Chaucer on Astrological Medicine

Here is part of the Physician's Portrait from the General Prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th century Canterbury Tales.


The Physician's Portrait



411: With us ther was a doctour of phisik [medicine];
412: In al this world ne was the noon hym lik,
413: To speke of phisik and of surgerye
414: For he was grounded in astronomye.
415: He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel
416: In houres by his magyk natureel.
417: Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent
418: Of his ymages for his pacient.
419: He knew the cause of everich maladye,
420: Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,
421: And where they engendred, and of what humour.
422: He was a verray, parfit praktisour:
423: The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,
424: Anon he yaf the sike man his boote [cure].