The Sacramento Tales.(humor)

[John Derbyshire reports: In the course of some renovation work at England's Canterbury Cathedral, a wall broke open to reveal a hollow cavity, in which was found a parchment manuscript, since dated to the later 14th century. It appears to be the work of the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. However, the text is much faded and barely legible in places, so that the work of deciphering this manuscript is proceeding very slowly. The first few pages have now been transcribed, and their content is given below. Not all of the references can be understood at this distance in time, but the manuscript appears to concern a miscellaneous party of pilgrims who have come together with the common desire to reach a holy shrine at a place called "Sacramento." The front page of the manuscript, though much defaced by damp, seems to bear the title "The Sacramento Tales." ]

Whan that Septembre with his shoures sote

Summers droghte hath perced to the rote,

And bathed Napas vynes with swich licour

As maketh Gallo Brothers shayre price soare;

Whan al vacacioun tyme is used and gonne

And beaches emptye lye beneath the sonne,