Puslapio vaizdai
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Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd a sensible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech listning. Now I begin : imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress.

Curt. Both on one horse ?
Gru. What's that to thee?

Curt. Why, a horse.

Gru. Tell thou the tale. But hadst thou not crost me, thou should'ft have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horfe: thou should'st have heard in how miry a place, how she was bemoil'd, how he left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horse stumbled, how the waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore, how the pray'd that never pray'd before; how I cry'd; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper; with many things of worthy memory, which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienc'd to thy grave.

Curt. By this reckoning he is more shrew than she. Gru. Ay, and that you and the proudest of you all shall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this? call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarfop, and the rest: let their heads be sleekly comb'd, their blue coats brush'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit; let them curt'sy with their left legs, and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail, 'till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready?

Curt. They are.

Gru. Call them forth.

Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my master to countenance my mistress.

9 Garters of an indifferent knit.] What is the sense of this I know not, unless it means,

that their Garters should be fillows; indifferent, or not different, one from the other.

Gru.

Gru. Why, she hath a face of her own.
Curt. Who knows not that?

Gru. Thou, it seems, that call'd for company to

countenance her.

Curt. I call them forth to credit her.

Enter four or five Serving-men.

Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them. Nath. Welcome home, Grumio.

Phil. How now, Grumio?

Jof. What, Grumio!
Nich. Fellow Grumio!

Nath. How now, old lad?

Gru. Welcome, you; how now, you; what, you; fellow, you; and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat ? Nath. All things are ready; how near is our master? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not-cock's passion, filence! I hear my master.

SCENE II.

Enter Petruchio and Kate.

Pet. Where be these knaves? what, no man at door to hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse? where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip?

All Serv. Here, here, Sir; here, Sir.

Pet. Here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir?
You loggerheaded and unpolifh'd grooms :
What? no attendance? no regard? no duty?
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

Gru. Here, Sir, as foolish as I was before.
Pet. You peasant swain, you whorefon, malt-horse

drudge,

Did not I bid thee meet me in the park,

And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

Gru.

I

Gru. Nathaniel's coat, Sir, was not fully made:
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i'th' heel :
There was no link to colour Peter's hat, '
And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing:
There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and Gregory;
The refl were ragged, old and beggarly,

Yet as they are, here are they come to meet you.
Pet. Go, rafcals, go, and fetch my supper in.

[Exeunt Servants.

Where is the life that late I led ?
Where are those fit down, Kate,
And welcome. Soud, foud, foud, foud!

Enter Servants with Supper.

[Singing.

Why, when, I say? nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. Off with my boots, you rogue: you villains, when?

It was the Friar of Orders grey,

As he forth walked on his way.

[Sings:

Out, out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry.
Take that, and mind the plucking off the other.

[Strikes bim.

Be merry, Kate: fome water, here; what hoa!

Enter one with water.

Where's my spaniel Troilus? firrah, get you hence,
And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither :
One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with.
Where are my flippers; shall I have some water?
Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily :
You, whoreson villain, will you let it fall?

Cath. Patience, I pray you, 'twas a fault unwilling.
Pet. A whorefon, beatle-headed, flap-ear'd knave:

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Come, Kate, fit down; I know, you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate, or else shall I?

What's this, mutton?

1 Ser. Yes.

Pet. Who brought it?

Ser. I

Pet. 'Tis burnt, and so is all the meat:
What dogs are these ? where is the rafcal cook ?
How durft you, villains, bring it from the dreffer,

And serve it thus to me that love it not?

There, take it to you, trenchers, cups and all :

[Throws the meat, &c. about the Stage.

You heedless jolt-heads, and unmanner'd slaves !
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight.
Cath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet;
The meat was well, if you were so contented.

Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dry'd away,
And I exprefly am forbid to touch it:
For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
And better 'twere, that both of us did fast,
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are cholerick,
Then feed it with such over-rosted flesh :
Be patient, for to morrow't shall be mended,
And for this night we'll faft for company.
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber. (Exeunt.

Enter Servants severally.

Nath. Peter, didst ever fee the like ?
Peter. He kills her in her own humour.
Gru. Where is he?

Enter Curtis, a Servant.

Curt. In her chamber, making a fermon of conti

nency to her,

And rails and swears, and rates; that she, poor foul, Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak, VOL. III.

F

And

4

And fits as one new-risen from a dream.
Away, away, for he is coming hither.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Enter Petruchio.

Pet. Thus have I politickly begun my reign,
And 'tis my hope to end fuccefsfully:
My faulcon now is sharp, and passing empty,
And till she stoop, she must not be full-gorg'd,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard,
To make her come, and know her keeper's Call:
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites,
That bait and beat, and will not be obedient.
She ate no meat to day, nor none shall eat.
Last night she slept not, nor to night shall not:
As with the meat, some undeserved fault
I'll find about the making of the bed.
And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, that way the sheets;
Ay; and, amid this hurly, I'll pretend,
That all is done in reverend care of her,
And, in conclufion, she shall watch all night :
And, if she chance to nod, I'll rail and brawl,

And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour.
He that knows better how to tame a Shrew,

Now let him speak, 'tis charity to shew.

[Exit.

3 - to man my baggard,] A baggard is a wild barwk; to man a hawk is to tame her.

SCENE

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