The Comedy of Errors Part 2

10: _till_] _tell_ F2.

11, 12: The order of these lines is inverted by F2 F3 F4.

12: _that_] _then_ Collier MS.

18: _mean_] F1. _means_ F2 F3 F4.

23: _my_] F1. _the_ F2 F3 F4.

28: _consort_] _consort with_ Malone conj.

30: _myself_] F1. _my life_ F2 F3 F4.

33: SCENE III. Pope.

_mine_] F1. _my_ F2 F3 F4.

37: _falling_] _failing_ Barron Field conj.

37, 38: _fellow forth, Unseen,_] _fellow, for Th' unseen_ Anon. conj.

38: _Unseen,_] _In search_ Spedding conj.

_Unseen, inquisitive,_] _Unseen inquisitive!_ Staunton.

40: _them_] F1. _him_ F2 F3 F4.

_unhappy_,] F2 F3 F4. (_unhappie a_) F1. _unhappier_, Edd. conj.

65: _score_] Rowe. _scoure_ F1 F2 F3. _scour_ F4.

66: _your clock_] Pope. _your cooke_ F1. _you cooke_ F2.

_your cook_ F3 F4.

76: _stays_] _stay_ Rowe.

86: _will_] _would_ Collier MS.

93: _G.o.d's_] Hanmer. _G.o.d_ Ff.

96: _o'er-raught_] Hanmer. _ore-wrought_ Ff.

99: _Dark-working_] _Drug-working_ Warburton.

99, 100: _Dark-working ... Soul-killing_] _Soul-killing ...

Dark-working_ Johnson conj.

100: _Soul-killing_] _Soul-selling_ Hanmer.

102: _liberties_] _libertines_ Hanmer.

ACT II.

_SCENE I. The house of _ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus_._

_Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA._

_Adr._ 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.

_Luc._ Perhaps some merchant hath invited him, And from the mart he's somewhere gone to dinner. 5 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.

_Adr._ Why should their liberty than ours be more? 10

_Luc._ Because their business still lies out o' door.

_Adr._ Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill.

_Luc._ O, know he is the bridle of your will.

_Adr._ There's none but a.s.ses will be bridled so.

_Luc._ Why, headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe. 15 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, 20 Lords of the wide world and wild watery seas, Indued with intellectual sense and souls, Of more pre-eminence than fish and fowls, Are masters to their females, and their lords: Then let your will attend on their accords. 25

_Adr._ This servitude makes you to keep unwed.

_Luc._ Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed.

_Adr._ But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway.

_Luc._ Ere I learn love, I'll practise to obey.

_Adr._ How if your husband start some other where? 30

_Luc._ Till he come home again, I would forbear.

_Adr._ 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; 35 But were we burden'd with like weight of pain, As much, or more, we should 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, 40 This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left.

_Luc._ Well, I will marry one day, but to try.

Here comes your man; now is your husband nigh.

_Enter _DROMIO of Ephesus_._

_Adr._ Say, is your tardy master now at hand?

_Dro. E._ Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that my 45 two ears can witness.

_Adr._ Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind?

_Dro. E._ Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear: Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it.

_Luc._ Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his 50 meaning?

_Dro. E._ Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal so doubtfully, that I could scarce understand them.

_Adr._ But say, I prithee, is he coming home? 55 It seems he hath great care to please his wife.

_Dro. E._ Why, mistress, sure my master is horn-mad.

_Adr._ Horn-mad, thou villain!

_Dro. E._ I mean not cuckold-mad; But, sure, he is stark mad.

When I desired him to come home to dinner, 60 He ask'd me for a thousand marks in gold: ''Tis dinner-time,' quoth I; 'My gold!' quoth he: 'Your meat doth burn,' quoth I; 'My gold!' quoth he: 'Will you come home?' quoth I; 'My gold!' quoth he, 'Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?' 65 'The pig,' quoth I, 'is burn'd;' 'My gold!' quoth he: 'My mistress, sir,' quoth I; 'Hang up thy mistress!

I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress!'

_Luc._ Quoth who?

_Dro. E._ Quoth my master: 70 'I know,' quoth he, 'no house, no wife, no mistress.'