There was a Doctor of Medicine with us,
No other man had such a marvellous
Knowledge of physic and of surgery
For he was grounded in astrology.
The treatment he gave each hour would keep track
Of ascending signs in the zodiac.
He knew which star to inscribe on each charm
Which his patients wore to keep them from harm,
Could find where the sickly imbalance must lie
If in too much hot, or cold, or moist, or dry
And the ailment's origin and humour;
He was a wonderful practitioner.
Knowing the cause of every malady
He could at once prescribe a remedy.
His pharmacist stood ready to send him
Drugs and linctuses, his every whim,
And so they both served profitable ends;
It wasn't last night that they had made friends.
He knew the works of Aesculapius
Of Discorides and also Rufus,
Old Hippocrates, Haley and Galen,
Serapion, Rhazes and Avicen,
(Averroes, Damascus John and Constantyn,
Bernard, Gaddesden John and Gilbertyn.)
Moderate in his eating habits he
Never consumed a superfluity
But ate nourishing, digestible food.
His knowledge of the bible was not good.
He was dressed in robes of scarlet and blue
Lined with Indian silk and taffeta too.
And yet he was cautious in what he spent,
Saving those earnings the pestilence sent,
For gold in medicine is a cordial,
Therefore he loved gold especially well.
With us ther was a Doctour of Phisik,
In al this world ne was ther noon hym lik,
To speke of phisik and of surgerye,
For he was grounded in astronomye.
He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel
In houres, by his magyk natureel.
Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent
Of his ymages for his pacient.
He knew the cause of everich maladye,
Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,
And where they engendred, and of what humour.
He was a verray parfit praktisour.
The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,
Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.
Ful redy hadde he hise apothecaries
To sende him drogges and his letuaries,
For ech of hem made oother for to wynne;
Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.
Wel knew he the olde Esculapius,
And Deyscorides and eek Rufus,
Olde Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen,
Serapioun, Razis, and Avycen,
(Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn,
Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.)
Of his diete mesurable was he,
For it was of no superfluitee,
But of greet norissyng, and digestible.
His studie was but litel on the Bible.
In sangwyn 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.