ADRIANA, LUCIANA

ADRIANA 	Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, 
That in such haste I sent to seek his master! 
Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock. 	
LUCIANA 	Perhaps some merchant hath invited him, 
And from the mart he's somewhere gone to dinner. 
Good sister, let us dine and never fret: 
A man is master of his liberty: 
Time is their master, and, when they see time, 
They'll go or come: if so, be patient, sister. 	
ADRIANA 	Why should their liberty than ours be more? 	
LUCIANA 	Because their business still lies out o' door. 	
ADRIANA 	Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill. 	
LUCIANA 	O, know he is the bridle of your will. 	
ADRIANA 	There's none but asses will be bridled so. 	
LUCIANA 	Why, headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe. 
There's nothing situate under heaven's eye 
But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky: 
The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls, 
Are their males' subjects and at their controls: 
Men, more divine, the masters of all these, 
Lords of the wide world and wild watery seas, 
Indued with intellectual sense and souls, 
Of more preeminence than fish and fowls, 
Are masters to their females, and their lords: 
Then let your will attend on their accords. 	
ADRIANA 	This servitude makes you to keep unwed. 	
LUCIANA 	Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed. 	
ADRIANA 	But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway. 	
LUCIANA 	Ere I learn love, I'll practise to obey. 	
ADRIANA 	How if your husband start some other where? 	
LUCIANA 	Till he come home again, I would forbear. 	
ADRIANA 	Patience unmoved! no marvel though she pause; 
They can be meek that have no other cause. 
A wretched soul, bruised with adversity, 
We bid be quiet when we hear it cry; 
But were we burdened with like weight of pain, 
As much or more would we ourselves complain: 
So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee, 
With urging helpless patience wouldst relieve me, 
But, if thou live to see like right bereft, 
This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left.