A meacock wretch can make the curstest

shrew.

Give me thy hand, Kate: I will unto Venice
To buy apparel 'gainst the wedding-day :-
Provide the feast, father, and bid the guests;
I will be sure, my Katharine shall be fine.

Bap. I know not what to say: but give me
your hands;

God send you joy, Petruchio! 'tis a match.
Gre. Tra. Amen, say we; we will be wit-

nesses.

Pet. Father, and wife, and gentlemen adieu;
I will to Venice, Sunday comes apace:--
We will have rings, and things, and fine array;
And kiss me, Kate, we will be married o'Sun-

day.

And venture madly on a desperate mart.
Tro. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you:
Twill bring you gain or perish on the seas.

Bap. The gain I seek is-quiet in the match.
Gre. No doubt, but he hath got a quiet catch.
But now, Baptista, to your younger daughter;-
Now is the day we long have looked for;
I am your neighbour, and was suitor first.

Tra. And I am one, that love Bianca more Than words can witness, or your thoughts can guess.

Gre. Youngling! thou canst not love so dear
as 1.

[Exeunt PETRUCHIO and KATHARINE,
severally.

Gre. Was ever match clapp'd up so suddenly?
Bap. Faith, gentlemen, now I play a mer-I
chant's part,

Tra. Grey-beard! thy love doth freeze.
Gre. But thine doth fry.
Skipper, stand back: 'tis age, that nourisheth.
Tra. But youth, in ladies' eyes that flou-
risheth.

Bap. Content you, gentlemen: I'll compouud
this strife:

'Tis deeds, must win the prize; and he, of both, That can assure my daughter greatest dower Shall have Bianca's love.

Say, Signior Gremio, what can you assure her?
Gre. First, as you know, my house within
the city

Is richly furnished with plate and gold;
Basins, and ewers, to have her dainty bands;
My bangings all of Tyrian tapestry :
In ivory coffers I have stufi'd my crowns ;
In cypress chests my arras, counterpoints, †
Costly apparel, tents, and canopies,
Fine linen, Turkey cushions boss'd with pearl,
Valance of Venice gold in needle-work,
Pewter and brass, and all things that belong
To house, or housekeeping: then, at my farm,
I have a hundred milch-kine to the pail,
Sixscore fat oxen standing in my stalls,
And all things answerable to this portion.
Myself am struck in years, I must confess ;
And, if I die to morrow, this is hers,
If, whilst I live, she will be only mine.

Tra. That, only, came well in-Sir,
I am my father's heir, and only son:
If I may have your daughter to my wife,
I'll leave her houses three or four as good,
Within rich Pisa walls, as any one
Old signior Gremio has in Padua ;
Besides two thousand ducats by the year,
of fruitful laud, all which shall be her join-

list to
[ue,

ture.

What, have I pinch'd you, signior Gremio ?
Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year,

land!

A dastardly creature.

• Coverings for beds; now called counterpanes.
: A large merchant ship.

My land amounts not to so much in all:
That she shall have; besides an argosy, t
That now is lying in Marseilles' road :-
What, have I chok'd you with an argosy ?
Tra. Gremio, 'tis known, my father hath no

less

Tra. That's but a cavil; he is old, I young. Gre. And may not young men die, as well as old !

Bap. Well, gentlemen,

am thus resolv'd ;-On Sunday, next,
My daughter Katharine is to be married :
Now, on the Sunday following, shall Bianca
Be bride to you, if you make this assurance;
If not, to signior Gremio:
And so I take my leave, and thank you both.

[know, you

wrong,

To strive for that which resteth in my choice:
I am no breeching scholar; in the schools;
of I'll not be tied to hours, nor 'pointed times,

But learn n.y lessons as I please myself.
And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down :-
Take you your instrument, play you the whiles;
His lecture will be doue, ere you have tm'd.
Hor. You'll leave his lecture when I am in
tune?

[TO BIANCA.-HORTENSIO retires.

A vessel of burden worked both with sails and oars.
The highest card.

1 No school-boy, liable to be whipped.

Luc. That will be never;-tune your instru-To cast thy wand'ring eyes on every stale, Seize thee, that list: If once I find thee ranging,

ment.

Bian. Where left we last?

Luc. Here, madam :

Hortensio will be quit with thee by changing.

Hac ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus ;
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.
Bian. Construe them.

