The Canterbury Tales- The Prologue of The Salior

There was a sailor, living far out west; For aught I know, he was of Dartmouth town. He sadly rode a hackney, in a gown, Of thick rough cloth falling to the knee. A dagger hanging on a cord had he About his neck, and under arm, and down. The summer’s heat had burned his visage brown; And certainly he was a good fellow. Full many a draught of wine he’d drawn, I trow, Of Bordeaux vintage, while the trader slept. Nice conscience was a thing he never kept. If that he fought and got the upper hand, By water he sent them home to every land. But as for craft, to reckon well his tides, His currents and the dangerous watersides, His harbours, and his moon, his pilotage, There was none such from Hull to far Carthage. Hardy, and wise in all things undertaken, By many a tempest had his beard been shaken. He knew well all the havens, as they were, From Gottland to the Cape of Finisterre, And every creek in Brittany and Spain; His vessel had been christened Madeleine.

隊伍中還有個水手， 來自遙遠的西方， 據我所知他是來自達特茅斯鎮， 身穿長袍騎著一隻老馬， 及膝的長袍又厚又破舊， 他在脖子手臂下都有繩子綁著匕首， 夏日的豔陽將他的皮膚曬成古銅色， 當然，他是一個不錯伙伴， 我相信他是那種商人睡著時， 會運很多的葡萄酒貨， 他不大善良，在航海時， 若是跟比他弱小的人爭執 他會要對方的命， 但他在計算潮汐、時價、 或周遭的危險方面的技術， 從赫爾市到迦太基是無人能及的， 他展露智慧與能幹在所有他包辦的事上， 歷經許多暴風雨使得他的鬍子有些散亂， 從瑞典到西班牙的港口與， 西班牙到法國北部的小港， 他都瞭若指掌， 他的船被授名為馬德琳。