Beg. Alce madam, or Ione madam ?

Lord. Madam, and nothing elfe, fo lords call ladies.
Beg. Madame wife, they say that I haue dream'd,
And slept about fome fifteene yeare or more.
Lady. I, and the time feeme's thirty vnto me,
Being all this time abandon'd from your bed.

Beg. 'Tis much, feruants leaue me and her alone :
Madam vndresse you, and come now to bed.

Lady. Thrice noble lord, let me intreate of you
To pardon me yet for a night or two;
Or if not fo, vntil the fun be fet.

For your phyfitions have expreffely charg'd,
In perill to incurre you former malady,
That I fhould yet abfent me from your bed:

I hope this reason ftands for my excuse."

Beg. I, It ftands fo that I may hardly tarry fo long: But I would be loth to fall into my dreames againe: I will therefore tarrie in defpight of the flesh and the blood.

Enter a Messenger.

Mel. Your honors players hearing your amendment, Are come to play a pleafant comedie,

For fo your doctors hold it verie meete,

Seeing too much fadneffe hath congeal'd your blood,
And melancholly is the nurfe of frenzie,

Therefore they thought it good you heare a play,
And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,

Which barres a thousand harmes and lengthens life.

Beg. Marrie I will let them play, it is not a commontie, a

Christmas gambold, or a tumbling tricke?

Lady. No my good lord, it is more pleafing stuffe.

Beg. What houshold stuffe.

Lady. It is a kind of history.

Beg. Well, we'l fee't:

Сош

Com madam wife fit by my fide,

And let the world flip, wee shall nere be yonger.

Flourish. Enter Lucentio, and his man Triano.

Luc. Tranio, fince for the great defire I had
To fee faire Padua, nurferie of arts,
I, am arriu'd for fruitfull Lumbardie,
The pleasant garden of great Italy,
And by my fathers loue and leaue am arm'd
With his good will, and thy good companie.
My trustie feruant well approu'd in all,
Heere let vs breath, and haply institute
A courfe of learning, and ingenious studies.
Pifa renowned for graue
citizens

Gaue me my being, and my father first

A merchant of great trafficke through the world:
Vincentio's come of the Bentiuolij,

Viccentio's fonne, brought vp in Florence,

It shall become to ferue all hopes conceiu'd
To decke his fortune with his vertuous deedes:
And therefore Tranio, for the time I ftudie,
Vertue and that part of philofophie
Will I applie, that treates of happinesse,
By vertue specially to be atchieu'd.

Tell me thy minde, for I haue Pisa left,
And am to Padua come, as he that leaues
A fhallow plash, to plunge him in the deepe,
And with facietie feekes to quench his thirst.

Tra. Me pardinato, gentle maister mine:
I am in all affected as yourselfe,
Glad that you thus continue your refolue,
To fuck the fweets of fweete philofophie.
Onely (good mafter) while we do admire
This vertue and this morall difcipline,

Let's

1

Let's be no ftoickes, nor no stockes I pray,
Or fo deuote to Ariftotles checkes

As Quid; be an out-caft quite abiur'd:

Balke logicke with acquaintance that you haue,
And practise rhetoricke in your common talke,
Muficke and poefie vse, to quicken you,
The mathematickes and the metaphyfickes
Fall to them as you finde your

ftomacke ferues you :

No profit growes where is no pleasure tane:

In briefe fir, ftudie what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies Tranio, well dost thou aduise,

If Biondello thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put vs in readinesse,

And take a lodging fit to entertaine

Such friendes (as time) in Padua fhall beget.

But stay a while, what companie is this?

Tra. Mafter fome fhew to welcome vs to towne.

Enter Baptifta with and his two daughters, Katerina Bianca,
Gremio a pantelowne, Hortentio fifter to Bianca.

Lucen Tranio, ftand by.

Bap. Gentlemen importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am refolu'd you know:
That is, not to beftow my yongest daughter,
Before I haue a husband for the elder :
If either of you both loue Katherina,

Because I know you well, and loue you well,

Leaue fhall you have to court her at your pleasure.
Gre. To cart her rather. She's to rough for mee,
There, there Hortenfio, will you any wife?

Kate. I pray you fir, is it your will

To make a ftale of me amongst these mates?
Hor. Mates maid, how meane you that?

No

No mates for you,

Vnlesse you were of gentler milder mould,

Kate. I faith fir, you shall neuer need to feare,
I wis it is not halfe way to her heart :

But if it were, doubt not, her care should be,
To combe your noddle with a three-legg'd stoole,
And paint your face, and vfe you like a foole.

Hor. From all fuch diuels, good Lord deliuer vs.
Gre. And me too, good Lord.

Tra. Husht mafter, heeres fome good paftime toward; That wench is ftarke mad, or wonderfull froward,

Lucen. But in the others filence do I fee,

Maids milde behauiour and fobrietie.

Peace Tranio.

Tra. Well faid Mr. mum, and gaze your fill.

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may foone make good What I haue faid Bianca get you in,

And let it not displease thee good Bianca,

For I will loue thee nere the leffe my girle.

Kate. A pretty peate, it is best put finger in the eye, and

she knew why.

Bian. Sifter content you in my difcontent.

Sir, to your pleasure humbly I fubfcribe:

My bookes and inftruments fhall be my companie,

On them to looke, and practise by my felfe.

Luc. Harke Tranio, thou maist heare Minerua fpeak.
Hor. Signior Baptifta, will you be so strange,

Sorrie am I that our good will effects

Bianca's greefe.

Gre. Why will you mew her vp

(Signior Baptifta) for this fiend of hell,

And make her beare the pennance of her tongue.
Bay. Gentlemen content ye: I am refolu'd :
Go in Bianca.

And

And for I know fhe taketh moft delight
In muficke, inftruments, and poetry,
Schoolemasters will I keepe within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth. If you Hortenfio,
Or fignior Gremio you know any fuch,
Preferre them hither: for to cunning men,

I will be very kind and liberall,

To mine owne children, in good bringing vp,
And fo farewell: Katherina you may stay,

For I haue more to commune with Bianca.

Exit.

Kate. Why and I truft I may go too, may I not?

What shall I be appointed houres, as though

(Belike) I knew not what to take,

And what to leaue? Ha.

Exit.

Gre. You may go to the diuels dam: your gifts are fo good heere's none will holde you: there loue is not so great Hortenfio, but we may blowe our nailes together, and fast it fairely out. Our cakes dough on both fides. Farewell: yet for the loue I beare my sweete Bianca, if I can by any meanes light on a fitt man to teach her that wherein thee delights, I will wish him to her father.

Hor. So will I figniour Gremio: but a word I pray : Though the nature of our quarrell yet neuer brook'd parle, know now vpon aduice, it toucheth vs both: that we may yet againe haue acceffe to our faire miftris, and be happie riuals in Bianca's loue, to labour and effect one thing fpecially.

Gre. What's that I pray?

Hor. Marrie fir to get a husband for her sister.

Gre. A husband: a diuell.

Hor. I say a husband.

Gre. I fay a diuell: think'st thou Hortenfio, though her father be verie rich, any man is fo verie a foole to be married to hell?

Hor