Should be infused with so foul a spirit! Sly. What! would you make me mad? Am not I Christophero Sly, old Sly's son, of Burton-heath; by birth a pedlar, by education a card-maker, by transmutation a bear-herd, and now by present profession a tinker? Ask Marian Hacket, the fat alewife of Wincot, if she know me not: if she say I am not fourteen pence on the score for Warwickshire ale, score me up for the lying'st knave in Christendom. What! I am not a bestraught. Here's 1 Serv. O! this it is that makes your lady mourn. 23 Serv. O! this it is that makes your servants droop. [house, Lord. Hence comes it that your kindred shun your As beaten hence by your strange lunacy. O, noble lord! bethink thee of thy birth; Wilt thou have music? hark! Apollo plays, [Music. Or wilt thou sleep? we'll have thee to a couch, Say thou wilt walk, we will bestrew the ground: 1 Serv. Say thou wilt course, thy greyhounds are As breathed stags, ay, fleeter than the roe. 2 Serv. Dost thou love pictures? we will fetch Adonis painted by a running brook, Lord. We'll show thee Io as she was a maid, 3 Serv. Or Daphne roaming through a thorny wood, 1 Serv. And, till the tears that she hath shed for thee, Sly. Am I a lord? and have I such a lady? I smell sweet savors, and I feel soft things.- Sly. These fifteen years! by my b fay, a goodly nap. But did I never speak of all that time? • Distracted; mad.-b"By my fay," i. e., by my faith, 3 Serv. Why, sir, you know no house, nor no such maid, Nor no such men, as you have reckon'd up, Sly. Now, Lord be thanked for my good amends! Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the Page, as a Lady, with Attendants. Page. How fares my noble lord? Sly. Marry, I fare well; for 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 husband? My men should call me lord: I am your good-man. Page. My husband and my lord, my lord and hus band; I am your wife in all obedience. Sly. I know it well.-What must I call her? Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam? Lord. Madam, and nothing else: so lords call ladies. Sly. Madam wife, they say that I have dream'd, And slept about some fifteen year and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me, Madam, undress you, and come now to bed. your I hope this reason stands for my excuse. bed. Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long; but I would be loath to fall into my dreams again I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Servant. Serv. Your honor's players, hearing your amendment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy; Page. No, my good lord: it is more pleasing stuff. Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see't. Come, madam wife, sit by my side, 7 We shall ne'er be younger, and let the world slide. •Court leet.- Comedy. ACT I. SCENE I.-Padua. A Public Place. Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO. Luc. Tranio, since, for the great desire I had And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd A merchant of great traffic through the world, Tra. Mi perdonate, gentle master mine, Glad that you thus continue your resolve, Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, If either of you both love Katharina, Kath. [To BAP.] I pray you, sir, is it your gra cious will d To make a stale of me amongst these mates? Unless for you, That is, to fulfil the expectations of his friends. dle(Ital) Pardon me.-"Stale," i. e., bait; decoy. Pud Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: Iwis, 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 us! Gre. And me too, good Lord! ['toward: Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Luc. But in the other's silence do I see Maids' mild behavior, and sobriety. Peace, Tranio! Tra. Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill. 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 pretty peat! it is best Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why.- Gre. Why, will you 'mew her up, To mine own children in good bringing-up; m Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your " gifts are so good, here's none will hold you. This love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell:-yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labor and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. A husband! a devil. Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil. Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio! though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could "I wis," i. e., I think. In preparations Pet—h Odd; different from others. Shut. Recommend. Able; -1 learned. Endowments.-" Recommend.- Reflection, light on them, would take her with all faults, and | money enough. Gre. I cannot tell, but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition,-to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh.-Sweet Bianca!-Happy man be his adole! He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, signior Gremio? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? Luc. O, Tranio! till I found it to be true, I never thought it possible, or likely. But see! while idly I stood looking on, I found the effect of love in idleness; And now in plainness do confess to thee, That art to me as secret, and as dear, As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was, Tranio, I burn, I pine; I perish, Tranio, If I achieve not this young modest girl. Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst: Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt. Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; Affection is not rated from the heart: If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,Redime te captum, quam queas minimo. Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maid, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. Luc. O! yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of 1 Agenor's race, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand. e Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her Began to scold, and raise up such a storm, [sister That mortal ears might scarce endure the din? Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move, And with her breath she did perfume the air: Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her. [trance. Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his I pray, awake, sir: if you love the maid, [stands: Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd, That, till the father rid his hands of her, Master, your love must live a maid at home; And therefore has he closely fmew'd her up, Because she will not be annoy'd with suitors. Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he! But art thou not advis'd, he took some care To get her cunning 3 masters to instruct her? Tra. Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now 'tis plotted. Luc. I have it, Tranio. Tra. Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Luc. Tell me thine first, Master, for my hand, You will be schoolmaster, And undertake the teaching of the maid: That's your device. Luc. It is may it be done? Tra. Not possible; for who shall bear your part, Lot; portion.-b Obtain; get.-"Rated," i. e., driven out by chiding.d Longingly. Europa.- Shut. And be in Padua, here, Vincentio's son; Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves, Here comes the rogue.-Sirrah, where have you been? Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now? where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your clothes, Bion. I, sir? ne'er a whit. Bion. The better for him; 'would I were so too! One thing more rests, that thyself execute; [Exeunt. 1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely: comes there any more of it? Page. My lord, 'tis but begun. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; would 'twere done! One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife, (As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance) Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, My best beloved and approved friend, Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house.Here, sirrah Grumio! knock, I say. Gru. Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd any man has rebused your worship? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. As Socrates' Xantippe, or even worse, Gru. Knock you here, sir? why, sir, what am I, Affection's edge in me. sir, that I should knock you here, sir? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate; And then I know after who comes by the worst. 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it: [He wrings GRUMIO by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. Pet. Now, knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain! [GRUMIO falls down. Enter HORTENSIO. Hor. How now! what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio, and my good friend Petruchio!-How do you all at Verona ? Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I say. Hor. Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signior mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise: we will compound this quarrel. Gru. [Rising.] Nay, 'tis no matter, sir, what he 'leges in Latin.-If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service,-look you, sir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; Being, perhaps, (for aught I see) two and thirty, a pip 3 mo? Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Pet. A senseless villain!-Good Hortensio, Gru. Knock at the gate ?-O heavens! Spake you not these words plain,-"Sirrah, knock me here; rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly?" And come you now with knocking at the gate? Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. And I have thrust myself into this maze, Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee, And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favor'd wife? Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we Few words suffice; and therefore, if thou know "Rebused," i. e., played a trick upon. The allusion is to an old game of cards: a "pip mo" is a spot more.—"In a few," i. e., in short; in few words. As are the swelling Adriatic seas, Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is why, give him gold enough and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby; or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many discases as two and fifty horses. Why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. Hor. Petruchio, since we are stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest. I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous; Brought up, as best becomes a gentlewoman: Her only fault, and that is faults enough, Is, that she is intolerably curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, I would not wed her for a mine of gold. That, were my state far worser than it is, Pet. Hortensio, peace! thou know'st not gold's effect. Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough, Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humor do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or so; why, that's nothing: an he begin once, he'll rail in his 'rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, sir,-an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, Till Katharine the curst have got a husband. Gru. Katharine the curst! A title for a maid of all titles the worst. A figure carved on an aglet, or jewel.- Shrewish; cross. fRoguish tricks. Withstand.- Keeping; custody.Measure."Well seen," i. e., well skilled. Have leave and leisure to make love to her, Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised, with 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! [They retire. I'll mend it with a largess.-Take your papers, too, Gre. O, this learning, what a thing it is! Hor. Grumio, mum!-[ Coming forward.]—God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you are well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. I promis'd to inquire carefully About a master for the fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man; for learning, and behavior. Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove. 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 But if you have a stomach, to't o' God's name: But will you woo this wild cat? Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. "At any hand," i. e., at any rate.- Present.-"Trow you," i. e., think you. 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 hear, As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. Gru. For he fears none. Gre. Hortensio, hark. Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her. Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner. Enter TRANIO, bravely apparelled; 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? Bion. He that has the two fair daughters-is't he you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, sir: you mean not her to- 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. Sir, a word ere you go. [Aside. Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head: I know, he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two, The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As is the other for beauteous modesty. Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me: insooth, That is, fright boys with bugbears. |