For though you lay here in this goodly chamber,
Yet would you say, ye were beaten out of door;
And rail upon the hostess of the house;
And say, you would present her at the leet,
Because she brought stone jugs, and no scal'd quarts:
Sometimes, you would call out for Cicely Hacket.

Sly. Ay, the woman's maid of the house.
3 Serv. Why, Sir, you know no house, nor noi

such maid;
Nor no such men, as you have reckond up,
As Stephen Sly, and old John Naps of Greece,
And Peter Turf, and Henry Pimpernell;
And twenty more such names and men as these,
TVhich never were, nor no man ever say.

Sly. Now, Lerd be thanked for my good amends!
All. Amen.
Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not losc by it.

Enter the Page, as a lady, with Attendants. Page. How fares my noble Lord ?

Sly. Marry, I fare well; r here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? Page. Here, noble Lord; What is thy will with

her? Sly. Are you my wife, and will not call me me

husband? My men should call' me- - Lord; I am your good-man. Page. My husband and my Lord, my Lord and

husband; I am your wife in all obedience.

Sly. I know it well: – What must I call her ?
Lord. Madam.
Sly. Alce Madam, or Joan Madam ?
Lord. Madam, and nothing else; so lordo call

Sly. Madam wife, they say, that I have dream'd

and slept Above some fifteen year and more.

Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty into me; '. Being all this time abandou'd from your bed. Sly. 'Tis much; Servants, leave me and her

alone. Madam, undress you, and come now to bed.

Page. Thrice noble Lord, let me entreat of you, To pardon me yet for a night or two; Or, if not so, until the sun be set: For your physicians have expressly charg'd, In peril to iucur your former malady, That I should yet absent me from your bed: I hope, this reason stands for my excuse.

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

Enter a Servant. Serv. Your Honour's players, hearing your amend

ment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy, For so your doctors hold it very mcet; Seeing too much sadness hath congeald your blood, And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy, Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play, And frame your mind to mirth and merriment, Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life.

Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a eommonty à Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick? - Page. No, my good Lord; it is more pleasing stuff. Sly. What houshould stuff?

Pagé. It is a kind of history,

Sly. Well, we'll seet: Conne, Madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger.

{They sit down.

Pádua. A public Plact. Enter LUCENTIO and TRANDO, Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, mursery of aris, I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy; And, by my father's love and leave, am arm’d With his good will, and thy good company, Most trusty servant, welt approv'd in all; Here let us breaihe, and happily institute A course of learning, and ingenious studies. Pisa, renowned for grave citizens, Gave me my being, and my father first, A merchant of great traffick through the world, Vincentio', come of the Bentivolii. Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence It shall beconte, to serve all hopes conceivid, To deck his fortune with his virttions deeds: And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, Virtue, and that part of philosophy Will I apply, that treats of happiness By virtue 'specially to be atchiev'd. Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left, And am to Padua come; as he that leaves A shallow plash, to plunge him in tlie deep, And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra Mi perdonate, gentle Maslor mink, I am in all affected as yourself;

Glad that you thus continue your resolve,
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good Master, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no istoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or so devote to Aristotle's checks,
As Ovid be an out-cast quite abjur'd:
Talk logick with acquaintance ihrat you have,
And practice rhetorick in your common talk;
Musick and poesy use, to quicken yon;
The mathematick:, and the metaphysicks,
Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you:
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en;
In brief, Sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness;
And take a lodging, fit to entertain
Such friends as time in Padua shall beget.
But stay awhile: What company is this?

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to topen. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and

TRANIO stand aside. Bap. Gentlemen, importune me 10 further, For how I firmly am resolvid you know; That is, - not to bestow my youngest daugther, Before I have a husband for the elder: If either of you both love Ka harina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me: There, there Horicusio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, Sir, [T. BAP. ) is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Hor: Mates, maid! how mean your that? no mates

for you,

Unless you'were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear;,
I wis, it is not half way to her heart:
But, if it were, doubt not, her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver as !
Gre. And me too, good Lord!
Tra Hush, Master!, here is some good pastime

toward;
That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.

Luc. But in the other's silence I do see
Maids' mild behaviour and sobriety. .
Peace, Trauio.

Tra. Well said, Master; mum! and gaze your fli.
Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
What I have said, Bianca , get you in:
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl

Kath. A preity peat! is best
Put finger in the eye,

and she knew why.
Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent.
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:
My books, and instruments, shall be my company;
On them to look, and practise by myself.
Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva

speak.

[ Aside.
Hor. Signior Baptista , will you be so strange ?
Sorry am I, thai our good will effects
Bianca's grief.

Gre. Whi, will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista', for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tonguc?

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