He earns a considerable income by selling furs and fabrics across England and haggling for better prices. Unlike the sergeant of justice, who constantly struggles to achieve noble status, the merchant strives to gain prominence among the rising middle class, or bourgeoisie, of 14th-century England. Chaucer writes of the merchant: "He was so well in his governance, / With his bargaynes and with his chevyysaunce" (281-2). This means that he manages his financial affairs in a very dignified and majestic manner through loans, deals and negotiations that no one knows that he is actually in debt to, except Chaucer, who seems to report it immediately, which implies that the trader thinks he is in debt. is better at hiding his debt than he really is. He apparently covers his debt by buying expensive outerwear. Unlike the sergeant of justice, the merchant is much more concerned with his outward appearance. Chaucer begins his description of the merchant as follows: “…with a forked beard. / In motlee and hye on his horse he sat, / On his guard a Flaundryssh bevere hat. / His boots clung in a beautiful and fetishistic way” (270-3). The merchant, with his forked beard, his showy clothes, his Flemish beaver hat and his elegantly closed boots, sits pompously on his horse. This description gives the impression that the merchant relies on appearances to sell his products and make him a recognizable figure. However, Chaucer doesn't even remember his name.