For in Baptista's keep my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;
And her withholds from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Supposing it a thing impossible,

(For those defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,

Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en;-
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

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

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, To old Baptista as a school-master Well seen in musick, to instruct Bianca: That so I may by this device, at least, Have leave and leisure to make love to her, And, unsuspected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love:Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!

VOL. V.

D

[They retire.

Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound:
All books of love, see that at any hand;
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me:-Over and beside

Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess: -Take your papers too, And let me have them very well perfum'd;

For she is sweeter 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, (stand you so assur'd,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior Gre

mio!

Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio.
Trow you,

Whither I am going? -To Baptista Minola.
I promis'd to enquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca:

And, by good fortune, I have lighted well
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 instruct our mistress;
So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove.

Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

[Aside.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love:

Listen 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 curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well:-
Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?
Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son:

My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were

strange:

But, if you have a stomach, to't o'God's name;
You shall have me assisting you in all.

But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet.

Will I live?

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

[Aside.

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 sea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;

That gives not half so great a blow to the ear,

As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs 27.
Gru.

Gre. Hortensio, hark!

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

For he fears none.

[Aside.

My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours.

Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors,

And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win her.

Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.

[Aside.

Enter TRANIO, bravely apparelld; and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold. Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola ?

Gre. He that has the two fair daughters:-is't [Aside to Tranio,] he you mean? Tra. Even he. Biondello!

Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her toTra. Perhaps, him and her, sir; What have you

to do?

Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray.
Tra. I love no chiders, sir:-Biondello, let's away.

Luc. Well begun, Tranio.
Hor.

[Aside.

Sir, a word ere you go;

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get

you hence.

Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free

For me, as for you?

Gre.

But so is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?

Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,

That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.

Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen, Do me this right,-hear me with patience. Baptista is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; And, were his daughter fairer than she is, She may more suitors have, and me for one. Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers; Then well one more may fair Bianca have: And so she shall; Lucentio shall 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.