Tra. But, fay, what to thine old news? Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, in a new hat, and 20 an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turn'd; a pair of boots that have been candle-cafes, one buckled, another lac'd; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeless, with two broken points: His horfe hip'd 25 with an old mothy faddle, the stirrups of no kindred: befides, poffeffed with the glanders, and like to mofe in the chine; troubled with the lampafs, infected with the fashions, full of windgalls, fped with spavins, raied with the yellows, paft cure of 30 the fives 2, ftark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn| with the bots; fway'd in the back, and shoulderfhotten; near legg'd 3 before, and with a halfcheck'd bit, and a headstall of theep's leather which being restrain'd to keep him from ftumb-35 ling, hath been often burst, and now repair'd with knots: one girt fix times piec'd, and a woman's crupper of velure 4, which hath two letters for her name, fairly fet down in ftuds, and here and there pieced with packthread. Bap. Who comes with him?

40

Bion. Oh, fir, his lacquey, for all the world caparifon'd like the horse; with a linen stock 5 on one leg, and a kerfey boot hofe on the other, garter'd with a red and blue list; an old hat, and 45 The bumour of forty fancies 6 prick'd in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel;| and not like a chriftian foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey.

Bion, Who? that Petruchio came ?
Bap. Ay, that Petruchio came.

Bion. No, fir; I say, his horse comes with him on his back.

Bap. Why, that's all one.

Bion. Nay, by faint Jamy, I hold you a penny, A horfe and a man is more than one, and yet not many.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio.

Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who is at home?

Bap. You are welcome, fir.

Pet. And yet I come not well.

Bap. And yet you halt not.
Tra. Not fo well apparell'd

As I wish you were.

Pet. Were it better, I fhould rush in thus.
But where is Kate? where is my lovely bride?-
How does my father?-Gentles, methinks you
And wherefore gaze this goodly company, [frown:
As if they faw fome wondrous monument,
Some comet, or unusual prodigy?

[day:

Bap. Why, fir, you know, this is your wedding-
Firft were we fad, fearing you would not come ;
Now fadder, that you come fo unprovided.
Fye! doff this habit, fhame to your estate,
An eye-fore to our folemn festival.

Tra. And tell us, what occafion of import
Hath all fo long detain'd you from your wife,
And fent you hither fo unlike yourself?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear;
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Though in fome part enforced to digress 7;
Which, at more leifure, I will so excufe
As you shall well be fatisfied withal.
But, where is Kate? I ftay 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 cloaths of mine.
Pet. Not I, believe me; thus I'll vifit her.
Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good footh, even thus; therefore have
done with words;

To me she's marry'd, not unto my cloaths:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
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,

Tra. 'Tis fome odd humour pricks him to this 50 When I should bid good-morrow to my bride,

fashion;

Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd.

Bap. I am glad he is come, howfoever he comes.
Bion. Why, fir, he comes not.

Bap. Didit thou not fay, he comes?

And feal the title with a lovely kifs?

[Exe. Pet. Gru. and Bion

Tra. He hath fome meaning in his mad attire: We will perfuade him, be it poffible,

155 To put on better ere he go to church.

That is, the farcy. A diftemper in horfes, little differing from the ftrangles. 3 Meaning, that he cuts, or interferes. 4 i. e. velvet. 5 i. e. ftocking. This was fome ballad or drollery of that time, which the poet here ridicules, by making Petruchio prick it up in his foot-boy's old hat for a feather. In Shakspeare's time, the kingdom was over-run with these doggrel compofitions; and he feems to have bore them a very particular grudge. He frequently ridicules both them and their makers with excellent humour. In Much ado about Nothing, he makes Benedick fay, Prove that ever I lofe more blood with love than I get again with drinking, prick out my eyes with a ballad maker's penz as the bluntnefs of it would make the execution extremely painful. 7 i. e. to deviate from my promife. Бар.

10

Gre. A bridegroom, fay you? 'tis a groom, indeed,
A grumbling groom, and that the girl fhall find. 30
Tra. Curfter than the? why, 'tis impossible.
Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
Tra. Why, fhe's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam.
Gre. Tut! fhe's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
I'll tell you, fir Lucentio; When the priest
Should afk-if Katharine fhould be his wife,
Ay, by gog's-wouns, quoth he; and swore fo loud,
That, all amaz'd, the priest let fall the book:
And, as he stoop'd again to take it up,

This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, 40
That down fell priest and book, and book and priest,|
Now take them up, quoth he, if any lift.

Tra. What faid the wench, when he rose up

Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd, 45 As if the vicar meant to cozen him. [and fwore,] But after many ceremonies done,

The fashion of introducing a bowl of wine into the church at a wedding to be drank by the bride and bridegroom and perfons prefent, was very anciently a conftant ceremony; and, as appears from this paffage, not abolished in our author's age. 2 Meaning, that they had eaten more oats than they were worth.

Draw forth thy weapon; we're beset with thieves ;
Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man :-- [Kate;
Fear not, fweet wench, they shall not touch thee,
I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exe. Petruchio and Katherine. 5 Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with laughing.

Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like!
Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your fifter? 10

Bian. That, being mad herself, fhe's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.
Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and
bridegroom wants

For to fupply the places at the table,

You know, there wants no junkets at the feast ;--
Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom's place ;
And let Bianca take her fifter's room.

Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practife how to bride it?
Bap. She fhall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen.
let's go.
[Exeunt.

Curt. There's fire ready: And therefore, good Grumio, the news?

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

Curt. Come, you are fo full of conycatching :---
Gru. Why therefore, fire; for I have caught

very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to 30 extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I fhould come by a fire to thaw me :-But, I, with blowing the fire, fhall warm myfelf; for, confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis ! Enter Curtis.

Curt. Who is that, calls fo coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou may'ft flide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater

the house trimm'd, rushes ftrew'd, cobwebs fwept; the ferving-men in their new fuftian, their white ftockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? be the jacks fair within, the jills fair 35 without, the carpets laid, and every thing in Jorder?

Curt. All ready; And therefore, I pray thee, news?

Gru. First know, my horfe is tired; my master

a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good 40 and mistress fallen out. Curtis.

Cart. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio ?

Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; caft on no water.

Curt. Is the fo hot a fhrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this froft; but, thou know'ft, winter tames man, woman, and beaft; for it hath tam'd my old mafter, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis.

Cart. Away, you three-inch 3 fool! I am no beast.

145)

Curt. How?

Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale.

Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio.

Gru. Lend thine ear.

Curt. Here.

Gru. There.

[Strikes bim.

Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale.

Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd, a sensible tale : 50 and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech liftning. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress:

Gru. Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a foot; and fo long am I, at the leaft 4. But wilt thou make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee 55 to our mistress, whofe hand (the being now at hand) thou fhalt foon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot office?

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world?

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

Gru. Tell thou the tale;-But hadft thou not crofs'd me, thou should't have heard how the horfe fell, and she under her horse; thou should'st 60 have heard, in how miry a place: how he was

That is, made dirty. 2 A proverbial expreffion. 3 i. c. with a skull three inches thick; a phrafe taken from the thicker fort of planks. 4 The meaning is, that he had made Curtis a cuckold. 5 This is a fragment of fome old ballad. i. e. are the drinking-veffels clean, and the maid-fervants dreffed?

bemoil'd;

Gru. Nathaniel's coat, fir, was not fully made,
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel:
There was no link 3 to colour Peter's hat,
And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing:
There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and
Gregory;

The reft were ragged, old, and beggarly;
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
Pet. Go, rafcals, go, and fetch my supper in.
[Exeunt Servants.

Where is the life that late I led-
[Singing
Where are those,- Sit down, Kate, and welcome.
Soud, foud, foud, foud 4;

Re-enter Servants with Supper.

merry.

Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all fhall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this?-call forth Nathaniel, Jofeph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarfop, and the reft:15 Why, when, I say ?--Nay, good sweet Kate, be let their heads be fleekly comb'd, their blue coats brush'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit 2 :| let them curtfy with their left legs; and not prefume to touch a hair of my master's horfe-tail, 'till they kifs their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are.

Gru. Call them forth.

Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my mafter, to countenance my mistress.

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

Cart. Who knows not that?

Gru. Thou, it seems; that call'ft for company to countenance her.

Curt. I call them forth to credit her,

Enter four or five Serving-men.

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

Nath. Welcome home, Grumio.

Phil. How now, Grumio?

Jof. What, Grumio!

Nich. Fellow Grumio!

Nath. How now, old lad!

[Sings.

Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; When?
It was the friar of orders grey",
As be forth walked on his way :-

20Out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry:
Take that, and mend the plucking off the other.-
[Strikes bim.

Be merry, Kate :-Some water, here; what ho!-
Enter one with water.

25 Where's my fpaniel Troilus?--Sirrah,get you hence,
And bid my coufin Ferdinand come hither :-
One, Kate, that you must kiss and be acquainted
with.-

Where are my flippers ?-Shall I have fome water? 30 Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily :You whorefon villain! will you let it fall?

Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling.

Pet. A whorefon, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave! |35|Come, Kate, fit down; I know you have a sto

Gru. Welcome, you ;-how now, you ;-what, you;-fellow, you;—and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all 4c things neat?

Nath. All things are ready: How near is our master ?

Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not,Cock's paffion, filence !- I hear 45 my master.

Enter Petruchio and Katharine.

Pet. Where be thefe knaves? What, no man at the door,

To hold my ftirrup, nor to take my horse !
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip ?-
All Serv. Here, here, fir; here, fir.
Pet. Here, fir! here, fir! here, fir! here, fir!
You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms!
What, no attendance? no regard? no duty?-
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

Gru. Here, fir; as foolish as I was before,
Pet. You peasant fwain! you whorefon malt-
horfe drudge!

Did not I bid thee meet me in the park,
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

50

mach.

Will you give thanks, fweet Kate: or elfe fhall I ?
What's this? mutton?

1 Ser. Ay.

Pet. Who brought it?

