Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400) - "The Canterbury Tales", from General Prologue, ll. 272-286

From The Canterbury Tales:
General Prologue
lines 272-286: The Merchant

	A MARCHANT was ther with a forked berd,
	In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat;
	Upon his heed a Flaundryssh bever hat,
275	His bootes clasped faire and fetisly.
	His resons he spak ful solempnely,
	Sownynge alway th'encrees of his wynnyng.
	He wolde the see were kept for any thyng
	Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.
280	Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.
	This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette;
	Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,
	So estatly was he of his governaunce
	With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce.
285	For sothe, he was a worthy man with-alle,
	But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle.

	There was a MERCHANT with forked beard
	In motley gown, and high on horse he sat,
	Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat;
275	His boots were fastened neatly and elegantly.
	He spoke out his opinions very solemnly,
	Stressing the times when he had won, not lost.
	He wanted the sea were guarded at any cost
	Between Middleburgh and the town of Orwel.
280	He knew how to deal foreign currencies, buy and sell.
	This worthy man kept all his wits well set;
	There was no person that knew he was in debt,
	So well he managed all his trade affairs
	With bargains and with borrowings and with shares.
285	Indeed, he was a worthy man withall,
	But, to tell the truth, his name I can't recall.