Bion. Tut, fear not me. Tra. But haft thou done thy errand to Baptifta? Bion. I told him that your father was in Venice, And that you look'd for him this day in Padua. Tra. Th'art a tall fellow, hold thee that to drink; Here comes Baptifta; fet your countenance, Sir.

Enter Baptista aud Lucentio.

Tra. Signior Baptifta, you are happily met:
Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of;
I pray you ftand, good father, to me now,
Give me Bianca for my patrimony.

Ped. Soft, fon. Sir, by your leave, having come to Padua

To gather in fome debts, my fon Lucentio
Made me acquainted with a weighty cause
Of love between your daughter and himself:
And for the good report I hear of you,
And for the love he beareth to your daughter,
And the to him; to ftay him not too long,
I am content in a good father's care

To have him match'd; and if you please to like
No worse than I, Sir, upon fome agreement,
Me fhall you find most ready and most willing
With one consent to have her so bestowed:
For curious I cannot be with you,
Signior Baptifta, of whom I hear fo well.

Bap. Sir, pardon me in what I have to say:
Your plainnefs and your fhortnefs please me well;
Right true it is, your fon Lucentio here
Doth love my daughter, and the loveth him,
Or both diffemble deeply their affections;
And therefore if you fay no more than this,
That like a father you will deal with him,
And pass my daughter a fufficient dowry,
The match is made, and all is done,
Your fon fhall have my daughter with confent.
Tra. I thank you, Sir.

beft,

Where then do you know

Be we affied; and such assurance ta'en,
As fhall with either part's agreement ftand;
Bap. Not in my house, Lucentio ; for, you know,
Pitchers have ears, and I have many fervants;
Befides, old Gremio is hearkning still;

And, haply, then we might be interrupted.
Tra. Then at my lodging, an it like you, Sir,
There doth my father lye; and there this night
We'll pass the business privately and well:
Send for your daughter by your fervant here,
My boy fhall fetch the fcrivener presently.
The worft is this, that at fo flender warning
You're like to have a thin and flender pittance.

Bap. It likes me well. Go, Cambio, hie you home, And bid Bianca make her ready straight:

And if you will, tell what hath happen'd here:
Lucentio's father is arriv'd in Padua,

And how fhe's like to be Lucentio's wife.

Luc. I pray the Gods the may, with all my heart! [Ex. Tra. Dally not, with the Gods, but get thee gone. Signior Baptifta, fhall I lead the way?

Welcome! one mess is like to be your cheer.

Come, Sir, we will better it in Pifa.

Bap. I'll follow you.

Enter Lucentio and Biondello.

Bion. Cambio,

Luc. What fay'ft thou, Biondello?

[Exeunt.

Bion. You faw my mafter wink and laugh upon you. Luc. Biondello, what of that?

Bion. 'Faith, nothing; but ha's left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his figns and tokens.

Luc. I pray thee, moralize them.

Bion. Then thus. Baptifta is fafe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful fon.

Luc. And what of him?

Bion. His Daughter is to be brought by you to the fupper.

Luc.

Luc. And then?

Bion. The old Prieft at St. Luke's Church is at your command at all hours.

Luc. And what of all this?

Bion. I cannot tell, except they are bufied about a counterfeit affurance; take you affurance of her, Cum privilegio ad imprimendum folùm; to th' Church take the Prieft, Clark, and fome fufficient honeft witneffes: If this be not that you look for, I have no more to fay,

But bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day.

Luc. Hear'ft thou, Biondello?

Bion. I cannot tarry; I knew a wench married in an afternoon as he went to the garden for parfly to stuff a rabbet; and so may you, Sir, and so adieu, Sir; my Master hath appointed me to go to St. Luke's, to bid the Priest be ready to come against you come with your Appendix. [Exit. Luc. I may, and will, if she be fo contented: She will be pleas'd, then wherefore fhould I doubt ? Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her: It shall go hard, if Cambio go without her.

Pet,

SCENE, a green Lane.