Luc. Hac ibat, as I told you before,—Simois,
1 am Lucentio,-hic est, son unto Vincentio of
Pisa,-Sigeia tellus, disguised thus to get
your love;-Hic steterat, and that Lucentio
that comes a wooing,-Priami, is my man
Tranio,-regia, bearing my port,-celsa senis,
that we might beguile the old pantaloon.
Hor. Madam, my instrument's in tune.

Bian. Let's hear ;

[Returning. [HORTENSIO plays.

O fie! the treble jars.

Luc. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again. Bian. Now let me see if I can construe it: Hac ibat Simois, I know you not; hic est Sigeia tellus, I trust you not :-Hic steterat Priami, take heed be hear us not ;-regia, presume not; -celsa senis, despair not.

Hor. Madam, 'tis now in tune.
Luc. All but the bass.

Hor. The bass is right; 'tis the base knave that jars.

How fiery and forward our pedant is !
Now, for my life, the knave doth court my love:
Pedascule, I'll watch you better yet.

Bian. In time I may believe, yet I inistrust.
Luc. Mistrust it not; for, sure, Æacides
Was Ajax,-call'd so from his grandfather.
Bian. I must believe my master; else, I pro-
mise you,

I should be arguing still upon that doubt:
But let it rest.-Now, Licio, to you:-
Good masters, take it not unkindly, pray,
That I have been thus pleasant with you both.
Hor. You may go walk, [To LUCENTIO] and
give me leave awhile;

My lessons make no music in three parts.
Luc. Are you so formal, Sir ? well, I must
wait,

ment,

To learn the order of my fingering,
I must begin with rudiments of art;
To teach you gamut in a briefer sort,
More pleasant, pithy, and effectual,
Than hath been taught by any of my trade:
And there it is in writing, fairly drawn.

Bian. Why, I am past my gamut long ago.
Hor. Yet read the gamat of Hortensio.
Bian. [Read‹.] Gamut I am, the ground of
all accord.

A re, to plead Hortensio's passion ;
B mi, Bianca, take him for thy lord,

C fant, that loves with all affection;
D sol re, one cliff, two notes have 1;
E la mi, show pity, or I die.
Call you this-gamut ? tut! I like it not:
Old fashio is please me best; I am not so nice, t
To change true rules for odd inventions.

Et
SCENE II.—The same.-Before Bartista's
House.

Enter BAPTISTA, GRENIO, TRANIO, Kath:
RINE, BIANCA, LUCENTIO, and Attendants.
Bap. Signior Lucentio, [To TRANIO.) this m
the 'pointed day

That Katharine and Petruchio should be
ried,

And yet we hear not of our son-in-law:
What will be said ? what mocker will it be,
To want the bridegroom, when the priest at
tends

To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage !
What says Lucentio to this shame of ours!
Kath. No shame but mine: I manst, forsooth,
be forc'd

To give my hand, oppos'd against my brart,
Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen
Who woo'd in haste, and means to wed at les-

too; Upon my life, Petruchio means but well, Whatever fortune stays him from his word: Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise; Though he be merry, yet withal he's bonest. Kath. 'Would Katharine had never seen him though!

[Exit, weeping, followed by Bianca, und others.

Bap. Go, girl; I cannot blame thee new to
weep;

For such an injury would vex a saint,
Much more a shrew of thy impatient bummer.

Enter BIONDELLO.

Bion. Master, master! news, old news, and such news as you never heard of!

Bap. Is it new and old too ? how may that ? Bion. Why, is it not news, to hear of Petr chio's coming?

Bap. Is he come ?

Bion. Why, no, Sir.
Bap. What then?

Bion. He is coming.

Bap. When will be be here ?

Bion. When he stands where I am, and seve you there.

Tra. But, say, what :-To thine old news, Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, m a new hat and an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candlecases, one buckled, another faced: m old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armOT, with a broken bilt, and chapeless; with two broken points: His horse bipped with an oid mothy saddle, the s'irrups of no kindred : besides, possessed with the glanders, and like to mose in the chine; troubled with the lampass, infected with the fashions, full of wind ga06, sped with spavins, raied with the yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the sag gers, begnawn with the bots; swayed in the

back, and shoulder-shotten; ne'er-legged before, and with a half-checked bit, and a head-stall of sheep's leather; which, being restrained to keep bim from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots; one girt six times pieced, and a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with packthread.

.

When I should bid good-morrow to my bride,
And seal the title with a lovely kiss?

