Hor. Alla noftra cafa ben venuto, Molto bono ato fignor mio Petruchio. Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful caufe for me to leave his fervice,Look you, fir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him foundly, fir: Well, was it fit for a fervant to ufe his mafter fo; being, That Lucentio indeed had Baptifta's youngeft perhaps, (for ought I fee) two and thirty,—a pip

out?

But, firrah,-not for my fake, but your mafter's,-Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,

Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet. A fenfelefs villain!--Good Hortenfio,
I bid the rafcal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gr. Knock at the gate - heavens !— [here,
Spake you not thefe words plain,-Sirrah, knock me
Rap mi bere, knock me well, and knock me foundly?

To make one among thefe wooers: If thou afk And come you now with-knocking at the gate?

Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge; [Exeunt. Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and Your ancient, trufty, pleasant servant Grumio. [furely; And tell me now, fweet friend,-what happy gale Sly. "Yes, by faint Anne, do I. A good matter, Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona? "Comes there any more of it?"

To feek their fortunes farther than at home,
Where small experience grows. But, in a few 3,

1 Perhaps we should read abused. 2 Meaning, probably, what he alledges. 3 That is, in a few words.

Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me:-
Antonio, my father, is deceas'd;

And I have thruft myself into this maze,
Haply to wive, and thrive, as best I may :
Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to fee the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,
And with thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thou'dit thank me but a little for my counfel:
And yet I'll promife thee the fhall be rich,
And very rich :--but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not with thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as we,
Few words fuffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife,
(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance)
Be fhe as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sibyl, and as curft and threwd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me, were the as rough
As are the fwelling Adriatic feas:
I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;
If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks 3. I'll
tell you what, fir,-an the ftand him but a little,
he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure
her with it, that the fhall have no more eyes to fee
withal than a cat: You know him not, fir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee;
For in Baptifta's keep my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;
And her withholds he from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

(For thofe defects I have before rehears'd)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en ;—
That none fhall have accefs unto Bianca,
'Till Katharine the curft have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curit!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace;
And offer me, difguis'd in fober robes,
To old Baptifta as a schoolmafter
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca:
That fo I may by this device, at least,
Have leave and leifure to make love to her,
And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

Gru. Nay, look you, fir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet 2-baby: or an old Enter Gremio, and Lucentio disguis'd, with books trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have

as many difeafes as two and fifty horfes; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

under bis arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads to

Hor. Petruchio, fince we have stept thus far in, gether! Mafter, master, look about you: Who

I will continue that I broach'd in jeft.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous;
Brought up, as beft becomes a gentlewoman:
Her only fault (and that is fault enough)
Is,--that she is intolerably curft,

And shrewd, and froward; fo beyond all measure,
That, were my ftate far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love :-
Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper ftripling, and an amorous!
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, fir; I'll have them very fairly hound :
All books of love, fee that at any hand;
And fee you read no other lectures to her:
You underftand me :-Over and befide

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'ft not gold's Signior Baptifta's liberality,

effect:

Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;
For I will board her, though the chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptifta Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman:
Her name is, Katharina Minola,
Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her;
And he knew my deceased father well:-
I will not fleep, Hortenfio, till I fee her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this firit encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, fir, let him go while the humour lafts. O' my word, an fhe knew him as

I'll mend it with a largefs :-Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For fhe is tweeter than perfume itself,
To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, (ftand you so affur'd)
As firmly as yourfelf were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps) with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, fir.

Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an afs it is!
Pet. Peace, firrahı.
[Gremio!
Hor. Grumio, mum!-God fave you, fignior
Gre. And you are well met, fignior Hortenfio.
Trow you

Whither I am going ?-To Baptifta Minola.
well as I do, he would think foolding would do I promis'd to enquire carefully
little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him About a schoolmafter for the fair Bianca :
half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an And, by good fortune, I have lighted well

I This alludes to the ftory of a knight named Florent, who bound himfelf to marry a deformed hag, provided the taught him the folution of a riddle on which his life depended. 2 The tag of a point. 3 Probably meaning his rogue-tricks. 4 i. c. custody. 5 i. c. well verfed in mu

fick. i. e. at all events.

On

On this young man; for learning, and behaviour,
Fit for her turn; well read in poetry,

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.
Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftruct our mistress;
So fhall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, fo belov'd of me.

[prove.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds fhall
Gra. And that his bags fhall prove. [Afide.
Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love:
Liften to me, and, if you speak me fair,
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curft Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So faid, fo done, is well :-
Hortenfio, have you told him all her fauits?

Gre. But fo is not the.

Ta. For what reafon, I befeech you?
Gre. For this reafon, if you'll know,-

That the's the choice love of fignior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chofen of fignior Hortenfio. Tia. Softly, my maiters! if you be gentlemen, Do nie this right,-hear me with patience. Baptifta is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;

Pet. I know, the is an irkfome brawling fcold;
If that be all, mafters, I hear no harm. [man?
Gre. No, fay'it me fo, friend? What country-And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's fon :
My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to fee.
Gre. Oh, fit, fuch a life, with fuch a wife, were
ftrange:

But, if you have a ftomach, to't o'God's name;
You shall have me ailifting you in all.
But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gra. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her.

[Afide.

Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent
Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the fea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordinance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the ikies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard
Loud 'farums, neighing fteeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;
That gives not half fo great a blow to the ear,
As will a chefnut in a farmer's fire?
Tush, tuh! fear boys with bugs '.
Gra. For he fears none.
Gre. Hortenfio, hark!
This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

She may more fuitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And fo fhe fhall; Lucentio fhall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all.
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a
jade.

Pet. Hortenfio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's daughter?

Tra. No, fir; but hear I do, that he hath two:
The one as famous for a fcolding tongue,
As the other is for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, fir, the firit's for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules;
And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, infooth ;-
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors;
And will not promife her to any man,
Until the eldest fifter first be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be fo, fir, that you are the man
[Afide. Muft ftead us all, and me amongst the rest;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat,--
Atchieve the elder, fet the younger free
For our accefs,--whofe hap fhall be to have her,
Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate.

My mind prefumes, for his own good, and ours.
Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatfoe'er.
Gre. And to we will; provided, that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as fure of a good dinner.
[Afide.
To them Tranio bravely apparell'd, and Biondello.
Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you! If I may be bold,
Tell me,
I beseech you, which is the readieft way
To the houfe of fignior Baptista Minola?
Gre. He that has the two fair daughters ? is't he

you mean?

Tra. Even he. Biondello!

Gre. Hark you, fir; You mean not her to

Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive:
And fince you do profefs to be a fuitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all reft generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack: in fign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive 2 this afternoon,
And quaff caroufes to our mistress' health;
And do as adverfaries do in law,--
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone.
Hor. The motion's good, indeed, and be it fo;-
Petruchio, I fhall be your ben venuto.

1 That is, bug-bears. 2 Contrute in this place means to spend, to wear out.

S 2

[Exeunt.

ACT

Bianca.

SCENE I.

ACT II.

Baptifta's Houfe in Padua.

Enter Katharina and Bianca.

OOD fifter, wrong me not, nor
wrong yourfelf,

To make a bondmaid and a flave of me;
That I difdain: but for thefe other gawds,-
Unbind 'my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat ;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Koth. Of all thy fuitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'it beft: fee thou diffemble not.
Bian. Believe me, fifter, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou ly'ft; Is't not Hortenfio?
Bian. If you affect him, filter, here I swear,
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.
Kath. Oh then, belike, you fancy riches more:
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me fo?
Nay, then you jeft; and now I well perceive,
You have but jefted with me all this while :
I pr'ythee, fifter Kate, untie my hands.
Kath. If that be jeft, then all the reft was fo.
[Strikes ber.

Enter Baptifta.

Why doft thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did the cross thee with a bitter word?

Pet. You wrong me, fignior Gremio; give me

leave.

I am a gentleman of Verona, fir,
That,-hearing of her beauty, and her wit,
Her affability, and bashful modefty,

Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour,-
Am bold to show myself a forward guest
Within your houfe, to make mine eye the witness
Of that report which I fo oft have heard.
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,
[Prefenting Hortenfio.

I do prefent you with a man of mine,
Cunning in mufick, and the mathematicks,
To inftruct her fully in thofe fciences,
Whereof, I know, the is not ignorant :
Accept of him, or elfe you do me wrong;
His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

Bap. You're welcome, fir; and he, for your
good fake:

But for my daughter Katharine,-this I know,
She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

Pet. I fee, you do not mean to part with her;
Or elfe you like not of my company.

[fake,

Bap. Miftake me not, I speak but as I find.
Whence are you, fir? what may I call your name!
Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's fon,
A man well known throughout all Italy.
Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his
Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray,
Let us,
that are poor petitioners, speak too:
Biccare 2! you are marvellous forward.

Pet. Oh, pardon me, fignior Gremio; I would
fain be doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, fir; but you will curfe your

wooing.

Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am fure Kath. Her filence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. of it. To exprefs the like kindness myself, that [Flies after Bianca. have been more kindly beholding to you than any,

Bap. What, in my fight?-Bianca, get thee in.free leave give to this young scholar, that hath been [Exit Bianca. long studying at Rheims; [prefenting Lucentia.] as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in mufick and mathematicks: his name is Cambio; pray, accept his fervice.

Kath. Will you not fuffer me? Nay, now I fee,
She is your treafure, she must have a husband ;
I muft dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,
And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.
Talk not to me; I will go fit and weep,
'Till I can find occafion of revenge.

[Exit Kath. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here?

Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man;
Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a mafician; Tranis,
and Biondello bearing a lute and bnaks.
Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptifta.
Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio: God
fave you, gentlemen!
[daughter
Per. And you, good fir! Pray, have you not
Call'd Katharina, fair, and virtuous?

Bp. I have a daughter, fir, call'd Katharina.
Gre. You are too blunt; go to it orderly.

a

Bap. A thoufand thanks, fignior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio.But, gentle fir, methinks, you walk like a ftranger; [to Tranio.] May I be fo bold to know the cause of your coming?

Tra. Pardon me, fir, the boldness is mine own;
That, being a ftranger in this city here,
Do make myself a fuitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous.
Nor is your firm refolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldest fifter:
This liberty is all that I request,—
That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

I may have welcome 'mongst the reft that woo,
And free accefs and favour as the reft.

And, toward the education of your daughters,

Hilding, or hinderling, means a low wretch. 2 An old proverbial word.

A fret is that ftop of a musical inftrument which caufes or regulates the vibration of the firing