Duke Sen. Proceed, proceed, we will begin these Rites, As we do truft they lì end in true Delights.

Rof. It is not the Fashion to fee the Lady the Epilogue; but it is no more unhandfome than to fee the Lord the Prologue. If it be tre, that good Wine needs no Bush, 'tis true, that a good Pay needs no Epilogue. Yet to good Wine they do ufe good Bufhes; and good Plays prove the better by the help of good Epilogues. What a cafe am I in then, that am neither a good Epilogue, nor cannot infinuate with you in the behalf of a good Play? I am not furnish'd like a Beggar; therefore to beg will not become me. My way is to Conjure you, and I'll begin with the Women. I charge you, O Women, for the love you bear to Men, to like as much of this Play as pleafes you: And I charge. you, O Men, for the love you bear to Women, as I perceive by your Simpring, none of you hates them, that between you and the Women, the Play may please. If I were a Womar, I would kifs as many of you as had Beards that pleas'd me, Complexions that lik'd me, and Breaths that I defy'd not: And, I am fure, as many as have good Beards, or good Faces, or fweet Breaths, will for my kind Offer, when I make Courtfie, bid me farewel. Exeunt.

1

1

A Lord, before whom the Play is fuppos'd to be

Chriftophero Sly, a drunken Tinker.

Hoftefs.

Page, Players, Huntfmen, and other Servants attending on the Lord.

The Perfons of the Play it felf are

Baptifta, Father to Katharina and Biancha, very rich.

Vincentio, an old Gentleman of Pisa.

Lucentio, Son to Vincentio, in love with Biancha. Petruchio, a Gentleman of Verona, a Suitor to Katharina.

Gremio,
Hortenfio,

Pretenders to Biancha.

Tranio,

Biondello,

}

Servants to Lucentio.

Grumio, Servant to Petruchio.

Pedant, an old Fellow fet up to perfonate Vin

centio.

Katharina, the Shrew.

Biancha, her Sifter.

Widow.

Taylor, Haberdashers, with Servants attending on Baptifta and Petruchio.

SCENE in the latter End of the third, and beginning of the fourth Act in Petruchio's Houfe in the Country; for the rest of the Play in Padua.

The

336

The Taming of the Shrew.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Enter Hoftefs and Sly.

SL T

'LL pheeze you, in Faith.

Hoft. A Pair of Stocks, you Rogue.

Sly. Y'are a Baggage; the Slies are no Rogues. Look in the Chronicles, we came with Richard Conqueror; therefore Paucus pallabris, let the World fl.de: Seffa.

Hoft. You will not pay for the Glaffes you have burst? Sly. No, not a Deniere: Go by S. Jeronimy, go to thy cold Bed, and warm thee.

Hoft. I know my Remedy; I muft go fetch the Headborough.

[Exit. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth Borough, I'll answer him by Law; I'll not budge an Inch, Boy; let him come, and kindly. [Falls afleep.

Wind Horns. Enter a Lord from Hunting, with a Train.

Lord. Huntfman, I charge thee tender well my Hounds, Brach Merriman, the poor Cur is imboft,

And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach.
Saw'st thou not, Boy, how Silver made it good.
At the Hedge Corner, in the coldest Fault;
I would not lofe the Dog for twenty Pound.
Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my Lord;
He cried upon it at the meereft Lofs,

And