 A well-traveled and well-tanned veteran sailor. The Shipman has seen every bay and river in England, as well as exotic ports in Spain and Carthage. He is a bit of a rascal, known for stealing wine while the ship’s captain sleeps.

 He tells the tale of a woman who agrees to have an affair with a monk who will pay her so that she can repay a debt to her husband, but this monk ultimately borrows this money from the husband himself.

 The merchant always had to go to there counting-house to estimate for himself how things that year stood and how he had spent his money, and whether he had made a profit or not. He wasn’t very wealthy, but made a normal amount of income for a medieval shipman.

 Shipman was considered part of a working mans estate.  Clothing demonstrates his active life at sea, knee length woolen gown, dagger, “under his arm adown” leaves his hands free for tying rope.  Shipman were loyal, prudence, and had much courage.

 Shipman were referred to as the master, or captain of a ship.  They were involved in marine trade.  The Chaucer’s shipman views the pilgrim as the narrator does.

 “ He came from Dartmouth, so I understood. He rode a farmer’s horse as best he could, In a woolen gown that reached his knee.” Line  “ If when he fought, the enemy vessel sank, He sent his prisoners home;they walked the plank” Line  “And he knew all the havens as they were From Gottland to the cape of Finisterre” Line  These quotes explain the shipman because they show how he dresses and his courage.