Enter Petruchio, Catharina, and Hortenfio.

[Exit.

Ome on, o'God's name, once more tow'rds our Father's.

Good Lord, how bright and goodly fhines the Moon! Cath. The Moon! the Sun, it is not Moon-light

now.

Pet. I fay, it is the Moon that shines fo bright. Cath. I know, it is the Sun that shines so bright. Pet. Now by my mother's fon, and that's my felf, It fhall be Moon, or Star, or what I lift, Or ere 1 journey to your Father's houfe; Go on, and fetch our horfes back again. Evermore croft and croft, nothing but croft! Hor. Say, as he fays, or we shall never go, Z3

Cath.

Cath. Forward, I pray, fince we have come fo far, And be it Moon, or Sun, or what you please: And if you please to call it a rush candle, Henceforth I vow it fhall be fo for me, Pet. I fay, it is the Moon.

Cath. I know, it is the Moon,

Pet. Nay, then you lye; it is the bleffed Sun.
Cath. Then, God be bleft, it is the bleffed Sun.
But Sun it is not, when you fay it is not;
And the Moon changes, even as your mind.
What you will have it nam'd, even that it is,
And fo it fhall be fo for Catharine.

Hor. Petruchio, go thy way, the field is won.
Pet. Well, forward, forward, thus the bowl fhould

And not unluckily against the bias:

But foft, fome company is coming here.

Enter Vincentio.

Good morrow, gentle Miftrefs, where away?

[run;

[To Vincentio. Tell me, fweet Kate, and tell me truly too, Haft thou beheld a fresher Gentlewoman? Such war of white and red within her cheeks! What ftars do fpangle Heaven with fuch beauty, As thofe two eyes become that heav'nly face? Fair lovely Maid, once more good day to thee: Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty's fake.

Hor. He will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.

Cath. Young budding Virgin, fair, and fresh, and fweet,

Whither away, or where is thy aboad?

(23) Happy the parents of fo fair a child;" Happier the man, whom favourable stars Allot thee for his lovely bedfellow !

(23) Happy the Parents of Jo fair a Child!

Happier the Man, whom favourable Stars

Pet.

Allot thee for his lovely Bedfellow!] This Paffage has a great Refemblance to what Ovid has made Salmacis fay of Hermaphrodi

Pet. Why, how now, Kate, I hope, thou art not

mad!

This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered,
And not a maiden, as, thou fay'ft, he is.

Cath. Pardon, old Father, my mistaken eyes;
That have been so bedazled with the fun,
That every thing I look on feemeth green.
Now I perceive, thou art a reverend Father:
Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad miftaking.
Pet. Do, good old Grandfire, and withal make known
Which way thou travelleft; if along with us,
We fhall be joyful of thy company.

Vin. Fair Sir, and you my merry Mistress,
That with your ftrange encounter much amaz'd me;
My name is call'd Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa;
And bound I am to Padua, there to vifit

A Son of mine, which long I have not feen.
Pet. What is his name?

Vin. Lucentio, gentle Sir.

Pet. Happily met, the happier for thy Son;
And now by law, as well as reverend age,
I may entitle thee my loving Father:
The Sifter of my Wife, this Gentlewoman,
Thy Son by this hath married. Wonder not,
Nor be not griev'd, he is of good efteem,
Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;
Befide, fo qualified, as may beseem
The Spouse of any noble Gentleman.
Let me embrace with old Vincentio,
And wander we to fee thy honest Son,
Who will of thy arrival be full joyous,

Vin. But is this true, or is it elfe your pleasure,

Like pleafant travellers, to break a jest

Upon the company you overtake ?

Hor. I do affure thee, Father, so it is.

qui te genuêre beati :

Et mater fælix, & fortunata profectò

Si

qua tibi foror eft, & quæ dedit ubera nutrix :

Sed longè cunctis, longéque beatior illa eft

Si qua tibi Sponfa eft, fi quam dignabere tada. Mr. Warburton.

74

Pet.