Wherof, if I schal more seie 530 Upon the nature of the vice,[757] Of custume and of excercice The mannes grace hou it fordoth, A tale, which was whilom soth, Of fooles that so drunken were, I schal reherce unto thine Ere. [Sidenote: [GALBA AND VITELLIUS.]] I rede in a Cronique thus Of Galba and of Vitellus, [Sidenote: Hic loquitur specialiter contra vicium illorum, qui nimia potacione quasi ex consuetudine ebriosi efficiuntur. Et narrat exemplum de Galba et Vitello, qui potentes in Hispania principes fuerunt, set ipsi cotidiane ebrietatis potibus assueti, tanta vicinis intulerunt enormia, quod tandem[760] toto conclamante populo pena sentencie capitalis in eos iudicialiter diffinita est: qui priusquam morerentur, vt penam mortis alleuiarent, spontanea vini ebrietate sopiti, quasi porci semimortui gladio interierunt.[758]] The whiche of Spaigne bothe were The greteste of alle othre there, 540 And bothe of o condicion After the disposicion Of glotonie and drunkeschipe.[759] That was a sori felaschipe: For this thou miht wel understonde, That man mai wel noght longe stonde Which is wyndrunke of comun us; For he hath lore the vertus, Wherof reson him scholde clothe; And that was seene upon hem bothe. 550 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 20=] Men sein ther is non evidence, Wherof to knowe a difference Betwen the drunken and the wode, For thei be nevere nouther goode;[761] For wher that wyn doth wit aweie, Wisdom hath lost the rihte weie, That he no maner vice dredeth; Nomore than a blind man thredeth His nedle be the Sonnes lyht,[762] Nomore is reson thanne of myht, 560 Whan he with drunkeschipe is blent. And in this point thei weren schent, This Galba bothe and ek Vitelle, Upon the cause as I schal telle, Wherof good is to taken hiede. For thei tuo thurgh her drunkenhiede Of witles excitacioun Oppressede al the nacion Of Spaigne; for of fool usance,[763] Which don was of continuance 570 Of hem, whiche alday drunken were, Ther was no wif ne maiden there, What so thei were, or faire or foule, Whom thei ne token to defoule, Wherof the lond was often wo: And ek in othre thinges mo Thei wroghten many a sondri wrong. Bot hou so that the dai be long, The derke nyht comth ate laste: God wolde noght thei scholden laste, 580 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 21=] And schop the lawe in such a wise, That thei thurgh dom to the juise Be dampned forto be forlore. Bot thei, that hadden ben tofore Enclin to alle drunkenesse,-- Here ende thanne bar witnesse; For thei in hope to assuage