natural. Well could he fortunë 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, and of his harm the root, Anon he gave to the sick man his boot. 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. 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 perse he clad was, all Lined with taffeta, and with sendall. And yet he was but easy of dispence: He kept that he won in the pestilence. 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. Of cloth-making she haddë such an haunt, She passed them of Ypres, and