Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood.

Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO,

quarrel.

And therefore frame your manners to the time. | Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this
Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel, since I came ashore,

Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges* in Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service,-Look you, Sir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, Sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; belife:ing, perhaps, (for aught I see,) two and thirty, -a pip out?

I kill'd a man, and fear I was descried :*
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my
You understand me?

Bion. I, Sir, ne'er a whit.

Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him; Would I were so too!

Tra. So would I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after,[daughter. That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master's, I advise

You use your manners discreetly in all kind of
companies:

When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio;
But in all places else, your master Lucentio.
Luc. Tranio, let's go :-

One thing more rests, that thyself execute;-
To make one among these wooers: If thou ask
me why,-

Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and
weighty.
[Exeunt.
1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the
play

Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter,
surely; Comes there any more of it?
Page. My lord, 'tis but begun.

Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at
first,

Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
Pet. A senseless villain-Good Hortensio,
I bade the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.
Gru. Knock at the gate?-O heavens!
Spake you not these words plain,-Sirrah,
knock me here,
[soundly?

Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me
And come you now with-knocking at the
gate?

Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise

you.

Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's
pledge:

Why, this a heavy chance 'twixt him and you;
Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
And tell me now, sweet friend,—what happy
gale

Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona?
Pet. Such wind as scatters young men
through the world,

To seek their fortunes further than at home, Where small experience grows. But, in a few,t Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me :lady; 'Would't were done!

Antonio, my father, is deceas'd;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,

SCENE II.-The same.-Before HORTENSIO'S Haply to wive, and thrive, as best I may:

House.

Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO.
Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave,
To see my friends in Padua; but, of all,
My best beloved and approved friend,
Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house:-
Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say.
Gru. Knock, Sir! whom should I knock? is
there any man has rebused your worship?

Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I, Sir, that I should knock you here, Sir? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.

Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you first, And then I know after who comes by the worst.

Pet. Will it not be?

'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring
I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. [it;
[He wrings GRUMIO by the ears.
Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is
mad.
Pet. Now, knock when I bid you; sirrah!

villain!

Enter HORTENSIO.

Hor. How now? what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!-How do you all at Verona?

Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the
fray?

Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say.
Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto,

Molto honoruto signor mio Petruchio.

* Observed.

Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And so am come abroad to see the world.

Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly

to thee.

And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thoud'st thank me but a little for my counsel:
And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich,
And very rich:-but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not wish thee to her.

as we,

Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends
Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife,
(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance,)
Be she as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,
She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me; were she as rough
come to wive it wealthily in Padua ;
As are the swelling Adriatic seas:
If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

I

what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough Gru. Nay, look you, Sir, he tells you flatly and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby; or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses: why nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepp'd thus far in,

I will continue that I broach'd in jest.

I can,
Petruchio, help thee to a wife [ous;
With wealth enough, and young, and beaute-

* Alleges.

Few words.

Brought up, as best becomes a gentlewoman: | And let me have them very well perfum'd;
Her only fault (and that is faults enough,)
Is, that she is intolerably curst, [sure,
And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all mea-
That, were my state far worser than it is,
I would not wed her for a mine of gold.
Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not
gold's effect:-

For she is sweeter than perfume itself,
To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for
you,

Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;
For I will board her, though she chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman:
Her name is Katharina Minola,
Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not
her;

And he knew my deceased father well:-
I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, Sir,-an she standt him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat: You know him not, Sir.

*

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee;
For in Baptista's keep my treasure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;
And her withholds from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Supposing it a thing impossible,
(For those defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,
Therefore this orders hath Baptista ta'en ;--
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. ↑
Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me

grace;

And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes,
To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca:
That so I may by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unsuspected, court her by herself.
Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised,
with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my
Petruchio, stand by a while.
[love

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!
[They retire.
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, Sir; I'll have them very fairly

bound:

All books of love, see that at any hand;¶
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me :-Over and beside
Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess:-Take your papers

As for my patron, (stand you so assur'd,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, Sir,
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior
Gremio!

Gre. And you're well met, signior Horten-
sio. Trow you,

Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola.
I promis'd to enquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca:
And, by good fortune, I have lighted well
On this young man; for learning, and be-
haviour,

Fit for her turn; well read in poetry,
And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.
Hor. "Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress!
So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds
shall prove.

Gru. And that his bags shall prove, [Aside.
Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our
Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, [love:
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well:-
Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?
Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling
scold;

If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.
Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What coun-
tryman?

Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son:
My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O, Sír, such a life, with such a wife,

were strange:

But, if you have a stomach, to't o'God's name;
You shall have me assisting you in all.
But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her.

[Aside.

Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears?
Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard
Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets'
clang?

And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;
That gives not half so great a blow to the ear,
As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire?
Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs."

Gru. For he fears none.

[too,

Gre. Hortensio, hark!
This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

* Fright boys with bug-bears.

Abusive language. + Withstand. ↑ Custody. || Versed.

These measures.

✶✶ Present.

Rate,

[Aside. [yours.

My mind presumes, for his own good, and

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be
[way
bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest
To the house of signior Baptista Minola?
Gre. He that has the two fair daughters :-
is't [Aside to TRANIO.] he you mean?
Tra. Even he. Biondello!

Gre. Hark you, Sir; You mean not her to-
Tra. Perhaps, him and her, Sir; What have
you to do?

Pet. Not her that chides, Sir, at any hand, I
pray.

Tra. I love no chiders, Sir:-Biondello, let's
away.

Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

[Aside.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ;-
Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea,

or no?

Tra. An if I be, Sir, is it any offence?
Gre. No; if, without more words, you will
get you hence.

Tra. Why, Sir, I pray, are not the streets as
For me, as for you?

Gre. But so is not she.

[free

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,-
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.
Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hor-

tensio.

Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right, hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.
Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us

all.

Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove
a jade.

Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these

words?

Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?
Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do, that he hath

two;

The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, Sir, the first's for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Her-
cules;

And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in-
sooth;-

The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors;
And will not promise her to any man,
Until the elder sister first be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, Sir, then you are the man
Must stead us all, and me among the rest;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat,-
Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access,-whose hap shall be to have
Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.* [her,
Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do
conceive;

And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And so as adversaries do in law,-
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
Gre. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows,t
let's begone.

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it

SCENE I.-The same.--A Room in BAPTISTA'S
House.

Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong
yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;
That I disdain: but for these other gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee,
tell

Whom thou lov'st best; see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio?
Biun. If you affects him, sister, here I swear,
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have

་

him.

Kath. O then, belike, you fancy riches more;
You,will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so?
Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive,
You have but jested with me all this while :
I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands.
Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.
[Strikes her.