Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors, Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive: Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. [Exeunt. [The Presenters, above, speak here. I Man. My Lord, you nod; you do not mind the Play. Sly. Yea, by St. Ann, do I: a good matter, furely! comes there any more of it? Lady. My Lord, 'tis but begun. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, Madam Lady. 'Would, 'twere done! 9 Please ye, we may contrive this afternoon,] Mr. Theobald asks what they were to contrive? and then fays, a foolish corruption poffeffes the place, and fo alters it to convive; in which he is followed, as he pretty conftantly is, when wrong, by the Oxford Editor. But the common reading is right, and the Critic was only ignorant of the meaning of it. Contrive does not fignify here to project, but to spend and wear out. As in this paffage of Spenfer, Three ages fuch as mortal men CONTRIVE, VOL. II. E e ACT II. SCENE I. Baptifta's HOUSE in Padua. Enter Catharina and Bianca. BIANCA. OOD Sifter, wrong me not, nor wrong your G felf, To make a bond-maid and a flave of me; That I difdain; but for thefe other (a) Gawds, my felf; Cath. Of all thy Suitors here, I charge thee, tell Cath. Minion, thou lieft; is't not Hortenfio? Bian. Is it for him you do fo envy me? Cath. If That be jeft, then all the reft was fo. (a) Gards. Mr. Theobald-Vulg. goods.] [Strikes ber. Enter Enter Baptifta. Bap. Why, how now, dame, whence grows this infolence? Bianca, ftand afide; poorgir, fhe weeps; Cath. Her filence flouts me; and I'll be reveng❜d. [Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my fight? Bianca, get thee in. [Exit Bianca, Cath. Will you not fuffer me? nay, now I fee, [Exit Cath Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd, as I? But who comes here? S CE NE II. Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man ; Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a mufician; Tranio and Biondello bearing a lute and books. Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptifta. Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio: God fave you, gentlemen. Pet. And you, good Sir; pray, have you not a daughter call'd Catharina, fair and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, Sir, call'd Catharina. Pet. You wrong me, Signior Gremio, give me leave, I am a gentleman of Verona, Sir, That, hearing of her beauty and her wit, Her affability and bafhful modefty, Ee 2 Her Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour, [Presenting Hor. Bap. You're welcome, Sir, and he for your good fake. But for my daughter Catharine, this I know, Bap. Miftake me not, I fpeak but what I find. Whence are you, Sir? 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 fake. I Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, let us, that are poor petitioners, fpeak too. Baccalare! you are marvellous forward. Pet. Oh, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing. 2 Gre. I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am 1 Baccare, you are marvellous forward.] We must read, Baccalare; by which the Italians mean, thou arrogant, prefumptu. ous man! the word is ufed fcornfully, upon any one that would affume a port of grandeur. 2 I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing neigh bours. This is a gift] This nonsense may be rectified by only pointing am fure of it. To exprefs the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, Free leave give to this young scholar, that hath been long studying at Reims, [Prefenting Luc.] as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in mufick and mathematicks; his name is Cambio; pray, accept his fervice. Bap. A thoufand thanks, Signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio. But, gentle Sir, methinks, you walk like a ftranger; [To Tranio.] may I be fo bold to know the caufe of your coming? Tra. Pardon me, Sir, the boldness is mine own, Nor is your firm refolve unknown to me, That, upon knowledge of my parentage, And, toward the education of your daughters, And this small packet of Greek and Latin books. Bap. A mighty man of Pifa; by Report [To Hortenfio and Lucentio. You fhall go fee your pupils presently. Holla, within!- pointing it thus, I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift, &c. addreffing himself to Baptifta. |