The Canterbury Tales The Shipman
by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Shipman is from Dartmouth. He is not very rich; he rides a “nag” and wears only a kneelength gown of coarse wool. Working outdoors in the summer sun has given him a deep tan. He is a man of very little conscience, who will fight to the death if his ship is attacked any make any prisoners walk the plank. However, he was an excellent navigator and captained a ship called the Maudelayne.