'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,
And watch our vantage in this business:
We'll over-reach the grey-beard, Gremio;
The narrow-prying father, Minola;
The quaint 3 musician, amorous Licio;
All for my master's sake, Lucentio.

Re-enter GREMIO.

Signior Gremio, came you from the church?

Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school. Tra. And is the bride and bridegroom 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 fiend. Tra. Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam. Gre. Tut! she's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him. I'll tell you, sir Lucentio: When the priest Should ask if Katharine should be his wife, Ay, by gogs-wouns, quoth he; and swore so loud, That, all amazed, the priest let fall the book: And, as he stoop'd again to take it up,

The mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, That down fell priest and book, and book and priest; Now take them up, quoth he, if any list.

Tra. What said the wench, when he 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 he; as if
He had been aboard carousing to his mates
After a storm :- Quaff'd off the muscadel 4,
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 he was drinking.
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 shame;
And, after me, I know the rout is coming;
Such a mad marriage never was before:
Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels play.

[Musick. Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, 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 posssible, you will away to-night?
Pet. I must away to-day, before night 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 :

3 Strange.

4 It was the custom for the company present to drink wine immediately after the marriage ceremony.

Do what thou canst, I 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 green;
For me, I'll not be gone, till I please myself; -
'Tis like, you'll prove a jolly surly groom,
That take it on you at the first so roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee be not angry. Kath I will be angry: What hast thou to do? Father be quiet: he shall stay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, sir: now it begins to work. Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner :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 command: :

Obey the bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
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, KATHARINA, and GRUMIO. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet 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.
Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and
bridegroom wants

For to supply the places at the table,

You know, there wants no junkets at the feast ;— Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom's place; And let Bianca take her sister's room.

Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it? Bap. She shail, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let's go. [Exeunt.

5 Delicacies.

SCENE I.-A Hall in Petruchio's Country House.

Enter GRUMIO.

Gru. Fye, fye, on all tired jades, on all mad masters! and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? 6 was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were I not a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me:- But, I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself: for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis ! Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire;

cast on no water.

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost; but, thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tamed my old master, 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 I, at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and, therefore, fire: Do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death,

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

Gru. Why, Jack boy! ho boy! and fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed; cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian; their white stockings, and every officer his weddinggarment 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 thee, news? Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out.

crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place: how she was bemoiled 7; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayed that never prayed before; how I cried; 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 unexperienced to thy grave. Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she.

-

Gru. Ay; and that, thou 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, Sugarsop, and the rest; let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent 8 knit : let them curtsey 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.

Gru. Why, she hath 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 them.
Enter several Servants.

Nath. Welcome home, Grumio.
Phil. How now, Grumio?
Jos. What, Grumio!

Nich. Fellow Grumio!
Nath. How now, old lad?

what,

Gru. Welcome, you ; how now, you ; 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, silence! I hear my master.

Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA.
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 logger-headed and unpolish'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 malt-horse drudge ! 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,
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i'the heel;
There was no link 9 to colour Peter's hat,
And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing:
There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and Gre-
gory;

The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly;
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in.
[Exeunt some of the Servants.

[Sings. Sit down, Kate, and welcome.

Where is the life that late I led
Where are those
Soud, soud, soud, soud!!

Re-enter Servants with Supper.

Pet. Thus have I politickly begun my reign, And 'tis my hope to end successfully:

merry.

Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains;

When?

with.

Where are my slippers?- Shall I have some water? [A bason is presented to him. Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily:[Servant lets the ewer fall. You villain! will you let it fall? [Strikes him. Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling.

Pet. A beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave! Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I ?— What is this? mutton?

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 heedless joltheads, and unmanner'd slaves! What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight. Kath. 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 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 cholerick, Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh. Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended,

And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorg'd,
For then she never looks upon her lure. 2
Another way I have to man my haggard 3,
To make her come, and know her keeper's call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites,
That bate 4, and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;
Last night she slept not, nor to-night she 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, another way the sheets:
Ay, and amid this hurly, I intend,
That all is done in reverend care of her;
And, in conclusion, 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 the way to kill a wife with kindness;
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong hu-

mour:

SCENE II. - Padua. Before Baptista's House.

Enter TRANIO and HORTENSIO.

Tra. Is't possible, friend Licio, that Bianca
Doth fancy any other but Lucentio ?

I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand.
Hor. Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said,
Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching.
[They stand aside.

Enter BIANCA and LUCENTIO.
Luc. Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
Bian. What, master, read you? first resolve me

that.

Luc. I read that I profess, the art of love. Bian. And may you prove, sir, masterof your art! Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart. [They retire.

Hor. Quick proceeders, marry! Now, tell me, I

pray,

You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca Lov'd none in the world so well as Lucentio.

2 A thing stuffed to look like the game which the hawk was to pursue.

3 To tame my wild hawk,

4 Flutter.

5 Pretend.