Re-enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, and TRANIO. Bap. Now, Signior Petruchio, how speed you with my daughter?

Pet. How but well, sir? how but well? It were impossible I should speed amiss. Bap. Why, how now, daughter Katharine! in your dumps?

Kath. Call you me daughter? now, I promise you
You have show'd a tender fatherly regard,
To wish me wed to one half lunatic;
A mad-cap ruffian and a swearing Jack,
That thinks with oaths to face the matter out.
Pet. Father, 'tis thus: yourself and all the
world,

That talk'd of her, have talk'd amiss of her:
If she be curst, it is for policy,

280

For she's not froward, but modest as the dove;
She is not hot, but temperate as the morn;
For patience she will prove a second Grissel,
And Roman Lucrece for her chastity;
And to conclude, we have 'greed so well together,
That upon Sunday is the wedding-day.

290

Kath. I'll see thee hang'd on Sunday first. Gre. Hark, Petruchio: she says she 'll see thee hang'd first.

Tra. Is this your speeding? nay then, good night our part.

Pet. Be patient, gentlemen; I choose her for myself:

If she and I be pleas'd, what's that to you?
'Tis bargain'd 'twixt us twain, being alone,
That she shall still be curst in company.
I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe

300

How much she loves me: O! the kindest Kate.
She hung about my neck, and kiss on kiss
She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath,
That in a twink she won me to her love.
O! you are novices: 'tis a world to see,
How tame, when men and women are alone,
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.

310

Gre., Tra. Amen, say we: we will be witnesses. 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' Sunday. Excunt PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA, severally. Gre. Was ever match clapp'd up so suddenly? Bap. Faith, gentlemen, now I play a merchant's part,

And venture madly on a desperate mart.

Tra. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you: Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas.

321

Rap. 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 I. Tra. Greybeard, thy love doth freeze. Gre. But thine doth fry. 380 Skipper, stand back: 'tis age that nourisheth. Tra. But youth in ladies' eyes that flourisheth. Bap. Content you, gentlemen; I will compound this strife:

'Tis deeds must win the prize; and he, of both, That can assure my daughter greatest dower Shall have my 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 lave her dainty hands; 340
My hangings all of Tyrian tapestry;

In ivory coffers I have stuff'd my crowns;
In cypress chests my arras counterpoints,
Costly apparel, tents, and canopies,

350

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,
Six score 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, list to me :
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

360

Old Signior Gremio has in Padua ;
Besides two thousand ducats by the year
Of fruitful land, all which shall be her jointure.
What, have I pinch'd you, Signior Gremio?
Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year of land!
My land amounts not to so much in all:
That she shall have; besides an argosy,
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
Than three great argosies, besides two galliasses,
And twelve tight galleys: these I will assure her,
And twice as much, whate'er thou offer'st next.
Gre. Nay, I have offer'd all, I have no more;
And she can have no more than all I have:
If you like me, she shall have me and mine.
Tra. Why, then the maid is mine from all
the world,

By your firm promise. Gremio is out-vied.

Bap. I must confess your offer is the best; And, let your father make her the assurance, She is your own; else, you must pardon me: 380 If you should die before him, where 's her dower? 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,

I am thus resolv'd. On Sunday next, you know,
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. 390

Exit.

Gre. Adieu, good neighbour. Now I fear thee

not:

Sirrah, young gamester, your father were a fool
To give thee all, and in his waning age
Set foot under thy table. Tut! a toy!
An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy. Exit.
Tra. A vengeance on your crafty wither'd hide!
Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.
'Tis in my head to do my master good:
I see no reason, but suppos'd Lucentio
Must get a father, call'd 'suppos'd Vincentio';
And that's a wonder: fathers commonly
Do get their children; but in this case of wooing,
A child shall get a sire, if I fail not of my cun
ning.
Exit.

ACT III.

401

SCENE I.-Padua. A Room in BAPTISTA's House. Enter LUCENTIO, HORTENSIO, and BIANCA. Luc. Fiddler, forbear; you grow too forward,

sir.

Have you so soon forgot the entertainment
Her sister Katharine welcom'd you withal?
Hor. But, wrangling pedant, this is
The patroness of heavenly harmony:
Then give me leave to have prerogative:
And when in music we have spent an hour,
Your lecture shall have leisure for as much.

Luc. Preposterous ass, that never read so far
To know the cause why music was ordain'd! 10
Was it not to refresh the mind of man
After his studies or his usual pain?
Then give me leave to read philosophy,
And while I pause, serve in your harmony.

Hor. Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine. Bian. Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong,

20

To strive for that which resteth in my choice.
I am no breeching scholar in the schools;
I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed times,
But learn my 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 done ere you have tun'd.
Hor. You'll leave his lecture when I am in tune?
Retires.

Luc. That will be never: tune your instrument.
Bian. Where left we last?
Luc. Here, madam :-

Hic ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus;
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.

Bian. Construe them.

20

Luc. Hic ibat, as I told you before, Simois, I 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.

