No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue General Prologue Page 10

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A SHIPMAN was ther, woning fer by weste: For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. He rood upon a rouncy, as he couthe, In a gowne of falding to the knee. A daggere hanging on a laas hadde he Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun. The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun; And, certeinly, he was a good felawe. Ful many a draughte of wyn had he y-drawe From Burdeux-ward, whyl that the chapman sleep. Of nyce conscience took he no keep. If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, His stremes and his daungers him bisydes, His herberwe and his mone, his lodemenage, Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. Hardy he was, and wys to undertake; With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. He knew wel alle the havenes, as they were, From Gootlond to the cape of Finistere, And every cryke in Britayne and in Spayne; His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne.

There was also a SHIPMAN, who came from the West, maybe as far away as the city of Dartmouth. He wore a cheap shirt that came down to his knees, and he rode an old, shabby horse. He also wore a dagger tied to a strap that hung across his chest. He had just recently brought over a wine merchant from Bordeaux on his ship—the Magdalen—and had gotten tan and more than a little drunk during the voyage. He was a good guy, but didn’t let his conscience bother him. When he won battles at sea he would release his captives. He was an excellent navigator too and knew how to read the stars better than any other man. He could sail in any waters and knew all the safe spots from Tunisia and Spain to Sweden. He was hardy and had weathered many storms. He was both wise and practical in everything he did.

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