Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace As 'longeth to a lover's blessed case!

Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love,
And have forsworn you with Hortensio.

Bian. Tranio, you jest: but have you both for-
sworn me?

Tra. Mistress, we have.

Luc.

Then we are rid of Licio.

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Tra. I' faith, he 'll have a lusty widow now, That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.

Bian. God give him joy!

Tra. Ay, and he'll tame her.
Bian.

He says so, Tranio. Tra. Faith, he is gone into the taming-school. Bian. The taming-school! what, is there such a place?

Tra. Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master;
That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,
To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue.

Enter BIONDEllo.

Bion. O master, master, I have watch'd so long
That I am dog-weary: but at last I spied
An ancient angel coming down the hill,

Will serve the turn.

What is he, Biondello?

Tra.
Bion. Master, a mercatante, or a pedant,
I know not what; but formal in apparel,
In gait and countenance surely like a father.

57. tricks eleven and twenty long; the allusion has not been satisfactorily explained; some editors suggest an allusion to the card - game of one-andthirty.

61. an ancient angel, a colloquial name for worthy old

60

men of somewhat formal cut; probably from the coin. Cotgrave renders the Fr. angelot à la grosse escaille by an old angell; and by metaphor, a fellow of the old, sound, hopest and worthy stamp.'

63. mercatante(Ital.) merchant.

Luc. And what of him, Tranio?

Tra. If he be credulous and trust my tale,
I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio,
And give assurance to Baptista Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio.

Take in your love, and then let me alone.

[Exeunt Lucentio and Bianca.

Enter a Pedant.

Ped. God save you, sir!

Tra.

And you, sir! you are welcome.
Travel you far on, or are you at the farthest ?
Ped. Sir, at the farthest for a week or two:
But then up farther, and as far as Rome;

And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
Tra. What countryman, I pray?

Ped.

Of Mantua.

Tra. Of Mantua, sir? marry, God forbid!
And come to Padua, careless of your life?
Ped. My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes
hard.

Tra. 'Tis death for any one in Mantua
To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
Your ships are stay'd at Venice, and the duke,
For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him,
Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly:
'Tis marvel, but that you are but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim'd about.
Ped. Alas! sir, it is worse for me than so ;
For I have bills for money by exchange
From Florence and must here deliver them.

Tra. Well, sir, to do you courtesy,
This will I do, and this I will advise you :
First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?

Ped. Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been,
Pisa renowned for grave citizens.

Tra. Among them know you one Vincentio? Ped. I know him not, but I have heard of him; A merchant of incomparable wealth.

Tra. He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say, In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. Bion. [Aside] As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.

Tra. To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake;
And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
That you are like to Sir Vincentio.

His name and credit shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodged:
Look that you take upon you as you should;
You understand me, sir: so shall you stay
Till you have done your business in the city :
If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.

Ped. O sir, I do; and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.

Tra. Then go with me to make the matter good.
This, by the way, I let you understand;
My father is here look'd for every day,
To pass assurance of a dower in marriage
"Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here:
In all these circumstances I'll instruct you:
Go with me to clothe you as becomes you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. A room in PETRUCHIO's house.

Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO.

Gru. No, no, forsooth; I dare not for my life. Kath. The more my wrong, the more his spite appears:

IOI. all one, it makes no difference.

What, did he marry me to famish me?
Beggars, that come unto my father's door,
Upon entreaty have a present alms ;
If not, elsewhere they meet with charity:
But I, who never knew how to entreat,
Nor never needed that I should entreat,
Am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,
With oaths kept waking, and with brawling fed :
And that which spites me more than all these wants,
He does it under name of perfect love;

As who should say, if I should sleep or eat,
'Twere deadly sickness or else present death.
I prithee go and get me some repast;
I care not what, so it be wholesome food.
Gru. What say you to a neat's foot?

Kath. 'Tis passing good: I prithee let me
have it.

Gru. I fear it is too choleric a meat.

How say you to a fat tripe finely broil'd?

Kath. I like it well: good Grumio, fetch it me.
Gru. I cannot tell; I fear 'tis choleric.
What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?
Kath. A dish that I do love to feed upon.
Gru. Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little.
Kath. Why then, the beef, and let the mustard

rest.

Gru. Nay then, I will not: you shall have the mustard,

Or else you get no beef of Grumio.

Kath. Then both, or one, or any thing thou wilt. Gru. Why then, the mustard without the beef. Kath. Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave, [Beats him. That feed'st me with the very name of meat:

5. present, immediate.

13. as who should say, as much as to say.

ΙΟ

20

30

Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you,
That triumph thus upon my misery!

Go, get thee gone, I say.

Enter PETRUCHIO and HORTENSIO with meat.

Pet. How fares my Kate?

What, sweeting,

all amort?

Hor. Mistress, what cheer?

Kath.

Faith, as cold as can be.

Pet. Pluck up thy spirits; look cheerfully upon

me.

Here, love; thou see'st how diligent I am

To dress thy meat myself and bring it thee:
I am sure, sweet Kate, this kindness merits thanks.
What, not a word? Nay, then thou lovest it not;
And all my pains is sorted to no proof.
Here, take away this dish.

Kath.
I pray you, let it stand.
Pet. The poorest service is repaid with thanks;
And so shall mine, before you touch the meat.
Kath. I thank you, sir.

Hor. Signior Petruchio, fie! you are to blame.
Come, Mistress Kate, I'll bear you company.
Pet. [Aside] Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou
lovest me.

Much good do it unto thy gentle heart!

Kate, eat apace: and now, my honey love,
Will we return unto thy father's house,
And revel it as bravely as the best,

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50

With silken coats and caps and golden rings, With ruffs and cuffs and fardingales and things; With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads and all this knavery. 36. amort, dejected. 56. fardingales, farthingales, 43. sorted to no proof, fruit- hoops supporting the skirt. lessly bestowed.