Bian. In time I may believe, yet I mistrust.
Luc. Mistrust it not; for, sure, Æacides
Was Ajax, call'd so from his grandfather.
Bian. I must believe my master; else, I promise
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, and give me leave a
while :

119

My lessons make no music in three parts.
Luc. Are you so formal, sir? Aside. Well, I
must wait,

And watch withal; for, but I be deceiv'd,
Our fine musician groweth amorous.

Hor. Madam, before you touch the instrument, 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 gamut of Hortensio.
Bian. 'Gamut' I am, the ground of all accord,
A re,' to plead Hortensio's passion;
'B mi,' Bianca, take him for thy lord,
'C fa ut,' that loves with all affection:
'D sol re,' one clef, two notes have I:
'Ela mi,' show pity, or I die.

Call you this gamut? tut! I like it not :
Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice,
To change true rules for odd inventions.

Enter a Servant.

70

81

Serv. Mistress, your father prays you leave your books,

And help to dress your sister's chamber up:
You know to-morrow is the wedding-day.
Bian. Farewell, sweet masters both: I must
be gone.
Exeunt BIANCA and Servant.
Luc. Faith, mistress, then I have no cause to
stav.
Exit.
Methinks he looks as though he were in love.
Hor. But I have cause to pry into this pedant :
Yet if thy thoughts, Bianca, be so humble
To cast thy wandering eyes on every stale,
Seize thee that list: if once I find thee ranging,
Hortensio will be quit with thee by changing.
Exit.

SCENE II.-The Same. Before BAPTISTA'S House.

90

Enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, LUCENTIO, and Attendants. Bap. To TRANIO. Signior Lucentio, this is the 'pointed day

That Katharine and Petruchio should be married,

And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.
What will be said? what mockery will it be
To want the bridegroom when the priest attends
To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage!
What says Lucentio to this shame of ours?
Kath. No shame but mine: I must, forsooth,
be forc'd

10

To give my hand oppos'd against my heart
Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen;
Who woo'd in haste and means to wed at leisure.
I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour;
And to be noted for a merry man,

He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage,
Make friends, invite, and proclaim the banns;
Yet never means to wed where he hath woo'd.
Now must the world point at poor Katharine,
And say, 'Lo! there is mad Petruchio's wife,
If it would please him come and marry her.' 20
Tra. Patience, good Katharine,and Baptista 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 honest.

Kath. Would Katharine had never seen him though!

Exit, weeping, followed by BIANCA and others. Bap. Go, girl; I cannot blame thee now to weep, For such an injury would vex a very saint, Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour.

Tra. But say, what to thine old news? Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, in 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 laced; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town-armoury, with a broken hilt, and chapeless; with two broken points his horse hipped with an old mothy saddle and stirrups 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 windgalls, sped with spavins, rayed with the yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn with the bots, swayed in the back, and shouldershotten; near-legged before, and with a halfchecked bit, and a head-stall of sheep's leather, which, being restrained to keep him from stum. bling, hath been often burst and now repaired with knots; one girth 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. 64 Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. O, sir! his lackey, for all the world caparisoned like the horse; with a linen stock

First were we sad, fearing you would not come;
Now sadder, that you come so unprovided.
Fie! doff this habit, shame to your estate,
An eye-sore to our solemn festival.

Tra. And tell us what occasion of import Hath all so long detain'd you from your wife, And sent you hither so unlike yourself?

110

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear:
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Though in some part enforced to digress;
Which, at more leisure, I will so excuse
As you shall well be satisfied withal.
But where is Kate? I stay too long from her :
The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church.
Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent
robes:

Go to my chamber: put on clothes of mine.
Pet. Not I, believe me: thus I'll visit her.
Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good sooth, even thus ; therefore ha' done
with words:

To me she's married, not unto my clothes.
Could I repair what she will wear in me 120
As I can change these poor accoutrements,
Twere well for Kate and better for myself.
But what a fool am I to chat with you
When I should bid good-morrow to my bride,
And seal the title with a lovely kiss!

Exeunt PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO, and
BIONDELLO.

Enter GRUMIO.

Gru. Fie, fie, on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, 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, ho! Curtis.

12

Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is that calls so coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayest 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. 21

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost ; but, thou knowest, 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! Iamno beast. Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn But is a foot; and so long am I at the least. 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?

33

Curt. I prithee, 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.

41

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

Curt. Come, you are so full of cony-catching.

Curt. Here.

Gru. There.

Striking him. Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a 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 hill, my master riding behind my mistress,

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

Gru. Tell thou the tale: but hadst thou not 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; 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. 85 Curt. By this reckoning he is more shrew than she.

70

Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of But you all shall find when he comes home. Call forth Nathaniel, what talk I of this? Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest: let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent knit: let them court'sy with their left legs, and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horsetail till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready?

Curt. They are.

Gru. Call them forth.

Enter several Servants.

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

Nich. Fellow Grumio!

Curt. Do you hear! ho? you must meet my master to countenance my mistress.

101

Gru. Why, she hath a face of her own.

Cart. Who knows not that?

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

Curt. I call them forth to credit her.

Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them.

110