[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO, and
BIONDELLO.
Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire:
We will persuade him, be it possible,
To put on better ere he go to church.
Bap. I'll after him and see the event of this.
[Exit.
Tra. But,Sir, to her love concerneth us to add
Her father's liking: Which to bring to pass,
As I before imparted to your worship,
I am to get a man,-Whate'er he be,
It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,—
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa;
And make assurance, here in Padua,
Of greater sums than I bave promised.
So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

Luc. Were it not that my fellow-school-mas

ter

Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly,
'Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world say-

no,

I'll keep mine own, despite of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,

Bop. Ay, that Petruchio came.
Bion. No, Sir; I say, his horse comes with And watch our rantage in this business:
him on his back.

We'll over-reach the grey beard, Gremio,
The narrow-prying father, Minola;
The quaint + musician, amorous Licio;
All for my master's sake, Lucentio.-

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. O Sir, his lackey, for all the world caparisoned like the horse, with a linen stock + on one leg, and a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartered with a red and blue list; an old hat, and The humour of forty fancies pricked in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel; and not like a Christian footboy, or a gentleman's lackey.

Tru. 'Tis some odd humour pricks him to
this fashion ;-

Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd.
Bap. I am glad he is come, howsoe'er he

comes.

Bion. Why, Sir, he comes not.

Bap. Didst thou not say, he comes?

Bion. Who? that Petruchio came ?

Bup. Why, that's all one.

Bion. Nay, by Saint Jamy, I hold you a

penny,

A horse and a man is more than one, and yet not many.

Re-enter GREM10.

Signior Gremio! came you from the church?
Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school.
Tra. And is the bride and bridegrootu coming
home?

Gre. A bridegroom, say you? 'tis a groom,
indeed,

A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find
Tra. Curster than she? why, 'tis impossible.
Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very tend.
Tra. Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's
dam.

Now take them up, quoth he, if any list.
Tra. What said the wench when be arose
again?

Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd,
and swore,

As if the vicar meant to cozen him.
But after many ceremonies done,
He calls for wine :-A health, quoth be; as if
He had been aboard carousing to his mates
After a storm :-Quaff'd off the muscadel, ♫
And threw the sops all in the sexton's face;
Having no other reason,-

But that his beard grew thin and hungerly,
And seem'd to ask him sops as be was drink-
ing.

This done, he took the bride about the neck;
And kiss'd her lips with such a clamorous
smack,

That, at the parting, all the church did echo.
I, seeing this, came thence for very sheme;
And after me, I know, the rout coming:
Such a mad marriage never was before;
Hark, hark! I bear the minstrels play.

[Music.

• Maiters.

+ Strange.

1 It was the custom for the company preset to driak wine immediately after the marriage-ceremous

Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAP-
TISTA, HORTENSIO, GRUMIO, and Train.
Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for
your pains:

I know you think to dine with me to-day,
And have prepar'd great store of wedding cheer;
But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,
And therefore here I mean to take my leave.

Bap. Is't possible, you will away to-night?
Pet. I must away to-day, before uight come :-
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would entreat me rather go than stay.
And, honest company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this most patient, sweet, and virtuous wife:
Dine with my father, drink a health to me;
For I must hence, and farewell to you all.
Tra. Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me entreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Kath. Let me entreat you.

Pet. I-am content.

Kath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canst, will not go to day;
No, nor to-morrow, nor till I please myself.
The door is open, Sir, there lies your way.
You may be jogging, whiles your boots are

ACT IV.

SCENE 1.-A Hall in PETRUCHIO's Country
House.
Enter GRUMIO.

Kath. Are you content to stay?

Gru. Fie, fie, on all tired jades! on all masters! and all foul ways! Was ever man beaten ? was ever man so rayed it was ever us so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. were not I a little pot, and soon het, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tourue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere ! should come by a fire to thaw me :-Bat, 1, with

Pet. I am content you shall entreat me stay; But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.

Kath. Now, if you love me, stay.

Pet. Grumio, my horses.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready; the oats have blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, on

eaten the horses.

sidering the weather, a taller man than i take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis !

ner :

I see, a woman may be made a fool,
If she had not a spirit to resist.

Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy com-
mand:-

Obey the bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
Carouse full measure to her maidenhead,
Be mad and merry,--or go hang yourselves;
But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.
Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor
fret ;

I will be master of what is mine own:
She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,
My household-stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare;
I'll bring my action on the proudest he
That stops my way in Padua.--Grumio,
Draw forth thy weapon, we're beset with thieves;
Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man :-
Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee,
Kate:
I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINE, and
GRUMIO.

Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet

For to supply the places at the table,
You know, there wants no junkets at the
feast ;-

Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom: Ye
place;

And let Bianca take her sister's room.

ones.

Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with
laughing.
Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the
like !

Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your
sister?

Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.

Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.
Lap. Neighbours and friends, though bride
and bridegroom wants

Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly!

Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thes may'st slide from my shoulder to my beel, vab no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio ?

Gru. Oh! ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water.

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's r ported ?

Gur. She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou know'st, winter tames man, was, and beast; for it hath tamed my old m2-ter, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis. Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.

Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am 1, at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain en thee to our mistress, whose band (she being o at hand,) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfest, for being slow in thy hot office.

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grunio, tell me, Hor goes the world?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every edit but thine; and, therefore, fire: Do the dazy, and bave thy duty; for my master and mistres are almost frozen to death.

Curt. There's fire ready; And therefore, good Grumio, the news?

Gru. Why, Jack boy! ho boy! and as much news as thon wilt.

Curt. Come, you are so fail of conycatching:

Gru. Why therefore, fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is sapoet ready, the house trimined, rushes strewed, newebs swept; the serving-inen in their new fastian, their white stockings, and every officer his wed ding-garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing

in order?

Curt. All ready; And therefore, I pray Dee, news?

Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my muster and mistress fallen out.

Curt. How ?

Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale.

• Delicacies.

↑ Bewrayed, rty

tale.

Gru. And therefore 'tis called, a sensible tale : and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul bill, my master riding behind iny mistress:

1 Curt. Both on one horse ?

Gru. What's that to thee?
Curt. Why, a horse.

Gru. Tell thou the tale:But hadst thou
not crossed me, thou should'st have heard how
her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou
should'st have heard, in how miry a place: how
she was bemoiled; how he left her with the
horse upon her; how he beat me because ber
borse stumbled; how she waded through the
dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how
she prayed-that never prayed before; bow 1
cried; how the horses ran away; how her
1 bridle was burst ; how I lost my crupper ;-with
1 many things of worthy memory; which now
shall die in oblivion, and thou return unex-
perienced to thy grave.

Why,

Off

Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she.

Gru. Ay; and that, thou and the proudest of But you all shall find, when he comes home. what talk I of this?-call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest; let their heads be sleekly comibed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent kuit: let them curtsey with their left legs; and not presume to touch a hair of my master's borse-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.

Did I not bid thee meet me in the park,
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?
Gru. Nathaniel's coat, Sir, was not fully
made,
[heel;
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i'the
There was no link to colour Peter's hat,
And Walter's dagger was not come from sheath-
ing:

There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and
Gregory;

The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly;
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet
you.

Enter several SERVANTS.
Nath. Welcome home, Grumio.
Phil. How now, Grumio?
Jos. 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 is ready: How near is our master?

Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not,--Cock's passion, silence! I hear my master.

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

Gru. Thou, it seems; that callest for company to countenance her.

Curt. I call them forth to credit her.

Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of What is this? mutton?

them.

1 Serv. Ay.

Pet. Who brought it?

1 Serv. 1.

Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in-[Exeunt some of the SERVANTS. [Sings. Where is the life that late I ledWhere are those--Sit down, Kate, and welcome. Soud, soud, soud, soud !+

Re-enter SERVANTS, with supper.

when, I say ?-Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. [When ? with my boots, you rogues, you villains; It was the friar of orders grey, [Sings. As he forth walked on his way:Out, out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry: Take that, and meud the plucking off the [Strikes him. Be merry, Kate :-Some water, here; what, ho![hence, Where's my spaniel Troilus ?-Sirrah, get you And bid my cousia Ferdinand come hither :[Exit SERVANT. One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquaiut

other.

ed with.

Where

are my slippers ?-Shall I have some water? [A basin is presented to him. Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily :[SERVANT lets the ewer full. You whoreson villain will you let it fall? [Strikes him. Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whoreson, beetleheaded, flap-ear'd knave!

Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach.

Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall 13

You logger-headed and unpolished 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 whoreson malt-
horse drudge!

Pet. 'Tis burnt; and so is all the meat :
What dogs are these :-Where is the rascal cook ?
How durst you, villains, bring it from the
dresser,

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 headless joltheads, and unmanner'd slaves!
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight.

Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so di-quiet;
The meat was well, if you were so contented.
Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dried
away;

And I expressly 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 choleric,-

Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended.
And, for this night, we'll fast for company :-
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.
[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and

CURTIS.

Nath. [Advancing] Peter, didst ever see the

like?
Peter. He kills her in her own humour.
Re-enter CURTIS.
Gru. Where is he?

A torch of pitch.

+A word coined by Shakspeare to express the noise made by a person heated and fatigued.