Pet. Father and wife, adieu. I must away Unto my country-house, and stir my grooms, Scower their country rust, and make 'em fine, For the reception of my Catherine.

We will have rings, and things, and fine array, To-morrow, Kate, shall be our wedding-day. [Exit Petruchio.

Bap. Well, daughter, though the man be

somewhat wild, "And thereto frantic, yet his means are great ;" Thou hast done well to seize the first kind offer, For by thy mother's soul, 'twill be the last. Cath. My duty, sir, hath followed your command.

Bap.

"Art thou in earnest? Hast no trick "behind?"

I'll take thee at thy word, and send t' invite
My son-in-law, Hortensio, and thy sister,
And all our friends, to grace thy nuptials, Kate.
[Exit Baptista.

Cath. Why, yes; sister Bianca now shall see
The poor abandon'd Catherine, as she calls me,
Can hold her head as high, and be as proud,
And make her husband stoop unto her lure,
As she, or e'er a wife in Padua.

As double as my portion be my scorn:

Look to your seat, Petruchio, or I throw you. Catherine shall tame this haggard-or if she fails,

Shall tye her tongue up, and pare down her

nails.

[Exit

END OF THE FIRST ACT.

ACT II.

Enter BAPTISTA, HORTENSIO, CATHERINE, BIANCA, and Attendants.

BAPTISTA

IGNIOR Hortensio, this is th' appointed day,
That Catherine and Petruhe, should be
married;

And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.
What will be said? what mockery will it be,
To want the bridegroom when the priest attends
To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage?
What says Hortensio to this shame of ours?
Cath. No shame but mine; I must, forsooth,
be forced

To give my hand oppos'd against my heart,
Unto a mad-brain Rudesby, full of spleen,

Who woo'd in haste, and means to wed at lei

sure,

I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,

Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour;
And to be noted for a merry man,

He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of mar riage,

Make friends, invite; yea, and proclaim the banns,

Yet never mean to wed where he hath woo'd,
Now must the world point at poor Catherine,
And say, Lo! there is mad Petruchio's wife,
If it would please him come and marry her.
Bian. Such hasty matches seldom end in
good.

Hor. Patience, good Catherine, and Bianca

too;

Upon my life, Petruchio means but well,
Whatever fortune stays him from his word;
Tho' he be blunt, I know him passing wise;
Tho' he be merry, yet withal be's honest.

Cath. Would I had never seen his honesty. Oh! I could tear my flesh for very madness. [Exit Catherine.

Bap. Follow your sister, girl, and comfort her. [Exit Bianca. "I cannot blame thee now to weep and rage, "For such an injury would vex a saint; "Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour. "Hor. Was ever match clapt up so suddenly!

D

"Bap. Hortensio, faith, I play a merchant's 66 part,

"And venture madly on a desperate mavt. "Hor. "Twas a commodity lay fretting by 66 you;

66

""Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas. Bap. The gain I seek is quiet in the match. "Hor. No doubt Petruchio's got a quiet "catch."

Enter BIONDello.

Bion. Master, master! news! and such news as you never heard of. Bap. Is Petruchio come? Bion. Why no, Sir. Bap. What then!

Bion. He is coming; but how? Why in a new hat, and an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle cases, one buckled, another laced; an old rusty sword, ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeless, with two broken points; his horse hipped with an old mothy saddle, the stirrups of no kindred; besides, possessed with the glanders," and like to mose in "the chine, troubled with the lampasse, infec"ted with the farcy, full of wind-galls, sped

with spavins, raied with the yellows, past cure "of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers,

"be-gnawn with the bots," waid in the back, and shoulder shotten, near legged before, and with a half check'd bit; and a head stall of sheep leather, which being restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots; one girt six times pieced, and, a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with pack-thread. Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. O Sir, his lacquey, for all the world caparisoned like the horse, with a linen stock on one leg, and a kersey boot hose on the other, gartered with a red and blue list, an old hat, and the humour of forty fancies pricked upon it for a feather---A monster! a very monster in apparel, and not like a Christain foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey.

Bap. I am glad he's come, howsoever he

comes.

Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO, fantastically ha bited.

Pet. Come, where be these gallants! Who is at home!

Bap. You're welcome, Sir.

Pet. Well am I come then, Sir.

Bap. Not so well 'parrell'd as I wish you were.
Pet. Why were it better, I should rush in thus;