No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue General Prologue Page 11

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With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISYK, In al this world ne was ther noon him lyk To speke of phisik and of surgerye; For he was grounded in astronomye. He kepte his pacient a ful greet del In houres, by his magik naturel. Wel coude he fortunen the ascendent Of his images for his pacient. He knew the cause of everich maladye, Were it of hoot or cold, or moiste, or drye, And where engendred, and of what humour; He was a verrey parfit practisour. The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the rote, Anon he yaf the seke man his bote. Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries, To sende him drogges and his letuaries, For ech of hem made other for to winne; Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne. Wel knew he the olde Esculapius, And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus, Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien; Serapion, Razis, and Avicen; Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn; Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn. Of his diete mesurable was he, For it was of no superfluitee, But of greet norissing and digestible. His studie was but litel on the Bible. In sangwin and in pers he clad was al, Lyned with taffata and with sendal; And yet he was but esy of dispence; He kepte that he wan in pestilence. For gold in phisik is a cordial, Therfore he lovede gold in special.

There was also a medical DOCTOR with us, the best doctor in the whole world. This doctor knew astrology and the workings of the natural world and would only treat his patients when it was astrologically safe to do so. He knew the movement of the planets and had studied all the great theories of disease and medicine. He knew the cause of every disease and where it came from. He was really a great doctor. Once he’d figured out which disease his patient had, he immediately gave him the cure. He and the pharmacists had quite the racket going and were quick to prescribe drugs so that they’d both profit. He ate simple food that was nutritious and easy to digest—nothing more—and he mostly read the Bible. He wore bright red and blue clothes made of the finest woven silk, but he saved the rest of his money because he really loved gold more than anything else.

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