold especially.

A good Wife there was from near Bath, but she was somewhat deaf and that was pity. She had such skill in making cloth that she surpassed them of Ypres and Ghent. In all the parish was no wife that should walk before her to the offering; but if any did, sooth, she was so wroth that she was clean out of charity. Her kerchiefs were wove full fine ; I durst swear they weighed ten pound that were on her head of a Sunday ; her hose were of fine scarlet, tied full close, and her shoes full new and supple. Her face was bold, fair and red of hue. All her life she was a worthy woman ; she had had five husbands at church-door, to say naught of other company in youth, but thereof needeth not now to speak.