Ser. I.

Pet. 'Tis burnt; and fo is all the meat:
What dogs are these?-Where is the rafcal cook?
How durft you, villains, bring it from the dreffer,
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
There, take it to you, trenchers, cups and all:
[Throws the meat, &c. about the flage.
You heedlefs jolt-heads, and unmanner'd slaves!
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight.
Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet;
The meat was well, if you were so contented.
Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt, and dry'd away;
And I exprefsly am forbid to touch it,

For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
55 And better 'twere, that both of us did fast,-
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are cholerick,-
Than feed it with fuch over-roafted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll faft for company :-
60 Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

[Exeunt.

I i. e. be-draggled, be-mired. 2 Meaning, that their garters fhould be fellows; indifferent, or nat different, one from the other. 3 A link is a torch of pitch. 4 That is, fweet, fweet. 5 This is a fragment of fome ancient ballad.

Enter

Enter Servants feverally.

Nath. Peter, did'ft ever fee the like?
Peter. He kills her in her own humour.
Re-enter Curtis.

Gru. Where is he?

Curt. In her chamber,

Making a fermon of continency to her:

And rails, and fwears, and rates; that she, poor foul,
Knows not which way to ftand, to look, to speak;
And fits as one new-risen from a dream.
Away, away! for he is coming hither.
Re-enter Petruchio.

[Exeunt.

Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And 'tis my hope to end fuccessfully:

My faulcon now is sharp, and paffing empty;
And, 'till fhe ftoop, she must not be full-gorg'd,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard',
To make her come, and know her keeper's call;
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites,
That bate, and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;
Laft night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not:
As with the meat, fome undeserved fault
I'll find about the making of the bed;

And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets :-
Ay, and amid this hurly, I intend,

That all is done in reverend care of her;

And, in conclufion, she shall watch all night:
And, if the chance to nod, I'll rail, and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong
humour.-

He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him fpeak; 'tis charity, to fhew. [Exit.
SCENE

II.

I tell you, fir, the bears me fair in hand.
Her. Sir, to fatisfy you in what I have said,
Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching.
[They ftand by.

I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

Hor. Mistake no more; I am not Licio,
Nor a musician, as I feem to be;

But one that fcorn to live in this disguise,
5 For fuch a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of fuch a cullion:
Know, fir, that I am call'd-Hortenfio.

Tra. Signior Hortenfio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca:

10 And fince mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you,-if you be fo contented,-
Forfwear Bianca and her love for ever. [Lucentio,

Hor. See, how they kifs and court!-Signior
Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow-

15 Never to woo her more; but do forfwear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.

Tra. And here I take the like unfeigned oath,-
Never to marry her, though she would intreat:
20 Fye on her! fee, how beaftly the doth court him!
Hor. 'Would all the world but he, had quite
forfworn!

For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,

I will be marry'd to a wealthy widow,

25 Ere three days pafs; which hath as long lov'd me, As I have lov'd this proud difdainful haggard; And fo farewel, fignior Lucentio.

Kindnefs in women, not their beauteous looks, Shall win my love :-and fo I take my leave, 30 In refolution as I fwore before. [Exit Hortenfio. Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with fuch grace As 'longeth to a lover's bleffed cafe! Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love; And have forfworn you, with Hortenfio. [Lucentio and Bianca come forward. Bian. Tranio, you jeft; but have you both forTra. Mistress, we have. [fworn me?

35

Luc. Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra. I'faith, he'll have a lufty widow now,

40 That fhall be woo'd and wedded in a day.
Bian. God give him joy!

45

Enter Bianca and Lucentio.
Luc. Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
Bian. What, mafter, read you? first, refolve me 50
that.

Luc. I read that I profefs, the art to love.
Bian. And may you prove, fir, master of your art!
Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of
my heart.
[They retire backward. 55
Hor. Quick proceeders, marry! Now, tell me,

I pray,
You that durft fwear that your mistress Bianca
Lov'd none in the world fo well as Lucentio.
Tra. O defpightful love! unconftant woman-60
kind!-

Tra. Ay, and he'll tame her.

Bian. He fays fo, Tranio.

Tra. 'Faith, he is gone unto the taming school.
Bian. The taming school! what, is there fuch a
place?

Tra. Ay, miftrefs, and Petruchio is the mafter;
That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,
To tame a fhrew, and charm her chattering tongue.
Enter Biondello, running.

Bion. Oh mafter, master, I have watch'd fo long
That I am dog-weary; but at last I spied
An ancient angel 2 coming down the hill,
Will ferve the turn.

Tra. What is he, Biondello ?

Bion. Mafter, a mercatantè 3, or a pedant,
I know not what; but formal in apparel,
In gait and countenance surely like a father.
Luc. And what of him, Tranio?
Tra. If he be credulous, and truft my tale,
I'll make him glad to feem Vincentio ;

1 A baggard is a wild bawk; to man a hawk is to tame her. 2 Meaning, perhaps, an ancient messenger, which is the primitive fignification of angel.

3 i. e. a merchant.

And